On This Day ... in 1943 & Others
RAF Bomber Command mounted a major raid on Dusseldorf on the night 3/4 November, 589 bombers attacking the city, with another 62 conducting a diversionary attack on Cologne. 38 of the Dusseldorf aircraft made the first large-scale test of the new G-H blind-bombing system, attacking a steel works on the northern edge of the city. Although a high percentage of the G-H sets failed to work properly, those that did proved quite successful, and the system was duly developed to allow a good level of accuracy to be achieved later in the war.
En route to Dusseldorf, a Lancaster of 61 Squadron, flown by Flight Lieutenant William Reid, was attacked twice by night fighters. The navigator was killed, the wireless operator was fatally wounded, and both Reid and his flight engineer, Sergeant Norris, were wounded - Reid twice. The aircraft itself suffered extensive damage, but Reid continued on for another two hundred miles and the bomb aimer, Sergeant Rolton, dropped the weapons on target, as proved by the aircraft's camera. On the return journey, Reid lost consciousness, but Norris managed to keep the aircraft airborne. Reid recovered enough to attempt a landing in mist at Shipdham in Norfolk, despite being partially blinded by blood from a head wound. The undercarriage collapsed on landing, but the surviving crew members escaped successfully. Flight Lieutenant Reid received the Victoria Cross.
The follow extract is taken from The London Gazette
On the night of November 3rd, 1943, Flight Lieutenant Reid was pilot and captain of a Lancaster aircraft detailed to attack Dusseldorf.
Shortly after crossing the Dutch coast, the pilot’s windscreen was shattered by fire from a Messerschmitt 110. Owing to a failure in the heating circuit, the rear gunner’s hands were too cold for him to open fire immediately or to operate his microphone and so give warning of danger; but after a brief delay he managed to return the Messerschmitt’s fire and it was driven off.
During the fight with the Messerschmitt, Flight Lieutenant Reid was wounded in the head, shoulders and hands. The elevator trimming tabs of the aircraft were damaged and it became difficult to control. The rear turret, too, was badly damaged and the communications system and compasses were put out of action. Flight Lieutenant Reid ascertained that his crew were unscathed, and saying nothing about his own injuries, he continued his mission.
Soon afterwards, the Lancaster was attacked by a Focke Wulf 190. This time, the enemy’s fire raked the bomber from stem to stern. The rear gunner replied with his only serviceable gun, but the state of his turret made accurate aiming impossible. The navigator was killed and the wireless operator fatally injured. The mid-upper turret was hit and the oxygen system put out of action. Flight Lieutenant Reid was again wounded and the flight engineer, though hit in the forearm, supplied him with oxygen from a portable supply.
Flight Lieutenant Reid refused to be turned from his objective and Dusseldorf was reached some 50 minutes later. He had memorised his course to the target and had continued in such a normal manner that the bomb-aimer, who was cut off by the failure of the communications system, knew nothing of his captain’s injuries or of the casualties to his comrades. Photographs show that, when the bombs were released, the aircraft was right over the centre of the target.
Steering by the pole star and the moon, Flight Lieutenant Reid then set course for home. He was growing weak from loss of blood. The emergency oxygen supply had given out. With the windscreen shattered, the cold was intense. He lapsed into semi-consciousness. The flight engineer, with some help from the bomb-aimer, kept the Lancaster in the air despite heavy anti-aircraft fire over the Dutch coast.
The North Sea crossing was accomplished. An airfield was sighted. The captain revived, resumed control and made ready to land. Ground mist partially obscured the runway lights. The captain was also much bothered by blood from his head wound getting into his eyes. But he made a safe landing although one leg of the damaged undercarriage collapsed when the load came on.
Wounded in two 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 and perilous journey home. His tenacity and devotion to duty were beyond praise.
1944: 364 days after the raid above, Bomber Command returned on the night 2/3 November for its last major raid on Dusseldorf with 992 aircraft. The north of the city was devastated.
1956: A Fleet Air Arm Wyvern aircraft from HMS Eagle was shot down during the Suez campaign.
Comments
Aaahhh the Lanc... just a wonderful aircraft.
Posted by: Kim du Toit | November 3, 2008 4:33 PM
It is just humbling to read of the exploits of these men. Really we are not worthy.
Posted by: John K | November 5, 2008 5:20 PM
Wonderful aircraft indeed.The Germans called them the four engined fighter.I'm lucky enough to live close to where the Canadian Warplane Heritage is based in Hamilton Ontario.I've seen the Lanc fly many times over the years and walked around it in the hanger a number of times.It was one of many built in Toronto during the war and restored to RCAF 419 Moose Squadron colours.It's dedicated to mid upper gunner P.O. Andrew Mynarski who was killed trying to save the tail gunnner as the aircraft was falling in flames. The tail gunner survived.Mynarski was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for this .Yes they were very brave young men .
Posted by: canuck | November 3, 2009 2:25 PM
Ooooh, a Lanc. Gives me the Warm & Fuzzies, it does.
Do we have one in the Secret Hangar, to be used on The Glorious Day, I wonder?
Posted by: Kim du Toit | November 5, 2009 8:44 PM