Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria - Thursday 19 November 2009 - Spink London

Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria - Thursday 19 November 2009 - Spink London 

The sale featured the Outstanding Second War Bomber Command Victoria Cross Group of Six to Lancaster Pilot, Flight Lieutenant W. ´Bill´ Reid, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Who Whilst on a Sortie With 61 Squadron to Dusseldorf, 3.11.1943, Was ´Wounded in Two [Fighter] Attacks,

Without Oxygen, Suffering Severely From Cold, His Navigator Dead, His Wireless Operator Fatally Wounded, His Aircraft Crippled and Defenceless, Flight Lieutenant Reid Showed Superb Courage and Leadership in Penetrating a Further 200 Miles into Enemy Territory to Attack One of The Most Strongly Defended Targets in Germany, Every Additional Mile Increasing the Hazards of the Long Perilous Journey Home.´ He Was Later Posted to the Famous 617 ´Dam Busters´ Squadron With Whom He Was ´Bombed-Out´ On a ´Tall Boy´ Sortie Over Rilly La Montagne, 31.7.1944, ´Just As He Emerged, the Lancaster Broke in Two and Reid Tumbled Down, Accompanied by a Hail of Metal Fragments From His Aircraft.´ He and His Wireless Operator Survived to be Taken Prisoner of War, Tragically the Rest of the Crew Perished in the Crippled Plane a) Victoria Cross, reverse of suspension bar engraved ´Act. F/L. W. Reid. R.A.F. No.61 Squadron.´, reverse of Cross engraved ´7th Dec, 1943.´ b) 1939-1945 Star c) Air Crew Europe Star, with France and Germany Bar d) War Medal e) Coronation 1953 f) Jubilee 1977, remnants of lacquer, very fine, mounted court-style as originally worn, with Royal Canadian Air Force Pilot´s Flying Log Book (9.12.1941-3.11.1943 and 8.5.1949-5.1.1954), and Royal Air Force Pilot´s Flying Log Book (12.2.1944-31.7.1944), the last Log Book exclusively for whilst flying with 617 Squadron and signed by his O.C. Group Captain Leonard Cheshire, V.C., D.S.O., D.F.C Sold for £290,000