NZ POLICE Case – Christchurch Central: NZ411778 ~ GEORGE ERNEST REID, RNZAF / 218 SQN, RAF
“Kelvin” is an 83-year-old Coromandel man who earlier this year was randomly approached on the street by a member of the public who asked him if he belonged to the RSA. The stranger had in his possession a New Zealand Memorial Cross that he wanted to be returned to the next of kin. Without any further explanation the man handed over the small black box containing the Second World War cross and departed. The surface of the cross was clearly neglected from the want of cleaning and the original purple neck ribbon extensively faded, indicating it had been exposed to sunlight for a considerable period. On the reverse is the following inscription: NZ411778 SJT. G. E. REID.
Kelvin had determined with some assistance that the Cross was named to Sergeant George Ernest Reid who had been an RNZAF aviator during WW2. So he dutifully posted the cross to the Air Force Museum at Wigram in the hope they could return it to the owner’s family. The Museum in turn contacted the NZ Police to determine if the medal had been stolen? No – it had not been reported by anyone as stolen, therefore there is no way of knowing whether the Cross had been gifted to someone else by Margaret at some stage or it had been sold, stolen or disposed of as part of Margaret’s estate after her death.
New Zealand Memorial Cross
The proposal to establish the cross was announced by the New Zealand government in December 1946, as a “small tribute of gratitude from the government and people of New Zealand in memory of those who gave their life for their country.” The relatives of New Zealand servicemen and women who lost their lives on active service between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945 were eligible to receive the cross. It was also awarded to family members of those whose later death was attributable to their war service. Eligibility included both those serving with New Zealand forces and New Zealanders serving with other British Commonwealth forces, including the Merchant Navy.
The cross was formally instituted by Royal Warrant of King George VI on 12 September 1947. The cross was awarded to the families of the more than 11,000 personnel who died while serving in the New Zealand Armed Forces during the Second World War.
In September 1960, further regulations were published extending eligibility to conflicts since the Second World War. Awards of the cross have since been made relating to service in Korea, Malaya, Vietnam, East Timor and Afghanistan. In September 1995 relatives of those killed during peace keeping operations became eligible.
The cross has been awarded to the families of more than 11,671 New Zealand service personnel who died in the Second World War. with a further 136 awarded relating to conflicts since 1945.
‘For Mother’ ….
The New Zealand Memorial Cross acknowledges the grief of families and the sacrifice of their loved one(s). Up to two crosses could be awarded to the family of each individual, and was intended primarily for widows and mothers, hence it is sometimes known as the ‘Mother’s Cross’. Where the mother had died, the first cross was awarded to the father, or if he had also died, to the eldest sister, or eldest brother where there was no living sister. A second cross could only be awarded where the serviceman was married – to the widow, eldest daughter or eldest son.
Design
The cross design is based on the Canadian Memorial Cross that was instituted for their country’s First World War dead. Most other countries of the Empire adopted the large bronze Memorial Plaque, or ‘Death Penny’, and Memorial Scroll to memorialize their World War 1 dead.
Since 1947, the New Zealand Memorial Cross design has remained as for the Canadian pattern. The cross is in the form of a cross patoncé in dull silver, 32 milimeters across, with arms slightly flared at the ends. A laurel wreath encircles the arms of the cross, while the intersection of the arms is surmounted with the Royal Cypher of the reigning monarch. At the top of the vertical arm is a Tudor Crown, with a Fern Leaf in place of the original Maple Leaf, at the end of the other three arms of the cross. The cross is suspended from a purple neck ribbon 16 mm in width and 72 mm in length. The reverse is plain, with each cross engraved with the service number, rank, initials and name of the service person commemorated.
Post-1945 awards of the cross have been issued without a ribbon, the cross is warded with a pin on the back to be worn as a brooch.
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GEORGE ERNEST REID
Twenty two year old Margaret Pope had been married for just 18 months when she was widowed in September 1940 by the death of her husband, air force Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) George Ernest Reid.
George Reid was born at Kaikorai, Dunedin on 21 July 1911, the second of five sons born to Agnes Nora FEENEY (1877-1956) of Waikouaiti, and Dunedin born Hugh Reid (1876-1952). George’s grandparents Andrew and Ann Reid had arrived at Port Chalmers from Glasgow aboard the “City of Dunedin” in Feb 1875. George’s father Hugh was the Reid’s first child who was born the year following their arrival.
A family of all boys, George was the sixth of nine Reid sons who were educated at Kaikorai School. George, a Warehouseman for a Dunedin firm A & T Burt, had spent three years prior to WW2 as a Territorial soldier with ‘B’ Battery of the NZ Artillery in Dunedin, one of the first volunteer corps in Dunedin, was formed in July 1863 as the Dunedin Volunteer Artillery Regiment.
In 1938 George and his brother Hugh (Jnr), an Iron Moulder, were flatting together at 11 Greenock Street in Kaikorai at the time George met Margaret Elizabeth POPE whom George knew as “Blossom”. Margaret was the illegitimate daughter of Frances “Fanny” Elizabeth POPE (1899-1971) from Gore in Southland. Fanny was from a large farming family which had predominantly grown up at Otama, about 20 kilometers north of Gore. In 1922, Fanny, her sister Florence and their mother Emily Jane Pope (nee Wheeler) were living together at 9 Helena Street in Caversham at the time “Blossom” was born in 1917.
War in Europe
When George Reid and his younger brother William Joffre REID (1915-1989) volunteered for overseas service in 1938, being early volunteers they were given the choice of service in which he wished to serve – both opted for the RNZAF to be Air Gunners.** Margaret Pope (20) was working as a shop assistant while boarding at 58 Royal Terrace in Dunedin Central when George proposed they get married before he was called up to enlist in the RNZAF. Married in 1940, George and Margaret lived at the Royal Terrace address until George left to start his air force ground training in the North Island.
Note: ** When George and William Reid enlisted the received sequential service numbers. George’s was NZ 411778 and William’s NZ 411779. George and William travelled on separate ships to Canada but attended the same Wireless Operator’s course at No.3 Wireless School in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They were then split up, William attending his air gunnery training at No.2 Bombing and Gunnery School at Mossbank in Saskatchewan. William survived the war to return …. William married another of the Hope girls, Eileen Hope (1916-2000). Sgt WAG W. J. Reid was posted to No.75 (NZ) Squadron where he served predominantly as an air gunner on the Short Sterling and later Lancaster. In July 1943 he was promoted to F/Sgt, and in September was commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer while continuing to occupy the most feared air gunner’s position on a bomber, the Rear Gunner. Promoted to Flying Officer in March 1944, William survived the war, returned to Dunedin and married Eileen HOPE (1916-2000) in Dec 1944.
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On 16 March 1941, George reported to the Initial (Ground) Training Wing at RNZAF Station Levin to join an intake of air gunner cadets to commenced their basic training, mainly to establish whether or not they had the aptitude to be a serviceman first, could handle the basics of firing a weapon, second and last the makings of an air gunner. As an aircrew cadet, George was classified as an Air Gunner u/t (under training).
Having successfully passed his basic training, there was little opportunity to return home before he embarked with 68 WAGs**on the TSS Awatea at Auckland and sailed for Vancouver, Canada on 29 April 1941. In Canada the trainees would attend one of the numerous aircrew training schools that had been established all over Canada to train aircrew. The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), or Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS), often referred to as simply “The Plan”, was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, during the Second World War to train aircrew in the relative safety Canada, to man the RAF’s fighter, bomber and coastal command squadrons.
Note ** Of the 68 Air Gunner’s that boarded Awatea with George, 38 of these died during the war.
Arriving at Vancouver on 14 May, George and his colleagues were formerly attached to the Royal Canadian Air Force before he was dispatched with some of the others to No.3 Wireless School at RCAF Station Winnipeg, Manitoba to attend his first course of training, Course 1: Class 17. The trainees were split between several wireless schools. Part of an Air Gunner’s role was to double as a Wireless Operator and so every Air Gunner who successfully trained in both skills became a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner (WAG). On 29 September, George was posted from No.3 Wireless School to No.4 Bombing & Gunnery School at RCAF Station Fingal, Ontario. He joined No.17 Air Gunner’s Course which lasted approximately a month.
Having successfully passed both the wireless and aerial gunnery components of his training, George graduated on 24 October at a parade with 17 other RNZAF WAGs, 5 RCAF WAGs and 38 RAAF Air Observers. All were presented with their aircrew brevets, George and the other WAGs with their half-wing Wireless/Air Gunner brevets. Their graduation also automatically resulted in their promotion to Sergeant and formally re-mustered them from the trade grouping of Air Gunner u/t to Wireless Operator/Air Gunner. Following a celebratory dance and many beers at the ‘after-match’ function, Sgt. Reid prepared to travel to the UK for the next phase of training – conversion to heavy bombers. Sgt. Reid embarked for the England on 3 November 1941 and checked in to No.3 Personnel Reception Centre at the seaside suburb of Bournemouth where he would have a couple of days only to catch his breath and sample the sights.
Within a week of arriving at Bournemouth, Sgt. Reid reported to No.11 Operational Training Unit (11OTU) at RAF Bassingbourn in Cambridgeshire, part of No. 6 Group of the RAF’s Bomber Command. Here he would learn the roles of a WAG with a night-bomber crew. During 1942 11OTU operated seven operational night bombing missions. Once Sgt. Reid was considered ready for posting to an operational squadron, confirmation was undertaken by one operational night bombing mission in a Vickers Wellington heavy bomber on 3 Mar 1942. Following this operation, George was posted to No.218 (Gold Coast) Squadron, a night bombing unit of No.3 Group, Bomber Command based at RAF Marham in Norfolk.
218 (Gold Coast) Squadron
Formed at Dover on 24 April 1918, equipped with De Havilland 9 (DH9) biplanes, 218 Sqn conducted daylight bombing against targets in both France and Belgium. On 7 February 1919, the squadron it returned to Hucknell Aerodrome in Nottinghamshire where it was disbanded on 24 June 1919.
Reformed for the Second World War in March 1936 at Upper Heyford, 218 Squadron was equipped with Hawker Hinds. These were replaced by Fairey Battles in January 1938 and in September the squadron went to France as part of the Advanced Air Striking Force. Along with other battle units, the squadron suffered heavy casualties in the fighting of May 1940. The Fairey Battle suffered very heavy losses during the Battle of France. Not one of No.218 Squadron’s aircraft remained intact, and the squadron would never reequip with this aircraft again. Squadron personnel were evacuated back to the UK on 13 June 1940 due to the lack of aircraft.
On arrival at RAF Marham, Norfolk in East Anglia, 218 Sqn re-equipped with the Bristol Blenhiem, joined No.2 Group and began attacks against coastal shipping and invasion barges in the Channel ports from July-November. However, its days as a light bomber unit were numbered. In November 1940 the squadron moved to No.3 Group, converted to the Vickers Wellington heavy bomber, and on 22 December 1940 carried out its first night raid with the new aircraft. The squadron was part of the main bomber force until the end of the war, converting to the Short Stirling Mk1 in February 1942, and the Avro Lancaster in 1945.
The Short Sterling Mk1
In August 1940 the first Short Sterling Mk1’s were introduced into service with No.7 Sqn. The Sterling’s first operational sortie on the night of 10/11 Feb 1941 targeted oil storage tanks at Rotterdam, making the Sterling the RAF’s first four-enginned monoplane bomber into service, the first to be used operationally in WW2.
In December 1941, 218 (GC) Sqn began re-equipping with the Short Stirling Mk1 whilst continuing its bombing raids in occupied Europe against everything from infantry columns to V-rocket weapon sites. Their missions in 1942 also included Operation “Canonbury” 1 and 2 on the night of 24 April and 4 May to bomb the Skoda factory at Pilsen in Czechoslovakia in support of the partisan group inserted to assassinate Reichsführer SS and Chief of German State Police Reinhard Heydrich in Operation “Anthropoid”.
In July 1942 the unit re-located to RAF Downham Market, Norfolk where it conducted its first night raid on 22 December, continuing until September 1944.
The Mark I carried three Frazer Nash gun turrets – a two-gun turret in the nose, a four gun turret at the rear and a two gun retractable ventral turret underneath the aircraft, each using the standard .303” machine gun. The Ventral (‘belly’) turret was not a success. It had a tendency to lower itself when the aircraft taxied, suffered from poor visibility, and slowed the aircraft by around 10 mph (the same problems had caused the removal of a similar turret from the early Wellington bombers). A two-gun dorsal turret replaced the ventral one.
A normal bomb load usually consisted of 2,000lbs (907 kg) armour-piercing bombs and/or 500lbs (227 kg) general-purpose high explosive bombs. A bomb overload of up to 25,500lbs (11567 kg) was possible but it reduced the range considerably.
The Sterling’s armaments consisted of:
- 2 × 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Browning trainable forward-firing machine-guns in the power-operated nose turret.
- 2 × 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Browning trainable machine-guns in the power-operated dorsal turret.
- 4 × 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Browning trainable rearward-firing machine-guns in the power-operated tail turret.
The Stirling proved to be a very popular aircraft with its crews, who dubbed it the “fighter bomber” due to its excellent manoeuvrability and its rugged construction. On one occasion four German night fighters attacked a Stirling from No. 218 Squadron on a night raid in 1942. manoeuvring for its life, the Stirling managed to shoot down three of the attackers before returning to base safely, although a little battered. As a result of its high wing loading, the Stirling had a high roll rate and was manoeuvrable enough to out-turn the Junkers Ju 88 and Bf 110 night-fighters.
A brief move to RAF Woolfox Lodge in Mar 1944 was followed by another to RAF Methwold in August where 218 Sqn was converted to Avro Lancasters. The squadron made its final move to RAF Chedburgh in Dec 1944 until it was finally disbanded on 10 August 1945.
Sources: Wikipedia; https://218squadron.wordpress.com › history; http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/218_wwII.html; https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/No._218_(Gold_Coast)_Squadron_RAF
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Operational sorties
Sgt. WAG George Reid had arrived at RAF Downham Market in June 1942 where he and all aircrews received familiarization training with the Short Sterling. Sgt. Reid’s first flight in the Sterling was undertaken on 15 July with 218 Sqn’s Conversion Flight in preparation for operational night bombing missions to German targets. His first night bombing raid was on 27 August and the second sortie to a similar target was carried out on the night of 1/2 September 1942.
Flying with a crew of seven, 218 Squadron’s Short Sterling N3147 – AN-Q was piloted by two RNZAF aviators, Flight Sergeant Keith Ryan was the Captain and Pilot Officer Ted Ruegg was his Observer (navigator) and 2nd Pilot. The Sterling left RAF Downham Market at 2346 hours on 1st September and headed for Saarbrucken, Germany with the following crew (positions occupied on the sortie are in brackets):
- NZ41999 F/Sgt. (Pilot) Keith Forbes Brocks RYAN, RNZAF – b: 1913, Taihape NZ
- NZ405511 Pilot Offr. (Observer) Edward Grey RUEGG, RNZAF – b: 1914, Wanganui NZ
- NZ411478 (Bomb Aimer/Front Gnr) George Ernest REID, RNZAF – b: 1911, Kaikorai, Dunedin NZ
- 1111478 (WOp) Thomas McCord CAMPBELL, RAFVR – b: Mar 1921, Belfast, Co Antrim IRE
- 533457 (Flt Engr) James Vincent Owen FOGG, RAFVR – b:1915, Shardlow, Derbyshire ENG
- 1383234 (Dorsal Gnr) Stanley Archibald WILLS, RAFVR – b: 1921, Wandsworth, London ENG
- 1106187 (Rear Gnr) Frank BIRCH, RAFVR – b: 1921, Darnell, Sheffield ENG
In August 1942 the Pathfinders had begun to employ target indicator bombs for the first time. Despite this, the bombing was not concentrated, and much of it missed their targets by many miles. August had resulted in one of 218 Squadron’s blackest months to date costing eleven aircraft either failing to return or written off in crashes. The omens for better fortunes in September were not encouraging, when N3714 – AN-Q piloted by Kiwi F/Sgt. (P) Keith Ryan and his six man crew went missing following an operation to Saarbrücken on the very first night. Much to the embarrassment of the Pathfinders, the attack had actually fallen on the non-industrial town of Saarlouis, which suffered extensive damage and cost numerous lives. By the time the mistake was discovered, N3714 was a shattered wreck on Belgian soil having been shot down by an enemy aircraft.
Ryan and his crew had released their bomb load on the target and were returning to Downham Market. Whilst flying over Sterrebeek, 11 kms east of Brussels in Belgium, they were jumped by a Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf 110 F-4** night-fighter at around 0415 hours on the morning of 2 September. F/Sgt. Ryan and four of his crew were killed on impact while two of their colleagues although severely wounded, became PoWs for the remainder of the war.
Those killed were:
- F/Sgt. Keith Forbes Brocks RYAN, RNZAF – 28yrs
- Sgt. George Ernest REID, RNZAF – 31yrs
- Sgt. Thomas McCord CAMPBELL, RAFVR – 21yrs
- Sgt. Frank BIRCH, RAFVR – 21yrs
- Sgt. Stanley Archibald WILLS, RAFVR – 21yrs
The two wounded survivors became PoWs in the following camps in Poland:
- Pilot Offr. Edward Grey RUEGG, RNZAF – PoW No.666: Stalag Luft III, Sagan – d: 2005 (89) Pyes Pa, Tauranga NZ
- Sgt. James Vincent Owen FOGG, RAFVR – PoW No.26858:Stalag VIIIB / 344 / Stalag Luft VIIBankau – d: 1990 (74) Nottingham, Notts. ENG
Sgt. Reid’s Awards: Wireless Operator/Air Gunner Brevet; 1939/45 Star with Bomber Command clasp, Aircrew Europe Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939/45, NZ War Service Medal; NZ Memorial Cross (Note: the Memorial Cross was the only medal that was named before issue)
Service overseas: 29 Apr 1941 – 02 Sep 1942 = 1 year 126 days
Total RNZAF / RAF service: 16 Mar 1941 – 02 Sep 1942 = 1 year 169 days
~ Per Ardua Ad Astra ~
Note: ** Messerschmitt Bf 110 F4 ~ G9+BC came from St. Trond (Sint-Truiden) airfield and was piloted by then Hauptmann (Hptm.= Captain) Walter EHLE and Oberfeldwebel (Ofw.= Staff Sgt. or Technical Sgt.) Ludwig LEIDENBACH of the Stab II./NJG-1. (Stab = HQ, No.2 Group / 1st Night Fighter Wing). The Bf 110 was from one of the first night-fighter squadrons to be equipped with the “Lichtenstein” radar detection system which dramatically enhanced night-time detection of aircraft.
Major Walter EHLE (b: 28 Apr 1913, Windhoek, Namibia) was a Luftwaffe night-fighter ace during the period 6 October 1940 – 17 November 1943. He became the first permanent Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II. Gruppe of NJG-1 on 6 October 1940 and one of the longest serving group commanders. Ehle was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 29 August 1943 after 31 aerial victories. The Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
On 18 November 1943 at about 2020hrs, Major Ehle (30) was experiencing technical problems with his Messerschmitt Bf-110 and was preparing to land at Brustum airport near St. Trond, Belgium. At about 10kms from the runway the landing lights were suddenly extinguished and Elhe’s aircraft subsequently crashed into a field. Major Ehle and his two-man crew of Ofw. Ludwig Leidenbach, 31, (radio operator) and Uffz. [Unteroffizier = Cpl] Heinz Derlitzky, 24, (air gunner) were killed. At the time of his death Major Ehle was credited with 39 victories, 38 of which were confirmed, with 35 of these at night.
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Assistance to Christchurch Police
The Airforce Museum is unable to research historical family connects for such awards and so forwarded the Sgt. Reid’s Memorial Cross to Christchurch Central Police Station where Christchurch-based Authorised Officer Deb Wilson committed to find the medal’s rightful home. Deb‘s enquiries fortunately included Medals Reunited New Zealand©.
When I received Deb’s request for help on 8 September, she spoke of a message that had been left on the Cenotaph website profile page for George Reid from a “Lindsay Reid” which read:
“George was my uncle. Died 12 years before I was born. Grew up in hard times – my father’s older brother. George I regret we never met but appreciate your sacrifice, your contribution helped rid the world of the evil forces that could have changed all our lives
Lindsay Bryan Reid. (Grew up in Dunedin)”
Public – Lindsay Bryan – Other relative – 21 November 2021
Deb had attempted to contact Lindsay with the email address provided but these had gone unanswered. I also attempted a message to the email address shown, but without success.
After locating George’s wife’s details and establishing her back ground, the Reid family had been substantially smaller and since “Lindsay” had been a recent contact via Cenotaph, I decided to pursue this line of inquiry. The key clues for me was that Lindsay was a nephew (by implication) of George Reid, he said he had grown up in Dunedin, had a less than common spelling of his second name, and his posted notice was very recent, 21 Nov 2021. A NZ census check for ‘Lindsay Bryan Reid’ revealed only one listing in 1981. Lindsay was listed as a Civil Engineer living in Island Bay, Wellington. With only one census listing, this suggested to me that Lindsay would have been between 20-25 years of age at that time and if still alive now 55-65. There were no other references for Lindsay in New Zealand that I could see on the internet. Phonebook – nil results from this source. I spread my search wider to Australia where I found a 1980 census listing for “Lindsay Bryan and Christine Wilhelmina Reid, a Civil Engineer of 57 Marrabooka Rd, Dorrington, Brisbane” and there the listings in Australia ended. Realistically, after 42 years had elapsed from those records Lindsay could have been anywhere in the world, or even dead although no death index listed him. However I struck with my gut and believed that since he had been in Australia in 1980 as a Civil Engineer, as a graduate degree holder it was very possible engineering would be his life’s work, given the degree of effort it takes to gain such a qualification, and that at his current age could still possibly be engaged in that field. A check of Linkedin Australia produced the following: “Reid Consulting Engineers, Civil Engineering. East Toowoomba, Queensland – Lindsay Reid – Director.” I located the company website, sent a message and was pleasantly rewarded with the following reply:
Dear Ian
Thank you for your email. Yes, you have found the right person. My uncle was George Ernest Reid who I understand was a Gunner in a Bomber shot down over Belgium in 1942. I am honoured to have been offered George’s medal which I will treasure and pass on to my son when I die. I have no doubt he will pass it on to one of my grandsons. I had meant to contact you earlier and had even thought of coming over to New Zealand to collect the medal (this is how honoured I feel) but the opportunity just hasn’t arisen yet……
I will be eternally grateful that you have tracked me down and that George’s medal will find a home where it will be honoured.
Regards, Lindsay B. Reid
A widow’s grief
Sgt. Reid’s Memorial Cross had been sent to his no doubt grief stricken wife Margaret, together with his war medals, shortly after the war ended. A fitting sentiment from the Government but small comfort I imagine for a marriage that had just begun and a life together full of expectations for a future together, but sadly … not to be. George was but one of 11,671 New Zealanders for whom Memorial Crosses were sent to their grieving families after the Second World War. While we know nothing of Margaret’s post-war life, we do know that she and George did not have any children – possibly their plan after the war had George survived. That also meant there was no heir apparent who could have received the cross from Margaret. As far as Margaret’s fate after her husband’s death, for the present this remains a mystery. Margaret Elizabeth “Blossom” Reid (nee Pope) appears to have disappeared. Perhaps she re-married or emigrated? No immediate connection can be made with the available records. Hopefully someone reading this post will be able to shed light on this mystery and close this chapter of the Reid family’s history in Dunedin.
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Thanks to “Kelvin” from the Coromandel for having the foresight to send the cross to the Wigram Air Force Museum, and to the Museum staff for passing the cross on to Police. Special thanks to Deb Wilson of the NZ Police, Christchurch Central, for her commitment to finding the rightful home for this cross which led to her contacting Medals Reunited New Zealand©. Lindsay and the Reid family are truly honoured and most grateful for the effort made to reunite this precious medal and memory with his family.
The reunited medal tally is now 419.
AircrewRemembered.com Memorial page – summarises the mission and crash of 218 Sqn Short Sterling N3714 – AN-Q https://www.aircrewremembered.com/ryan-keith-forbes.html