PALIN Peter James Arnold Huke

Peter Palin enlisted in the 60th Heavy Battery Royal Canadian Artillery on 6th September 1939 at Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.  On his attestation paper he gave his date of birth as 14th November 1919 in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, his occupation as a Machine Tender and his present address as 1729 Hampshire Road, Victoria, B.C.  His next of kin was his father, Alfred Hugh Palin, of the same address.  Peter was 5 feet 10 inches tall with brown hair, brown eyes and a clear complexion.

He served with the artillery until 7th January 1941 when he was accepted for enlistment in the Royal Canadian Air Force.  His attestation paper, completed on 16th May 1940, records the same information as his army paper with additional information on his parents: Alfred Palin was born in Gloucester, England and was the branch secretary for the Sun Life Insurance Company in Victoria, B.C., Peter’s mother was Dorothy May Huke, deceased.  As well as participating extensively in a number of sporting activities, Peter was the Patrol Leader for a Scout Troop, a member of the Victoria Y.M.C.A. and had the additional skills particularly useful to the air force of model aeroplane making and general mechanical ability.  Peter embarked from Canada bound for the UK on 4th October 1941, he was posted to No 23 Operational Training Unit at Pershore on 13th January 1942.  Peter was killed in a flying accident on 7th May 1942 when Wellington Bomber Z1053 crashed at Defford after losing a propeller.

Pilot Officer Peter James Palin, age 22, serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force was buried in consecrated ground in Pershore Cemetery on 11th May 1942. The ceremony was performed by the Reverend E.A. Stone, R.A.F. Station, Pershore.

Register of Burials in War Graves in Pershore Cemetery courtesy of Pershore Town Council.