Lancaster pilot determined to attack

3rd November 1943: Two attacks by night fighters, wounded and with multiple casualties among his crew do not deter William Reid, who is awarded VC

A Lancaster bomber over the target area, November 1943.

The unrelenting bombing of Germany continued, the USAAF by day, the RAF by night. On the night of 3/4th November 589 aircraft, including 344 Lancasters and 233 Halifaxs, attacked Dusseldorf It was not the first time the industrial city had been targeted, and it would not be the last.

Bombs being brought up to be loaded onto a Lancaster.

Lancasters about to depart on a night raid.

It is very difficult to ascertain the true impact of the raid because German records were deteriorating due to the intensity of the bombing. The first record mentioned 23 dead, later revised to 118. However, the postwar United States Bombing Survey put the figure at 622 dead and 942 injured¹.

William Reid VC “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”