220

H.S. MILES.
2. (centre aligned)
No. 21 Advanced Flying Unit, Wheaton Aston, Staffordshire, where he carried out duties as pilot in Oxford aircraft. On the 27th May he proceeded to No. 1511 Beam Approach Training Flight, for a short course, on completion of which he returned to No. 21 A.F.U. On the 7th July, 1944, F/O Miles was posted to No. 16 Operational Training Unit, Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, for crewing up on Wellington aircraft. In September he proceeded to No. 1654 Conversion Unit, Wigsley, Nottinghamshire, where he converted to Stirling aircraft. He was then posted to No. 5 Lancaster Finishing School, Syerston, in the same county, for conversion to Lancaster aircraft. He was posted on the 15th December, 1944, to No. 75 (NZ) Squadron, at Mepal, Cambridgeshire.

On the 27th December, 1944, F/O Miles was pilot of a Lancaster bomber aircraft which took off from Mepal to attack the target of Rheydt, in Germany. This was his 3rd operational flight. The aircraft failed to return to its base, and all the members of the crew, including F/O Miles were reported missing. Later, one R.A.F. member of the crew, F/O F.J. Gunn was reported to be a prisoner of war. This officer stated that to his knowledge the remaining members of the crew were still in the aircraft when it crashed and that he did not observe any of the other members making an exit after he himself had escaped. Subsequently the death of F/O Miles was officially presumed to have occurred on the 27th December, 1944.

5/15/7 AS2.
911 hrs. as pilot.

Mr. A.E. Miles (F) (right aligned)
P.O. Box 36, (right aligned)
MASTERTON. (right aligned & underlined)