Shorty Reid

"Shorty" Reid was only five feet four and one-half inches tall and weighed 120 pounds on enlistment and was very shy. At EFTS he was described as "Excellent pilot material - aggressive, bright and keen, an energetic battler who should be excellent as a fighter pilot". He crashed a Spitfire at Hal Far, 2 July 1942 (port tire burst, wingtip dug in, aircraft overturned). He had three older brothers, plus a younger brother and sister who were twins. His mother died in 1937, his father in January 1941. Reid left his estate to his younger siblings.

Son of William Morris Reid and Maude Geraldine Reid
Born Lacombe, Alberta, 6 June 1922;
home in Windsor, Ontario,
enlisted there 28 October 1940.
Trained at :
No.1 ITS (16 January to 21 February 1941),
No.10 EFTS (22 February to 22 April 1941) and
No.9 SFTS (3 May to 16 July 1941).
Arrived overseas 30 August 1941. At
No.57 OTU (5 September to 21 October 1941),
No.152 Squadron (21-28 October 1941),
No.412 Squadron (28 October to unknown date, 1941),
No.161 Squadron (unknown date to 15 December 1941),
No.601 Squadron (15-23 December 1941),
No.19 Squadron (23 December 1941 to 30 April 1942).
Posted to Malta, arriving with major reinforcement
(Operation "Bowery" via aircraft carriers on 9 May 1942;
assigned to No.185 Squadron.
Commissioned 7 July 1942
(but not gazetted until November).
Killed in action 22 July 1942
(Spitfire BR203 coded "X" during engagement with Bf.109s,
- one of which he may have shot down;
name on El Alamein Memorial.

REID, FS Donald George (R67906) - Distinguished Flying Medal - No.185 Squadron
Award effective 25 July 1942 as per London Gazette dated 28 July 1942 and
AFRO 1243/42 dated 7 August 1942.

This airman has displayed skill and courage and determination in the face of the enemy. On two occasions recently he has been detailed to attack enemy fighters escorting bombers and although greatly outnumbered, he destroyed one fighter on each occasion. In June 1942 he encountered a force of Italian bombers which were heavily escorted by fighter aircraft. Diving through the fighters he attacked one of the bombers and set it on fire and then destroyed one of the fighters which had attacked him. Flight Sergeant Reid has destroyed at least five enemy aircraft in a period of seven weeks.

Air Force Casualties

Ottawa, July 29, 1942 - (CP) - The Royal Canadian Air Force, in its 329th casualty list of the war, today reported five men killed on active service overseas and eleven missing after overseas air operations. The list includes, with next-of-kin:
REID, Donald George, Flight Sergeant, missing after air operations overseas. M.J. Reid (brother), Windsor.

Chris Shores lists victories in Aces High (2nd edition):

2 June 1942,   one Z.1007 damaged (citation saysItalian bomber destroyed)
                       one Re.2001 probably destroyed;
6 June 1942,   one Re.2001 destroyed plus
                       one Re.2001 damaged plus
                       one Z.506B destroyed (third share)
7 June 1942,   one Bf.109 probably destroyed;
22 June 1942, one Bf.109 destroyed (Spitfire coded GL-O);
1 July 1942,    one Bf.109 destroyed plus
                       one Bf.109 damaged (Spitfire BR294);
2 July 1942,    one Bf.109 destroyed (BR294);
6 July 1942,    one Bf.109 probably destroyed plus
                       one Ju.88 damaged (half share - both on BR317)
17 July 1942, one Bf.109 destroyed plus
                       one Bf.109 damaged (BR380).

REID, DONALD GEORGE P/O (P) J15968//R67906 D.F.M. From Lacombe. Alberta. Killed In Action July 22, 1942 age 20. 185 Squadron (Ara Fejn Hu). Reid has no known grave, his name is inscribed on the Alamein War Memorial, Egypt.

Donald George "Shorty" Reid

RCAF P/O - DFM

Air Force Casualties

Chris Shores lists victories in Aces High (2nd edition):