January 5, 1919 - November 25, 1943
James Wilson Wiley was the son of Frederick (electric engineer) and Jessie Alwilda (nee Mosher) Wiley, of Viscount, Saskatchewan. His mother was an invalid due to having a stroke and died at age 63 on December 29, 1942. He was born in Plunkett, Saskatchewan. He had two sisters, Cora Enid Dier, 40, and Retta Irene Firman,31.
He was married to Nadine Evaline (nee Scott) Wiley, of Arden, Ontario, later of Osoyoos, BC. They married in Toronto on June 7, 1941.
He liked hockey, baseball, golf, and tennis. He liked studying electricity and mechanics and was an amateur radio operator: VE4AZ and EX VE4PS. He was a member of American Radio Relay League. He had job in moving pictures, he indicated on his enlistment papers. He operated the film projectors at movie theatres. He hoped to stay in the RCAF after the war. He smoked five cigarettes daily with "beer, two drinks per monnth".
He was accepted into the RCAF in June 1940 after enlisting in Saskatoon, and made his way to No. 1 Manning Depot, Toronto. His first attestation papers are dated October 17, 1939. "This candidate was well composed through the examination and co-operated well. he has done considerable private flying; holds a private license. Well set up athletic type. Recommended for all flying duties." In July 1940: "Good type, young man from country. Appears progressive. Good average intellect. Bright, some flying experience. Not dressed for inspection, but clean. Keen to enter as pilot."
He was sent to Trenton on March 25, 1941 until June 22, 1941, when he was sent to No. 12 SFTS in Brandon, Manitoba where he was an instructor until December 1942.
Wiley traveled to Halifax arriving on December 29, 1942 and arrived on February 2, 1943 at the RAF Trainees' Pool. He went to 55 OTU on April 20, 1943, then to Longtown, then was at No. 1 Squadron by July 1943.
From Hugh Halliday's book Typhoon and Tempest, pages 22 and 23 from the Squadron's diarist: "October 15, 1943: "F/O 'Moose' Mossip and F/O Jimmy Wiley decided to do a Rhubarb. F/O Mossip carried two 500 lb MK MC bombs and F/O Wiley acted as escort. Moose dropped his bombs from 50 feet smack on the centre of Tingry Transformer Station near Samer, after which they played 'merry hell' with their cannons. Gun posts and a building housing gun crews were also attacked by both pilots. The inmates of the building attacked evidently had, up to that moment, completely forgotten a pressing engagement elsewhere, and were seen to leave the place in a somewhat hurried manner Those upstairs, disdaining the note usual method of using the staircase, with many 'Hail Hitlers' lobbed themselves from windows. On second thought, perhaps it wasn't 'Hail Hitler' they said." On October 23, 1943: Wiley and F/Sgt James Fairbairn were "scrambled from Lympne at 0758 hours to intercept 'tip and run' raiders over the Channel Cruising at 1500 feet, the pair were vectored onto a lone Fw.190. During Wiley's first attack, his reflector sight slipped out of position. He held it with his left hand while flying and shooting with his right. Neither man showed good marksmanship; in repeated passes, they reported few visible hits. The Focke-Wulf even began to climb for cloud cover, reaching 400 feet. Wiley had exhausted his shells. Fairbairn finally closed to 30 yards and scored decisive strikes. The 190 shed debris, lost height, turned on its back, and crashed into the sea. Both Typhoons pancaked at base 32 minutes after takeoff."
Wiley was killed on November 25, 1943. During a strike on a target in the Cherbourg peninsula by five Typoons, F/O Wiley was hit by flak. He pulled up to 500 feet but was hit again. His Typhoon (JP592) flared, rolled on its back and dove into the ground exploding on impact. Wiley's remains were buried in France at the Cherbourg Old Communal Cemetery.
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