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Operation: Relocation to ALG B.80 Volkel, Netherlands
Date: 1st October 1944 (Sunday)
Unit No: 3 (Fighter) Squadron, 122nd Wing, 2nd Tactical Air force
Type: Tempest V (Series 2)
Serial: JN812
Code: JF:M
Base: ALG B.60 Grimbergen, Belgium
Location: East of Volkel, Netherlands
Pilot: WO. Francis McGuire 'Frank' Reid AFM, 740703 RAFVR Age 27. KiA
(Credit: Newchurch Village Website)
3 Sqn pilots in front of the operations hut at Oak Farm, Newchurch.
Back Row: Fg Off. Kenneth Slade-Betts, Flt Lt. Ted Sparrow (“B” Flt Cdr), Flt Lt. Spike Umbers (“A” Flt Cdr), Fg Off. Clap Clapperton, Fg Off. Don Butcher. Front Row: Fg Off. Tom McCullogh, WO. Frank Reid, Flt Sgt. Johnnie Foster, Rocky the Dog (Bob Barcklay's dog)
Identification of the pilots in the photograph:
Fg Off. Slade-Betts DFC, 175509
Flt Lt. Edward Michael ‘Ted’ Sparrow DFC, AFC 124661 RAFVR - (18th Feb 1922 - 13th Apr 2016)
On the 29th November 1944 suffered an engine failure and forced landed 3 mls south of Nijmegen. 3 Sqn Tempest V EJ723. Safe.
DFC awarded whilst with 3 Sqn, London Gazette 9th February 1945;
AFC promulgated in the London Gazette on the 25th May 1952; Retired from the RAF as a Wg Cdr. on the 18th February 1969.
Sqn Ldr. Arthur Ernest ‘Spike’ Umbers DFC & Bar 404003
Fg Off. Raymond Hedley ‘Clap’ Clapperton DFC 151700. V1 Diver victories - 24
On the 29th September 1944 hit by flak and bailed out 2 miles SE of Kranenburg. 3 Sqn Tempest EJ504. PoW at unknown camp.
DFC awarded to Fg Off. Clapperton whilst with 3 Sqn. London gazette on the 31st October 1944. Citation reads: “This officer has completed a large number of sorties, including several attacks on shipping. His successes. which include the destruction of 2 x flying bombs, are a fine tribute to his skill and determination”.
Flt Lt. Donald James Butcher MiD 149597 RAFVR (24th May 1921-30th July 2015).
Aerial victories; shared - 3, damaged - 1.
Mentioned in Dispatches (MiD) as a Fg Off. London Gazette 1st January 1945.
On the 1st February 1945 suffered an engine failure and forced landed near Winterswijk. 3 Sqn Tempest V NV681. PoW at unknown camp.
Plt Off. Thomas Ashton ‘Tom’ McCulloch 188697 RAFVR.
On the 25th March 1945 hit by flak and forced landed near Bocholt. 3 Sqn Tempest V EJ757. PoW at unknown camp.
Promoted to Fg Off. effective 2nd June 1945, London Gazette 6th July 1945;
Promoted to Flt Lt. effective 2nd June 1948, London Gazette 6th July 1948;
Permanent commission to Flt Lt. effective 23rd November 1948, London Gazette 5th April 1949;
Promoted to Sqn Ldr. effective 1st October 1955, London Gazette 27th September 1955;
Retired from the RAF as a Sqn Ldr. effective 30th Aug 1971, London Gazette 6th September 1971.
WO. Francis McGuire 'Frank' Reid AFM 740703
Flt Sgt. John ‘Johnnie’ Kenneth Foster 1399786 RAFVR.
V1 Diver victories - 4+2 shared; Aerial victories; damaged - 1
Promoted to Plt Off. (186755), London Gazette on the 8th December 1944;
Promoted to Fg Off., London Gazette on the 18th May 1945.
Fg Off. Robert Edward 'Bob' Barckley DFC 138650 RAFVR.
V1 Diver victories - 12+1 shared.
DFC awarded to Fg Off. Barckley whilst with 3 Sqn. London Gazette 31st October 1944. Citation reads: “Flying Officer Barckley has completed very many sorties including successful attacks on enemy shipping and rail and road communications. In other sorties he has destroyed 12 flying bombs. He has invariably displayed a high degree of courage and his devotion to duty has been unfailing”.
Promoted to Flt Lt. effective 5th December 1944. London Gazette 29th December 1944.
Images and stories for some of the above mentioned pilots are told on the page Pilots who flew from Newchurch posted on the Newchurch village website.
REASON FOR LOSS:
On the 1st October 1944 at 14:43 hrs the Sqn took off from the Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) B.60 Grimbergen in Belgium to relocate with the 122nd Wing to ALG B.80 Volkel in the Netherlands.
Enemy forces were at that time as close as 13 km (8 ml) to the airfield. The weather was bad with low cloud and the Sqn encountered accurate enemy flak during the move. At about 15:20 hrs, WO. Reid’s Tempest was hit by flak east of Volkel, unable to bail out he was killed when his aircraft crashed on the Groeneweg near Heide, Limburg some 25½ km (16 ml) SE of Volkel.
Burial details:
WO. Francis McGuire 'Frank' Reid AFM. Venray War Cemetery, VIII.D.7. Born on the 4th April 1917 in Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Son of William and Agnes Brodie (née McGuire) Reid of Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Husband to Augusina (née Macleod) Reid of Dingwall, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland.
The AFM was awarded to Flt Sgt. Reid. London Gazette on 1st January 1942.
Researched by Ralph Snape and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot. Thanks also to the Newchurch Village web site for the use of the aircrew photograph.
Other sources as quoted below:
RS 21.02.2022 - Initial upload
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Last Modified: 02 May 2023, 08:05