William Reid (VC) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Reid
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| Born | 21 December 1921 Baillieston, Glasgow |
| Died | 28 November 2001 (aged 79) Crieff, Perthshire |
| Buried |
Crieff Cemetery
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| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1940–1949 |
| Rank | Flight Lieutenant |
| Unit |
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| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards |  Victoria Cross |
William Reid (21 December 1921 – 28 November 2001) was a brave Scottish pilot. He received the Victoria Cross, which is the highest award for courage in battle for British and Commonwealth soldiers. He earned this award while flying for the Royal Air Force during World War II.
William Reid was born in Baillieston, near Glasgow. When the war started, he joined the RAF. After his training, he became a bomber pilot. He even taught others how to fly. He flew many missions, including a very important one over Düsseldorf. This mission led to him receiving the Victoria Cross. Later, his plane was shot down, and he became a prisoner of war in Germany. After the war, he left the RAF and worked in farming.
His Victoria Cross medal was sold in 2009 for a lot of money. It was a record price for a British Victoria Cross.
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Becoming a Pilot
William Reid was born in Baillieston, near Glasgow, on 21 December 1921. His father was a blacksmith. William went to school and studied metallurgy for a while. But he really wanted to join the Royal Air Force (RAF).
He trained in Canada to become a pilot. By June 1942, he was a pilot officer. He then trained on different planes, including the twin-engined Airspeed Oxford and the Vickers Wellington. He was so good that he became an instructor. He was promised a spot flying the large Avro Lancaster bomber.
In July 1943, he finally got to fly a Lancaster. He flew his first mission as a second pilot on a raid to Mönchengladbach. In September, he joined 61 Squadron. He flew seven bombing missions to German cities before the famous raid on Düsseldorf.
The Düsseldorf Mission
In November 1943, William Reid was a 21-year-old pilot. He was flying with 61 Squadron on a bombing mission to Düsseldorf, Germany. This mission showed his incredible bravery.
On the night of 3 November 1943, his Lancaster plane was attacked. A German Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighter shot at his plane. The front window of his cockpit was shattered. The back gun turret was also badly damaged. William Reid was hurt in his head, shoulders, and hands. Even though he was injured, he kept flying.
Soon after, another German plane, a Focke-Wulf Fw 190, attacked. This attack hit the plane from front to back. His navigator was killed, and the wireless operator was badly wounded. William Reid was hurt again, and the flight engineer was also injured. A part of the plane's tail was shot off.
Despite all this damage and his injuries, William Reid decided to keep going. He knew that turning back would be dangerous. He might crash into other friendly bombers.
He reached Düsseldorf and dropped his bombs right on target. Then, he started the long journey back home. Without a navigator, he used the stars to guide him. He was very weak from losing blood. He eventually saw the lights of an airfield in Norfolk.
William Reid managed to land his badly damaged plane. One of the landing gears collapsed, and the plane slid on the runway. The wireless operator died later, but five of the crew survived.
For his amazing courage, William Reid was given the Victoria Cross on 14 December 1943. His citation praised his bravery. It said he showed "superb courage and leadership" by continuing his mission deep into enemy territory. He did this even though he was wounded, without oxygen, and his plane was badly damaged.
Joining the Dambusters
After recovering in the hospital, William Reid joined 617 Squadron in January 1944. This squadron was famous for its "Dambuster" raids. He flew more missions over France. He was promoted to flight lieutenant in June 1944.
On 31 July 1944, he was on a mission to bomb a V-weapon storage site in France. As he dropped his bomb, another Lancaster plane above him accidentally hit his aircraft. The bomb tore through his plane, cutting all the control cables. William Reid ordered his crew to bail out.
As his crew jumped, the plane went into a dive. William Reid was stuck in his seat. He managed to get out just as the plane broke in two. He landed hard with his parachute and broke his arm. Within an hour, German soldiers captured him. He spent the rest of the war as a prisoner of war in Germany.
After the War
After the war ended in 1946, William Reid left the RAF. He went back to school. He studied at the University of Glasgow and then at the West of Scotland Agricultural College. After graduating in 1949, he traveled to India, Australia, New Zealand, America, and Canada. He studied farming in these countries.
In 1950, he became an adviser for a farming trust. From 1959 until he retired in 1981, he advised a company that made animal feed.
William Reid was interviewed in a famous TV show called The World at War. He talked about the brave mission that earned him the Victoria Cross.
Family Life
In 1952, William Reid married Violet Campbell Gallagher. Her father was a sports editor for a newspaper. It is said that Violet did not know William had won the Victoria Cross until after they were married!
Later Years and Legacy
William Reid passed away on 28 November 2001, at the age of 79. He was survived by his wife and their two children.
His Victoria Cross medal was sold in 2009. It was bought by Melissa John, who wanted to honor her late brother. She outbid other collectors, and the medal sold for a record price of £384,000.
