Reid, John Bertram

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-04-18

Birth Date: 1923

Born:

Home: DiIke, Saskatchewan

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RCAF

Unit

1 (OT) TTU- Torpedo Training Unit (RAF)

Base

RAF Turnberry

Rank

Flight Sergeant

Position

Flight Sergeant

Service Numbers

R/114641

1 Torpedo Training Unit, RAF Turnberry, England. Hampden I aircraft AT 125 was possibly in a mid-air collision with 1TTU Wellington aircraft LB 237 during a training exercise. The Hampden crashed into the sea near Lady Isle, Firth of Clyde, Scotland but the Wellington landed safely

FS JB Reid (RCAF) and Sergeant E Vevers (RAFVR) were missing, presumed killed in this flying accident. FS Reid and Sergeant Vevers have no known grave and are commemorated on the Runnymede War Memorial

Sergeant RS Cordingley (RAFVR) was killed in thisflying accident. Sergeant Cordingley's body was recovered and is buried in the Leed (Holbeck) Cemetery, England

General 21.05.1943 No.1 Torpedo Training Unit Wellington LB237 Flt Sgt. ...

Previous Events

1942-December-08 Sergeant Survived

Hampden Mk. I

32 OT OTU RAF

32 Operational Training Unit, Patricia Bay, BC. Hampden I aircraft AN 132 attempting to take off for a training exercise, ran into rough ground and had the landing gear collapse. The crew all survived, safe

Sergeant JF Reid (RCAF), Sergeant RR Johnson (RCAF), Sergeant RS Cordingley (RAFVR) and Sergeant E Vevers (RAFVR)

The investigation indicated that the cause of the crash was poor airmanship, engine oiling from a long period of idling as well as poor adjustment of cowl flaps and propeller pitch

Sergeant Reid, Sergeant Cordingley and Sergeant Vevers would later be killed during a training exercise 1943-04-18 in 1 Torpedo Training Unit, RAF Hampden AT 125 over the Firth of Clyde, Scotland

Handley Page Hampden

(RCAF Photo via Chris Charland)(Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page)
Handley Page Hampden (Serial No. P5428), of No. 32 Operational Training Unit at RCAF Patricia Bay, British Columbia, in the torpedo-bomber training role between May 1942 and February 1944.
60f996f359e4fd46b048f0cf_Handley-Page-Hampden--Serial-No--P5428---No--32-Operational-Training-Unit-at-RCAF-Patricia-Bay-in-the-torpedo-bomber-training-role.jpeg image not found

Handley Page developed a modern stressed-skin mid-wing monoplane, powered by Bristol Pegasus radial air cooled engines, with its first flight in 1936. It had the most advanced wings available at the time, giving it a remarkably low landing speed of 73 mph for an aircraft of its size, with a top speed of 265 mph. The Hampden had a short, narrow but tall main fuselage with a very slender tail unit. This configuration led to the nicknames "Flying Panhandle" and "Flying Suitcase". At the end of the war, no complete or partial Hampden aircraft were retained for museum display.

The Hampden served in the early stages of the war, bearing the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, taking part in the first night raid on Berlin and in the first 1000-bomber raid on Cologne.In Canada, Hampdens were built by six companies that formed Associated Aircraft. There were three in Ontario and three in Quebec, hence they were identified as the Ontario Group and Quebec Group. They supplied all the the components to the two assembly plants. The Ontario Group's assembly plant was at the Malton Airport, while the Quebec group's assembly plant was at the St. Hubert Airport. Canadian Museum of Flight and Harold A Skaarup web page

YouTube Handley Page Hampden in Flight

Wikipedia Wikipedia Hampden Bomber

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Kestrel Publications Hampden - Kestrel Publications