Before joining the RAF Eric Hiley was a wool salesman. He trained at No.
4 Radio School, Madley in early 1943. He joined his crew at 28 OTU. He
was shot down in Lancaster ND595 (V-Victor) on the Augsburg raid of 24th
February 1944, bailing out over Switzerland. After several months of
internment the crew of ND595 were repatriated in an exchange scheme.
The full story of Hiley's crash and repatriation is documented in
Chapter 8 of Roger Anthoine's excellent book "Infringing Neutrality -
The RAF in Switzerland 1940-45". After repatriation Hiley continued his
RAF career as a radio specialist, being reassigned to Ferry Command and
No. 113 South Atlantic Wing in the Bahamas.