Second World War - Lynsted Memorial Project
Peter George HILLS (of Newnham)
b. 18th August 1922 Leading Aircraftsman, Service Number: 1331347 |
The son of Kenneth William (who was serving as a special constable) and Winifred Clara Hills (née Anderson) of The Stores, Newnham, Peter was born on 18 August 1922.
 |
Peter had just successfully completed his pilot training at Sumpter Field, Americus, Georgia, when he, alongside another Leading Aircraftsman, Harold Norman Evans, also 19, accidently drown at Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida, USA.
| Evening Despatch of 3rd November 1941 |
MIDLAND R.A.F. MAN FEARED DROWNED IN U.S.A. The men Peter G. Hills, aged 19, of Newnham, Sittingbourne, Kent, and Harold Evans, aged 19, of 66, Wynn-road, Wolverhampton, Staffs, were on weekend leave. Artificial respiration was given to Hills for over an hour without success. Harold A. Newland, of London who was accompanying the two R.A.F. men, but did not go swimming with them, is helping in the search for Evans. Evans would have been 20 on Thursday. He joined up just before last Christmas. Previously he worked at an engineering company in Wolverhampton before he joined up. |
Peter George Hills' body was recovered and he and Harold are buried next to each other at Oaklawn Cemetery, Jacksonville, Plot Sec. D. R. L294. Grave 5 and 6.
A commemorative stone in honour of Peter is to be found on the grave of Ernest and Annie Josephine Hills (his grandparents) in the extension churchyard of St. Peter & St. Paul at Newnham in Kent, England.
