Peter Walley 615 Sgn, Kenley.

[Greg B]

I am trying to help locate any surviving members or distant relatives of flight sergeant Peter Walley, 615 Sqn.

Peter was shot down on August 18th 1940, his hurricane crashing into Morden Park, Surrey. My father, then just an 11 year old boy watched in amazement from his rear garden as a hurricane passed just a couple of hundred feet over the top of his house engine still running, he ran to Morden Park to find the hurricane on fire and sadly Peter already dead. They think he could have bailed out earlier but he wanted to avoid his aircraft crashing into a residential area.

Tomorrow will be 70 years , my father is still alive and tomorrow we will visit Peters grave in Church Road Cemetery, Whyteleafe, near Kenley to place a wreath in in memory of him and his bravery.

Where he crashed now sits Merton Technical College. A commemorative plaque was placed on the wall of the College. For many years and a Mrs Mary J Bain, Peter Walley's cousin, attended commemorative ceremonies arranged by the RAF and held at the College. The College currently holds an album holding information about Peter Walley and they would like to pass this to his relatives if there are any still living.

I would appreciate any help or in fact any information anybody can give me. Either with regard to the family of Peter or what happened on that day in 1940.

Many thanks...

[Greg B]

Have found this if it is of any help to anybody....

Peter Kenneth WALLEY

Sergeant Pilot. 819018. 615 Sqdn. Royal Air Force (Aux. Air Force). Died on operations 19th August 1940 aged 22. Grandson of John and Mary Alice Walley, Elwy Street, Rhyl. Buried St. Luke’s Churchyard, Whyteleafe, Surrey. Commemorated Rhyl Town Cemetery.

[gedburke3]

hi Greg,
Not much help but I have attached a photograph of him whilst with 615 Squadron. Sorry about the poor quality but it's all I could find.
Gerry

[Greg B]

Gerry thats fantastic..... to finally see a picture of him, thank you !!

[dp_burke]

From ancetry.com
His death is registered in the Surrey Mid Eastern District in 3rd Quarter of 1940. The volumn and page ref's are V.2a p.327

You could order his death cert from them. His age is given as 21 on the death register index from the gro.gov.uk site
If he was 21 then born about 1918-1920.

And there is a birth registered in Richmond South District in 4th Qtr 1919. his Mothers maiden name is listed as Blamey.

I could therefore suggest that his parents were a couple that married in 1917 in Aston district, Warwickshire, George W Walley and Dorothey E A Blamey.

I don't see any other siiblings born so he may have been an only child. i can't narrow down when his parents passed away.

Have you visited the UK National Archives and looked at the squadron ORB to see details of his service? have you requested a copy of the F1180 loss card from the RAF Museum Hendon? There might not be one since he was shot down.

[Greg B]

dp burke: That is very useful information and being new to this sort of thing, I have done none of them !!! But I am on the case now.... Many thanks.

I did meet somebody at the cemetery today who served at Kenley, actually knew Peter and remembered him, he was so interesting, anyway he has told me that Peter had a Nephew who was a SQN Leader by the name of Gordon Bain (Baine), If anybody can help....

Greg

[Larry]

Incidentally did he die on 18th or 19th as suggested above?

[Greg B]

Larry

My father says he was dead in the aircraft when they reached the field his hurricane was on fire. So 18th August is correct as per his gravestone (picture in my album).

Greg