George Reid (aviator)
Encyclopedia
Air Vice Marshal Sir George Ranald MacFarlane Reid KCB
, DSO
, MC
& Bar
(25 October 1893 – 19 May 1991) was a senior officer of the Royal Air Force
. He began his career in aviation in World War I with the Royal Flying Corps
after transferring from the Black Watch
. He rose through a series of command positions in the RAF to become a consequential participant in World War II.
on 15 August 1914, in the early days of the war. However, it was with the Black Watch that he went into action; in January 1915, he was wounded at the Battle of Festubert
while with the Watch. The wound could not have been serious, as Reid began pilot's training that same month. The following month, on 16 February, he was confirmed as a Second Lieutenant. He earned Aviators' Certificate No. 1900, awarded on 16 October 1915. Upon completion of training, he was assigned to 25 Squadron; his appointment as a Flying Officer
dated from 15 November 1915. Reid destroyed enemy aircraft on 16, 19, and 21 May 1916, using a Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2b with Lieutenant James Anderson Mann as his pilot. Reid won a Military Cross on 24 June 1916 as a result of these victories.
On 19 June, Reid had been transferred to 20 Squadron as a Flight Commander with the accompanying rank of Acting Captain. With 20 Squadron, Reid used a slightly newer FE.2d with Lieutenant Laurence H. Scott
as his gunner; the pair scored six more wins between 29 July and 21 October 1916. Reid's final tally was seven German planes destroyed, two driven down out of control. A Bar in lieu of a second MC followed, on 25 November 1916.
On 10 February 1917, Reid was promoted to Temporary Major, a squadron command rank in wartime. On 30 March 1917, he was promoted to command of 18 Squadron on the Western Front
. On 25 July 1918, he was transferred to command of 211 Squadron.
to match his position, on 1 August 1919. When this assignment ended on 30 December 1920, he moved on to three years of staff duty. On 23 April 1924, he took command of 99 Squadron.
On 1 July 1925, he was again promoted, to Wing Commander
. In the wake of this promotion, on 15 September 1925, he was transferred to command of RAF Spitalgate
. This ended on 8 September 1927, when he was posted to Khartoum
as Senior RAF Officer.
He returned home from this posting on 20 January 1930. Over the next three years, he would attend both the RAF Staff College
and the Imperial Defence College, with a staff assignment wedged between. On 1 July 1932, he was promoted to Group Captain
. On 25 March 1933, he began duty as Air Attaché
to the United States, in Washington, D. C.
Upon his return to England, on 3 October 1935, he took command of RAF Upper Heyford
. He was raised to Air Commodore
on 1 July 1936.
. On 1 April 1939, he reached Air Vice-Marshal
. While in this post, he had to project air operations 200 miles out to support British defense efforts in Somaliland
; lack of usable airfields kept him from stationing airplanes closer to the effort. Nevertheless, Reid's conduct of these air operations garnered him a Mention in Dispatches in both the 12 September 1941 report of General Sir Archibald Wavell to the Secretary of State for War
, and of Wavell's followup to it on 21 May 1942. Reid's return to England saw him posted as Air Officer Administration at Headquarters Flying Training Command
on 18 July 1941. From there, he moved to becoming Air Officer Commanding No. 54 Group on 21 June 1943. On 14 December 1944, he became Air Officer Commanding West Africa
.
On 1 January 1952, he was honored with the appointment of Gentleman Usher
to King George VI. He continued in that post for Queen Elizabeth II; she renewed his appointment 1 August 1952. On 10 November 1959, Reid resigned as Gentleman Usher, but was concurrently appointed an Extra Gentleman Usher.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
(25 October 1893 – 19 May 1991) was a senior officer of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. He began his career in aviation in World War I with the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
after transferring from the Black Watch
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
. He rose through a series of command positions in the RAF to become a consequential participant in World War II.
World War I service
Reid began his military career in the Officer Training Corps prior to World War I. He was commissioned a Temporary Second Lieutenant in the Argyll and Sutherland HighlandersArgyll and Sutherland Highlanders
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland....
on 15 August 1914, in the early days of the war. However, it was with the Black Watch that he went into action; in January 1915, he was wounded at the Battle of Festubert
Battle of Festubert
The Battle of Festubert was an attack by the British army in the Artois region of France on the western front during World War I. It began on May 15, 1915 and continued until May 25.-Context:...
while with the Watch. The wound could not have been serious, as Reid began pilot's training that same month. The following month, on 16 February, he was confirmed as a Second Lieutenant. He earned Aviators' Certificate No. 1900, awarded on 16 October 1915. Upon completion of training, he was assigned to 25 Squadron; his appointment as a Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
dated from 15 November 1915. Reid destroyed enemy aircraft on 16, 19, and 21 May 1916, using a Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2b with Lieutenant James Anderson Mann as his pilot. Reid won a Military Cross on 24 June 1916 as a result of these victories.
On 19 June, Reid had been transferred to 20 Squadron as a Flight Commander with the accompanying rank of Acting Captain. With 20 Squadron, Reid used a slightly newer FE.2d with Lieutenant Laurence H. Scott
Laurence H. Scott
Lieutenant Laurence Henry Scott was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.-Reference:...
as his gunner; the pair scored six more wins between 29 July and 21 October 1916. Reid's final tally was seven German planes destroyed, two driven down out of control. A Bar in lieu of a second MC followed, on 25 November 1916.
On 10 February 1917, Reid was promoted to Temporary Major, a squadron command rank in wartime. On 30 March 1917, he was promoted to command of 18 Squadron on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. On 25 July 1918, he was transferred to command of 211 Squadron.
Between the World Wars
On 23 May 1919, Reid took command of 206 Squadron. Over the next year and a half, the squadron would move from the Western Front to Germany and on to Egypt, renumbering as 47 Squadron along the way. He received the rank of Squadron LeaderSquadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
to match his position, on 1 August 1919. When this assignment ended on 30 December 1920, he moved on to three years of staff duty. On 23 April 1924, he took command of 99 Squadron.
On 1 July 1925, he was again promoted, to Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
. In the wake of this promotion, on 15 September 1925, he was transferred to command of RAF Spitalgate
RAF Spitalgate
RAF Spitalgate formerly known as RFCS Grantham and RAF Grantham was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station, located south east of the centre of Grantham, Lincolnshire, England fronting onto the main A52 road.-History:...
. This ended on 8 September 1927, when he was posted to Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
as Senior RAF Officer.
He returned home from this posting on 20 January 1930. Over the next three years, he would attend both the RAF Staff College
RAF Staff College, Andover
The RAF Staff College at RAF Andover was the first Royal Air Force staff college to be established. Its role was the training of officers in the administrative, staff and policy apects of air force matters.-Foundation:...
and the Imperial Defence College, with a staff assignment wedged between. On 1 July 1932, he was promoted to Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
. On 25 March 1933, he began duty as Air Attaché
Air attaché
An air attaché is an Air Force officer who is part of a diplomatic mission; this post is normally filled by a high-ranking officer.An air attaché typically represents the chief of his home air force in the foreign country where he serves. The day-to-day responsibilities include maintaining contacts...
to the United States, in Washington, D. C.
Upon his return to England, on 3 October 1935, he took command of RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station located north-west of Bicester near the village of Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England. The base was brought into use for flying in July 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps. During World War II it was used by many units of the RAF, mainly as a training...
. He was raised to Air Commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
on 1 July 1936.
World War II
After a spell as Commandant of a technical school, Reid was chosen as Air Officer Commanding British Forces AdenBritish Forces Aden
British Forces Aden was the name given to the British Armed Forces stationed in the Aden Protectorate during part of the 20th century. Their purpose was to preserve the security of the Protectorate from both internal threats and external aggression.-History:...
. On 1 April 1939, he reached Air Vice-Marshal
Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
. While in this post, he had to project air operations 200 miles out to support British defense efforts in Somaliland
Somaliland
Somaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...
; lack of usable airfields kept him from stationing airplanes closer to the effort. Nevertheless, Reid's conduct of these air operations garnered him a Mention in Dispatches in both the 12 September 1941 report of General Sir Archibald Wavell to the Secretary of State for War
Secretary of State for War
The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854...
, and of Wavell's followup to it on 21 May 1942. Reid's return to England saw him posted as Air Officer Administration at Headquarters Flying Training Command
RAF Flying Training Command
Flying Training Command was an organization within the Royal Air Force which controlled units responsible for delivering flying training. The command's headquarters were at Shinfield Park, Reading in Berkshire.-History:...
on 18 July 1941. From there, he moved to becoming Air Officer Commanding No. 54 Group on 21 June 1943. On 14 December 1944, he became Air Officer Commanding West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
.
Post World War II
Reid retired on 20 January 1946, having faithfully served his country for 32 years and through two world wars.On 1 January 1952, he was honored with the appointment of Gentleman Usher
Gentleman Usher
Gentleman Usher is a title for some officers of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom. See List of Gentlemen Ushers for a list of office-holders.-Historical:...
to King George VI. He continued in that post for Queen Elizabeth II; she renewed his appointment 1 August 1952. On 10 November 1959, Reid resigned as Gentleman Usher, but was concurrently appointed an Extra Gentleman Usher.
Honors and awards
- Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, 14 June 1945
- Distinguished Service OrderDistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, 1 January 1919 - Military CrossMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, 24 June 1916 - Bar to Military Cross, 25 November 1916
- Mentioned in Despatches 11 February 1941, 12 September 1941 and 21 May 1942
Reference
- Pusher Aces of World War 1" Jon Guttman, Harry Dempsey. Osprey Pub Co, 2009. ISBN 1846034175, 9781846034176.