Operation: Night patrol

Date: 15.09.1940

Unit: No. 25 Squadron

Type: Beaufighter If

Serial: R2067

Base: RAF Biggin Hill

Location: Near Kenley Airfield, Kent

Pilot: P/O. Hugh Michael Stanford Lambert 39419 RAF Age 22. Killed

Pilot 2: F/O. Miles John Miley 33345 RAF Age 22. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: LAC John Pile Wyatt 915837 RAFVR Age 32. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Listed in one publication as crashing near Biggin Hill, other reports are that it was shot down by a member of JG53. Another publication is that it was possible that they were involved in a mid air collision with a Blenheim. We can find no Blenheims lost on this date.

Without further evidence we are unable to confirm any of the reports listed.

P/O. Hugh Michael Stanford Lambert. Reading Crematorium. Panel I. Born on the 19th December 1918. Next of kin details not available, perhaps you can assist with this and other information?

F/O. Miles John Miley. North Weald Bassett Churchyard (St. Andrew). Row I. Grave 2. Further information (courtesy Sherborne School Archives) Born 27 July 1918, son of Group Captain Arnold John Miley, OBE., RAF, and Roberte Marie Mathilde Miley, of Felixstowe, Suffolk, England. Attended Oaklands Court School, St Peters in Thanet. Attended Sherborne School (School House) April 1932-July 1936; 6th form; Prefect; 1st XV rugby football team, 1935; shooting viii team, 1934, 1935, 1936 (captain). Cranwell (prize cadetship, XV).

Obituary, 'The Shirburnian', December 1944: 

'Miles John Miley, son of Group Captain A.J. Miley, R.A.F., came to Sherborne in 1932 and left in 1936 with a Prize Cadetship to the R.A.F. College, Cranwell, with a very distinguished career behind him. A member of the VIth, a School Prefect and very prominent forward of the 1st XV and Captain of the Shooting VIII. With this record behind him it was no surprise to hear he had won a Prize Cadetship at Cranwell and has represented the College in Rugby Football. His subsequent career fully justified this early promise. My last conversation was actually some years after he left in the early days of the war. On the afternoon of that day we had noticed a machine flying very low over the playing fields. The boys of No.7 had been rather startled by observing the window of an aeroplane detach itself from the machine and come hurtling down not far from a group of players. Miley rang me up from Bristol that evening to enquire whether any boys had been killed during the course of the afternoon. I was able to reply in the negative, but told him I would like to have a further talk about the incident on his next visit on foot to Sherborne. He replied, laughingly, that he would come and face the music as soon as opportunity offered. Alas! that opportunity never came. Shortly after this incident he was moved to the Defence of London and a few weeks later we heard with very deep regret of his death in action over occupied France. Sherborne and the Country have without doubt lost thereby an officer of quite unusual promise. He was most certainly destined to go to the very top of his profession. It was to men like this that Great Britain owed her deliverance in those early hard-pressed days.'

LAC John Pile Wyatt. Melplash Churchyard (Christ Church). West Part. Further information Son of Arthur and Beatrice Susan Wyatt, of Rodwell, Weymouth, England.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew. With thanks to Sherborne School Archives for additional information. Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 

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