Gunner John Riley

John Riley was the son of Joseph and Edith Riley; and husband of Lilian Riley, of Arnold, Nottinghamshire.

Riley enlisted in the Royal Artillery (RA) and later served with 2nd (Oban) Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery RA.

He volunteered for parachute duties and attended a short course for airlanding personnel, which started at RAF Ringway on 20 November 1942 (course 38). Riley qualified as an airlanding parachutist by completing four descents.

The following year he took part in the amphibious landings in Italy during September 1943, onboard a mine layer, HMS Abdiel.

Shortly before the men were due to disembark HMS Abdiel hit a mine, causing its own mines to detonate and splitting the ship in two. The ship sank in four minutes. Over twenty members of the battery died in the explosion including Gunner Riley.

Gnr Riley died on 10 September 1943, aged 29 years, and is now buried in Bari War Cemetery, Italy.

Headstone photograph courtesy of Bob Hilton.