The Airmen's Stories - P/O A H Hiles

Arthur Herbert Hiles of Wellington, Somerset was born on 21st July 1916, the son of Ernest Hiles (1885-1958) and Lily Hiles (nee Lock 1884-1973).

His father served as a LAC with the RFC in WW1.

AH Hiles was awarded a scholarship to Wellington School in 1928.

He was employed as a bank clerk at Lloyds in Exeter when he joined the RAFVR about June 1939 as an Airman u/t Observer.

Called up on 1st September 1939, he completed his training, was commissioned and then joined 236 Squadron on 26th September 1940, serving with them for the remainder of the Battle.

He was killed on 15th March 1942 as a Flying Officer with 233 Squadron.

233 Squadron operated Hudson aircraft from St Eval in Cornwall on reconnaissance missions over the Bay of Biscay. Hudson Mk III ZS-V V9128 took off at 11.45am for a shipping search to Brittany. The aircraft failed to return and is believed to have crashed off Guernsey.

Also lost were:

W/Cdr. EHP Clarke AFC
Sgt. DW Dewar
P/O BFA Holland

Only the bodies of Holland and Clarke were recovered.

Hiles was 25. He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 67.

Above image courtesy of Dean Sumner.

He is also commemorated on Wellington School War Memorial.