The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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209131 Sgt. Willaim Reid Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 51 Squadron from:Kirkcadly (d.26th July 1943) William Reid was my uncle. He was a WOP/Ag and flew in a Halifax bomber. My grandparents were notified that he was killed on 26/7/1943, the aircraft was reported missing on that night and the location of the incident is listed as unknown on his war record. Does anyone remember him and his crew and does anyone have any details of what happened that night? What mission the crew were on etc.,? Ann McCallum Add to this record.  Additional Information: According to The Bomber Command War Diaries of Martin Middlebrook & Chris Everitt a successful raid was made on Essen on the night of the 25/26 July 1943, in which the Krupps works suffered its most damaging raid of the war, but at the cost of 26 of our aircraft. Chris Ward in his 51 Squadron Profile mentions that of those 26, two were “from 51 Squadron, HR749 which was lost without trace with the crew of Sgt Jones and HR934, which crashed into the sea off the Dutch coast taking with it the crew of F/O Cole”. Martin Keen Reply The aircraft took off at 22.46 on 25th July 1943 from Snaith in Yorkshire and was shot down by a German night fighter at 23.54 15km NW of Borkham which is small island off the coast on Dutch/German border. Hptm Sigmund St.Kpt of 10 NJGI claimed a Halifax off Borkum a long way to north of the main route of the Essen -bound bomber stream. During his first attack Sigmund received heavy return fire, which injured him in the head and left shoulder and hit the starboard engine of his Bf110 G-4 setting it on fire.Still the Nachtjager pressed home a second attack which caused the Halifax to explode. ( it should be note that bomber command recordsfor 25-26th July make no mention of any encounters between mine laying force nd Nachtjager) Hptm Sigmund then limped back to Leeuwarden airfield a 20 minute flight where he successfully belly landed his Messerschimtt. Two week later Sigmund was awarded the Ritterkreuz. Two aircraft were possible kills for Sigmund on that night however the following account clarifies what happened to 102 squadron halifax JD 169. It had been a possible alternative hit to HR 749 in the Nachtjagd book. However in Chris Goss's book “It's Suicide but it's Fun” the following account is given …. Another Squadron bomber was also possibly caused to crash as a result of what today has been termed ‘friendly fire’ . On the 26th July 1943 , a squadron a/c engaged in an attack on Essen , had signalled an early return . Fighter Command claimed a Dornier 217 off Flamborough Head . Some time later , weeks I think , fishermen trawled up two bodies in the area . Watches on the bodies had stopped at the same time as the shooting down of the ‘Dornier’ . At the time , we were all convinced they had been shot down by Fighter Command . The Squadron Bombing Leader Doug Moon was one of the bodies recovered ann mccallum Reply Related Content: No. 51 Squadron Royal Air Force Can you help us to add to our records? Add a record to our website. The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial? Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area? If so please let us know. Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice. Contact us. Celebrate your own Family History Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc. Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.

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