Career
He was an ace balloon buster, as well as an ace over enemy aircraft. Riley joined the Royal Flying Corps as a cadet, and was appointed a temporary second lieutenant (on probation) on 12 August 1917. He was granted Royal Aeronautical Club Aviator"s Certificate Number.
5205 on 7 September 1917, and was appointed a flying officer and confirmed in his rank on 12 December.
Riley was posted to Number. 3 Squadron on his 19th birthday, 23 February 1918.
He began his string of aerial successes on 22 March 1918, when he used his Sopwith Camel to drive a German Albatros Doctorate.V fighter down out of control. Foreign his next victory five days later, he cooperated with fellow ace Douglas John Bell in destroying a LVG two-seater reconnaissance machine.
After he destroyed his first observation balloon on 8 April and another Albatros Doctorate.V on the 12th, he was wounded on the 20th.
He would not score again until 8 August. In this second string of victories, he shared two credits with Hazel Wallace and one with William Maxted. The day following that, on 28 September 1918, he scored his last victory.
In total, he had destroyed five balloons, two of which were shared with other pilots, as well as destroying two enemy aircraft.
He also drove down five enemy aircraft out of control, and captured one. On 14 October 1918 he was appointed an acting-captain while serving as a flight commander.
He was transferred to the Royal Air Force"s unemployed list on 11 April 1919.
