Bill Reid V.C. BSc was the branches’
first guest speaker in October 2001. Sadly on the 28th November Bill died
peacefully at his home in Crieff.
On 3rd November age 21 years Bill flew
his tenth bombing mission on Germany the target was the Mannesheim
Steelworks in Dusseldorf. Flight Lieutenant Reid was captain of Lancaster
bomber ‘O’ for Oboe of 61 Squadron which was carrying a 4,000 lb “cookie”
bomb, six 1.000 bombs and incendiaries being part of a 500
bomber force. Soon after crossing the Dutch coast at 21,000
ft. they were attacked by a Messerschmitt 110 night fighter which
shattered the windscreen and wounding Bill in the head, hands
and shoulder. The mid-upper and the rear air-gunners drove
off the the attacker with difficulty because their turret heating system
had failed and their hands were numb with the cold. The rear
gun-turret was damaged and the elevator trimming tabs, making
the aircraft difficult to control. Bill had barely assessed
the actual damage to his aircraft, when O for Oboe was
under attack from a second night fighter
The Lancaster was raked from end
to end with cannon fire which killed the navigator, (Alan Jefferies) fatally
injured the radio operator ( Jim Mann) and Bill for a fourth time.
The rear-gunner succeeded in
driving off the second attack with his one remaining serviceable Browning.O for
Oboe had sustained further damage, the mid-upper turret and the
inter-communication system were out of action the
seven-man crew’s oxygen supply and compass were destroyed. The flight
engineer supplied oxygen from a portable oxygen system.
Bill’s only option was to navigate by
observing the position of the Pole Star. The air rushing through the broken
windscreen was bitter cold which helped stem The flow of blood from Bill’s
wounds preventing the fatal loss of blood He lost consciousness several times
and blood was freezing on his eyelids despite this, he said
nothing
to the crew about his injuries and kept
the damaged Lancaster on course. for Dusseldorf
They faced heavy anti-aircraft
fire while flying a further 200 miles deeper into enemy territory before
dropping their bomb load dead on target, confirmed by photographic evidence.
Mission accomplished only then did he turn the Lancaster around setting a course
for home, navigating by the Moon and Pole Star.
The cold from the shattered windscreen
and the shortage of oxygen caused him to slip into semi-consciousness
several times during the flight home.They were over the English Channel when all
four engines suddenly cut out before the crew realised they had forgotten
to switch fuel tanks due to the confusion of the battle. They had taken off from
RAF Syerston near Nottingham and crash landed at a mist bound US base at
Shipdham in Norfolk on landing the undercarriage collapsed.
His citation reads; “On his way to
Dusseldorf Flight Lieutenant Reid’s windscreen was shattered by fire from
a Messerschmitt and the gun turrets and cockpit badlydamaged. Saying nothing of
his multiple injuries, he continued on his mission and soon afterwards was
attached again, his Navigator (P/O Alan Jefferies) being killed and the Wireless
Operator ( Jim Mann) fatally wounded. He was wounded again, and also the Flight
Engineer, while the Lancaster received more serious damage. Pressing on to his
target, Flight Lieutenant Reid dropped his bombs, then set course for home and
in spite of growing from loss of blood, managed to land his crippled
aircraft safely.”
While in Hospital recovering, he was
visited by Air Vice Marshal Cochrane , he asked “why didn’t you turn
back “ Bill replied it never occurred to me I still had four good operating
engines. In recognition of this great act of courage and determination he
received Victoria Cross .He was presented with his V.C. At Buckingham
Palace in June 1944 by His Majesty King George VI..
He completed a further 24 successful
raids over enemy territory, but his luck finally ran out on 31st July 1945, his
aircraft was one of 617 Dambusters Squadron and one of 300 on a raid against a
V2 Rocket site near Rheims in France .Bill described the event,
Bill Reid V.C.
