RILEY, Charles Guy
| Service Number: | 416285 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 28 April 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Flying Officer |
| Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
| Born: | Adelaide, SA, 21 June 1922 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Aircraft Accident, United Kingdom, 1 August 1942, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Gawler Council WW2 Honour Roll, Hackney St Peter's College WW2 Honour Roll |
World War 2 Service
| 28 Apr 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 416285 | |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Apr 1941: | Involvement Flying Officer, 416285 | |
| 28 Apr 1941: | Enlisted Adelaide | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement |
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Service Number: 416285.
Father Leslie Daniel Burfitt Riley and Mother Minnie Frances Riley (nee ______).
Charles and his older brother Michael were sons of one of the priests of this diocese.
An ex-parishioner of St Peters Cathedral, North Adelaide - Betty Byrne - as a young woman,
knew both Charles and his older brother Michael, from country South Australia. There was
a group of three young lads, including Fred _____(name withheld as he is still alive).
When the war came each of the three joined up in the Services. Fred became an ambulance
person. At the second battle of El Alemein, Fred came across fatally wounded Michael Riley.
Michael actually died in Fred’s arms.
RAAF Officer Charles Guy Riley was killed in an aircraft accident in Scotland 1 August 1940.
On the morning of 1 August 1942 In Scotland, newly promoted (16-07-1942) Flying Officer
Guy Riley and Sergent Steel were ordered to practise dog fighting and the aerobatics
needed for dog fighting. They were ordered to fly to 10 000 feet and above. During that
time Sergeant Steel noticed that the hood of his spitfire was about to come adrift and he
was ordered back to base. Riley was told to continue with the aerobatics training. At that
stage during the training it appears that he may have lost too much height and lost control,
battled to right it and went into a slow dive into the roof of a farm, Cairns Place Farm, north
of Crail, Scotland. He was thrown clear of the aircraft and was found to be deceased.
There were many who witnessed the crash and when the inquiry took place on
16 September 1942, among the witnesses was a Pilot Officer Koreniewicz. PO Riley’s
funeral was held at Leuchars R.A.F. Base on Tuesday 4 August 1942 at 12:30pm.
The finding of the inquiry was that the accident had been caused by pilot inexperience.
P.O. Riley was buried in Leuchars Cemetery, Section 1, Grave 33 E.
and his name is in Canberra at the War Memorial on Panel 105.
The telegram announcing Guy Riley’s death was sent to the Bishop Bryan Robin.
With thanks to Rosie Hamilton from St Peters Cathedral.
Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan. 4 August 2014. Lest we forget.