No Turning
Back,
by Robert Taylor
On the night of November 3rd, 1943 Flight Lieutenant Bill Reid took his
No.61 Squadron Lancaster off to join a force detailed to attack Dusseldorf,
deep in the heart of Germany. Right after crossing the coast of Holland
they were attacked by an Me110 night fighter, its gunfire shattering the
Lancaster's windscreen and damaging the elevator, making the aircraft
difficult to handle. Though wounded in the head, shoulders and hands,
after ascertaining his crew were unscathed, mentioning nothing of his
injuries, Bill Reid continued towards the target, still over an hour ahead
of him.
Closer to the target his Lancaster was again attacked, this time by a
Focke Wulf 190 which raked the bomber from stem to stern. His navigator
was killed, his wireless operator fatally injured, and Bill was again
wounded in the attack. Though communications within the aircraft were
severed, heating had failed, and only the rear turret remained operative,
Bill Reid flew his bucking Lancaster steadily of towards Dusseldorf.
Having memorized his course he brought the bomber right over the target
with such accuracy the bomb-aimer knew nothing of his captain's injuries
or casualties to his comrades. Photographs confirmed the bombs were
released right on target.
Growing weak from loss of blood and lapsing into periods of
unconsciousness, with the aid of the flight engineer and bomb-aimer, Bill
steered the Lancaster towards home navigating by the pole star and moon.
Despite the intense cold, they survived a barrage of AA gunfire as they
passed over the Dutch coast. As they approached England the captain was
revived, took control, and landed safely even though the runway lights
were partially obscured by mist, one leg of the damaged undercarriage
collapsing as the weight came on. For his tenacity and devotion to duty
Dill Reid was decorated with Britain's highest award for gallantry, the
Victoria Cross.
Robert Taylor's dramatic reconstruction shows a split-second during
Bill Reid's epic flight as the Fw190 flashes past the port side of the
mighty Lancaster. His aircraft now crippled and almost defenseless,
illuminated by search lights and fires from below, thunders on through the
hostile night sky over Germany. As a reminder of the heroics of, and a
tribute to all the RAF Bomber crews who flew the torturous night raids
against Germany during World War II, a group of distinguished RAF World
War II bomber crews have joined Bill Reid VC in signing this superb
collector edition.
THE
SIGNATURES:
| Flight Lieutenant Bill
Reid, VC
'Volunteering
for RAF aircrew in 1940, Bill Reid learned to fly in
California, training on the Stearman, Vultee and Harvard.
After gaining his pilots wings back in England he flew
Wellingtons before moving on to Lancasters in 1943. On the
night of 3 Nov. 1943, his Lancaster suffered two severe
attacks from Luftwaffe night fighters, badly wounding Reid,
killing his navigator and radio operator, and severely
damaging the aircraft. Bill flew on 200 miles to accurately
bomb the target and get his aircraft home. For this act of
outstanding courage and determination he was awarded the
Victoria Cross. After recovering from his injuries he flew
Lancasters with the famous 617 Sqn., taking part in the D-Day
operations. His flying career ended when his Lancaster was hit
by a stick of bombs from another aircraft; only he and his
radio operator survived. After parachuting he was taken
prisoner by the Germans.
|
Air Commodore Wilf
Burnett, DSO, OBE, DFC, AFC
Canadian
Wilf Burnett joined the RAF before the war and at the outbreak
of hostilities was flying Hampdens. He completed his first
tour of 30 operations in September 1940, flying with 49 Sqn.
at Scampton. His crew had bombed invasion barges in the
Channel ports, mined enemy waters, operated against the Ruhr,
and taken part in the first raids against Berlin. In July 1941
he was posted to 408 (Goose) Sqn. RCAF, at Tempsford who were
engaged in dropping agents and supplies to the Resistance in
occupied countries flying Halifaxes, later Stirlings.
|
Air Marshal Sir
Ivor Broom, KCB, CBE, DSO, DFC**, AFC
Ivor
Broom flew Bristol Blenheims with 114 Sqn. before being posted
to the beleaguered island of Malt, still flying Blenheims,
which were by now obsolete, in highly dangerous, low-level
shipping strikes where squadron losses were high. In 1943 he
become one of the very first Pathfinder Mosquito instructors
before moving into the Late Night Striking Force with 571 Sqn.
He later was tasked with forming 163 Sqn. Ivor Broom completed
103 bombing strike missions, including 22 separate attacks on
Berlin. He also flew in the Ardennes offensive. Throughout his
time on Mosquitoes his navigator was Tommy Broom (no
relation), together the "Flying Brooms" were an
inseparable combination.
|
Squadron Leader Tony
Iveson, DFC, AE
Tony
Iveson's first tour of duty was with RAF Fighter Command,
joining 616 Sqn. as a sergeant pilot at Kenley of 2 September
1940 during the Battle of Britain. Commissioned in 1942, Tony
did his second tour with RAF Bomber Command, flying Lancasters
with the famous 617 Sqn. where he was to become one of that
squadron's most prominent and will-respected pilots. He took
part in most of 617 Squadron's operations, including all three
operations against the German battleship Tirpitz, and other
high precision attacks.
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