P/O H. W. Reilley was born in Detroit, Michigan of an American father and Scottish mother Before going to England and joining the R.A.F. Hugh lived in London, Ontario, Canada and was considered a Canadian.
He flew with 64 Squadron and 66 Squadrons in Spitfires during the Battle of Britain. He was shot down in his Spitfire I (R6800) on the 17th of October 1940 by a Bf 109 of JG 51 flown by Oberst Werner Molders over Westerham Kent 15:25hrs. His Spitfire crashed and burned out at Crockham Hall, Sevenoaks. Hugh Reilley was 22 years old.
He is buried in Gravesend Cemetery, Kent.