‘Goering had stepped up to make a radio broadcast on Sunday 31 January 1943 during a weekend of celebrations of Hitler’s accession to power 10 years earlier. Hitler had cried off with a sore throat hours before, so to Goering fell the task, at 11 a.m., of telling the Germans what towering achievements the Reich had made.

Flags flew, soldiers gathered to listen, as ordered, communally, and over the airwaves from the headquarters of Grossdeutscher Rundfunk, the state radio station, in Berlin’s Wilhelmstrasse sounded a fanfare of trumpets. They had not reckoned on Sismore, painstakingly plotting his course with a primitive tin-box calculator several times bigger than a present-day mobile phone, a ruler, a map, dividers, and a mental picture in his head of landmarks as seen from a Mosquito aircraft flying at wave-top and then tree-top height to avoid detection. The aircraft was in constant danger not only from anti-aircraft fire but from bird-strikes.

Sismore and his pilot, Squadron leader Reggie Reynolds, were that morning leading three of the De Havilland plywood planes that had been introduced to the R.A.F. little over a year before. Sismore picked up landmarks easily and half way through the five-hour trip emerged on course over the Berlin lakes, guiding Reynolds to arrive over Wilhelmstrasse dead on 11 a.m. As the trumpets faded the Mosquitos dropped their 500lb. bombs close to the radio building. The explosions were heard across Germany and by monitors in Britain, and caused the speech to be delayed for an hour ... ’

The Independent’s obituary notice for Reynolds’ navigator, “Daisy” Sismore, 25 June 2012, refers.


The outstanding Second World War D.S.O. and Bar, D.F.C. and Bar group of six awarded to Wing Commander R. W. “Reggie” Reynolds, Royal Air Force, who won his first decoration for an operational tour in Hampdens of 144 Squadron in 1940: but it was for his much celebrated partnership with ace Mosquito navigator “Daisy” Sismore in 105 and 139 Squadrons, and 140 Wing, that he won enduring fame, leading-in the famous daylight raid on Berlin in January 1943, when Hermann Goering was left speechless by the sudden arrival of their bomb load (immediate D.S.O.), the spectacular low-level daylight strike against the Carl Zeiss Works at Jena, near Leipzig, in May 1943 (immediate Bar to D.S.O.), and the rooftop-level daylight strike on the Aarhus Gestapo H.Q. in October 1944 (immediate bar to D.F.C.) - wounded by flak in the Jena raid, Reynolds somehow coaxed his Mosquito back to base, where it was also discovered a splinter had severed a lead just below his right ear and torn the collar of his battledress, just one of several close calls in a remarkable wartime career that was approaching the 100-sortie mark when he was “grounded”


Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., silver-gilt and enamel, the reverse of the suspension bar officially dated ‘1943’ and the reverse of the bar ‘1943’, in its Garrard & Co. case of issue; Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse of the Cross officially dated ‘1940’ and the reverse of the Bar ‘1944’, in its Royal Mint case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, France and Germany; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, generally extremely fine (6) £35,000-40,000

D.S.O. London Gazette 16 February 1943. The original recommendation states:

‘On 30 January 1943, this officer was the captain of crew detailed for a special operation in daylight against Berlin. The success of the operation largely depended on the attack being made at a precise time, and for this reason, it had to be carried out regardless of weather conditions and the pre-flight plan had to be adhered to in every detail.

The outward journey involved a trip of over 500 miles, most of which were over German territory and into the heart of the defences, both fighters and anti-aircraft, of the country. Further, the length of the trip was such that only economical cruising speed could be maintained, since the conservation of petrol was an important aspect. The advantage of the high speed of the aircraft was therefore largely lost, except over the target itself.

In order to get under the enemy warning system, two thirds of the flight was carried out at very low-level. This later necessitated a long climb, during which period, the aircraft was particularly vulnerable to fighter interception and attack. In addition the crew were well aware of the acknowledged strong anti-aircraft defences against a daylight attack.

All these hazardous aspects made it necessary for the mission to be carried out with the utmost skill and determination. As is well known, it was carried out precisely as planned and the attack delivered within seconds of the specified time.

Squadron Leader Reynolds has now completed 55 sorties and has always shown keenness to attack the enemy, particularly in his own country.’


Bar to D.S.O. London Gazette 18 June 1943. The original recommendation states:

‘On 27 May 1943, Wing Commander Reynolds was captain of the leading aircraft of the formation of 14 detailed to attack targets at Jena, Germany, in daylight.

The flight involved a route of over 500 miles across occupied and German territory, which was heavily defended both from the ground and the air.

Weather conditions were clear over most of the route, but deteriorated very badly near the target. In the target area itself, visibility was approximately half a mile.

The country was mountainous, and very skilful leadership was required to enable the formation to keep together at low-level.

Visibility was such for the last 50 miles that navigation lights had to be used in order to keep other aircraft in view.

An accurate run up was made but, at the same time as the target was sighted, intense and accurate light flak was experienced, and balloons which had not been expected were seen.

In spite of this, Wing Commander Reynolds pressed home his attack from low-level and obtained hits on the target.

As he was about to release his bombs, a light anti-aircraft shell burst in the cockpit and wounded him; at the same time, a piece of his airscrew 6 by 3 inches flew into the cockpit. Unperturbed, the pilot kept control of his aircraft and finally returned safely to base.

This officer was awarded the D.S.O. after a successful raid on Berlin in daylight.

Since then, he has made 11 successful sorties, the majority as leader of formations of aircraft. Among them was a most successful attack in daylight on the railway workshops at Thionville; subsequent photographic cover of this target revealed considerable damage.

I consider Wing Commander Reynolds to be an outstanding operational commander and strongly recommend that he receive the immediate award of a Bar to his D.S.O.’


D.F.C. London Gazette 13 September 1940. The original recommendation states:

‘‘This officer has completed 24 night flying operations against the enemy, with the greatest courage and devotion to duty. These operations include bombing raids, mine laying and attacks on canals from very low altitudes. He has always shown great resolution and determination when carrying out raids, often in the face of very severe enemy opposition and adverse weather. He never fails to complete his task. A Captain of Aircraft of the most efficient and determined type who has a splendid influence on the high morale of his squadron.’


Bar to D.F.C. London Gazette 15 December 1944. The original recommendation states:

‘Wing Commander Reynolds has been Wing Commander Flying in 140 Wing since January 1944. He has behind him a most distinguished bomber record, and he has further improved it while with this Wing.

Since D-Day he has carried out sorties against the German Army in the West, and during the battles of the Seine crossings he made two sorties in a night, bombing barges and M.T. from low-level despite determined flak opposition. On 14 July he took part in a successful raid on Gestapo barracks at Bonneil Matours, and his victims in Holland include barges and trains.

On 31 October, he led the Wing in an attack on the Gestapo H.Q. at Aarhus. The sterling fighting qualities of this officer, and his sound leadership, were much in evidence in this attack, and the complete destruction of the pinpoint target direct tributes both to his tactics and the training he has put his pilots through.

He is an officer of powerful and aggressive character and strongly recommend him for the immediate award of a Bar to his D.F.C.’

Reginald Wilfred “Reggie” Reynolds was born in Cheltenham in January 1919 and, after attending Clifton College, worked for an aircraft company. One year later, however, he resigned his post in order to join the Royal Air Force and, on qualifying for his pilot’s licence in October 1937, he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer.

No. 144 Squadron - Hampdens - first operational tour - D.F.C.

By the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939, he was serving in No. 144 Squadron, a Hampden unit based at Hemswell, and remained similarly employed until October 1940, in which period he was advanced to Flying Officer and completed his first operational tour - thus a brace of ‘security patrols’ in early 1940, followed by a succession of regular bombing strikes on such targets as Aachen, Dortmund, Essen, Hamburg, Kiel, Lubeck and Munster, in addition to the occasional target in France - in fact 34 operational sorties that resulted in the award of his first D.F.C.

No. 207 and No. 455 (R.A.A.F.) Squadrons - further operations in Hampdens and in Manchesters

Having then been rested as an instructor, in which period he enjoyed an outing in an Anson with one Flight Lieutenant Guy Gibson, Reynolds was advanced to Flight Lieutenant in March 1941, and joined No. 207 Squadron, a Manchester unit at Waddington in the following month.

Thus ensued operational sorties to Boulogne, Hamburg, Kiel, and Munchen Gladbach, prior to his transferral as an Acting Squadron Leader to No. 455 (R.A.A.F.) Squadron, a Hampden unit at Swinderby, in July 1941, in which capacity he carried out two strikes against Berlin, in addition to trips to Cologne, Kiel and Hamburg in the period leading up to the year’s end.

No. 105 Squadron - “Daisy” Sismore partnership - the Berlin daylight raid - D.S.O.

Again rested as an instructor at an O.T.U. at Honeybourne, although in common with other such units called up to participate in two of the ‘1000 Bomber raids’ in the summer of 1942, he returned to an operational footing as a Temporary Squadron Leader in No. 105 Squadron, a Mosquito unit at Marham that December. Here, then the commencement of his partnership with “Daisy” Sismore as his Navigator, the pair of them having met up Honeybourne.

First up was a strike on the marshalling yards at Ghent on 14 December, where, as Sismore later recalled:

‘We ran in for a shallow dive attack and I was in the nose to release the bombs. I pressed the release, looked down - nothing! I said ‘down to the deck and turn left to 180 degrees’ to give me time to check the circuits. I found a loose plug and so we made a second run. This time the guns were firing at us, but we bombed successfully. At the debriefing we were reminded forcibly that the rule was one run only - no repeats.’

Their next trip, on the 20th, was even more hair-raising. Mosquito Thunder, No. 105 Squadron R.A.F. at War 1942-45, by S. R. Scott, quotes Sismore:

‘Our next operation was to attack railway targets in the Oldenburg-Bremen area. Near Delmenhorst [where, at 10.28 hours, their four 500lb. bombs left a gasometer on fire], we were hit by 40mm. flak, holing the port radiator and leaving us on one engine. We came home by way of Wilhelmshaven Bay, where a cruiser tried to “splash” us into the sea with its main armament. Our No. 2, Warrant Officer Ray Noseda, bravely stayed with us until we were clear of the coast. We had lost the hydraulics so we had to land wheels up. The drama continued when the escape hatch failed to release and we had to resort to the fireman’s axe.’

Having then attacked the engine sheds at Laon, and the marshalling yards at Amiens in early January 1943, Reynolds and Sismore famously led in the first wave of the first daylight raid on Berlin, an achievement that quickly hit the home press:

‘BERLIN, 30 January 1943 ... Berlin, the heart of Hitler's Germany at the height of the war ... Berlin on the tenth anniversary of the German Army. A big military parade has been planned to celebrate the occasion and from early dawn Nazi troops have been assembling in the capital ready to stage a mighty demonstration of their omnipotence. It is announced that Reichsmarschall Goering will broadcast at 11 a.m., to be followed at 4 p.m. by Propaganda Minister Goebbels: It should be a big day for the Nazis.

But the anniversary has not gone unnoticed in England. In the chilly air of early morning three Mosquito aircraft are warming up their engines on the runway at Marham airfield. Shortly after half-past eight Squadron Leader R. W. Reynolds strides up to the leading plane with his navigator, Pilot Officer E. B. Sismore. A last-minute check on the Met. report - it seems O.K. - and then Reynolds turns to the two other crews of 105 Squadron. “All right, chaps,” he says. “Let's go.”

The R.A.F. is off to drop its own highly individual birthday present on the Reich. This is the first raid on Berlin ever made in daylight and no one knows quite what to expect. Reynolds is relying on the high speed of the Mosquito to keep him out of trouble from German fighters but on the five hour round trip there will not be much fuel to spare for evasive tactics. The plan is to drop the bombs dead on 11 o'clock to coincide with the beginning of Goering's speech and this will require some pretty accurate navigation. Sismore is confident that he can do the job: he is the squadron's ace navigator and is later to lead the Pathfinders in some of the war's most devastating raids.

Germany basks in brilliant sunshine on this January morning. The three Mossies have flown at low-level over the North Sea, then high, higher into the heart of Germany. A few minutes before 11 o'clock the tell-tale lakes around Berlin show up as bright white patches as they glint in the sunshine. Dead on target come the Mossies and at 11 o'clock precisely Sismore says “Bombs away.” There are no enemy fighters, very little flak. The Germans have been taken completely by surprise. They upset Goering. The timing could not have been better. At 11 o'clock listeners to the German radio are told by the announcer to stand by for an important speech by Goering. At one minute past 11, accompanied by the explosion of bombs around the broadcasting studio, the programme fades out. There is a long pause. Then, “There will be some delay,” apologises the announcer. Gramophone records fill the gap. It is not until an hour later that the voice of Goering, plainly harassed and angry, comes on the air. By then the three Mosquitos are winging their way safely back home. Opposition has been practically negligible: only Flight Lieutenant J. Gordon, flying back over Bremen in error, receives the violent reception from the ground defences that is his due.’

Reynolds was awarded an immediate D.S.O., and Sismore the D.F.C., and they were quickly back in action in February, carrying out a brace of low-level strikes on the railway station and marshalling yards at Tours on the 15th and 18th, while in March they attacked similar targets at Le Mans, Tergnier, Liege, Louvain and Paderborn.

Having then flown successful sorties to target the railway engine sheds at Namur on 3 April, and at Thionville on 2 May, Reynolds was appointed to the command of No. 139 (Jamaica) Squadron in the latter month - and took Sismore with him.


No. 139 Squadron - the Jena daylight raid - Bar to D.S.O.

First up was a return trip to Berlin on 13 May, but it was for their next outing that pilot and navigator won further accolades - namely the spectacular strike on the Carl Zeiss Works at Jena on the 27th. Reynolds takes up the story in Edward Bishop’s Mosquito - The Wooden Wonder:

‘I was leading in B for Beer, No. D.Z. 601, a particularly fine Mossie ... We formed up in the circuit area of the airfield and then set course on what was to be the deepest low-level daylight penetration we have yet undertaken, and also one of the most eventful - for me, anyway.

The North Sea was crossed at wavetop height and on approaching the enemy coast, always the most tense moment, speed was increased and the formation closed up for the quick dash across. Once over, the trip becomes more interesting. One sees such things as cyclists jumping off their cycles to have a look round to see what is coming. Children look up at us, then put their heads down and run as hard as they can.

Frequently one has narrow squeaks with birds - an enemy of the low-flying aircraft. If they do hit the kite serious damage is almost sure to be caused.

There were no further incidents until we ran over one of Germany's reservoirs, when the Hun pushed up some accurate flak at us. Fortunately no one was hit but shortly afterwards two of the formation collided and crashed. It was another 50 miles or so further on when bad weather was encountered. Firstly, thick industrial haze and then heavy low clouds covering the tops of the hills over which we had to fly. Of course we had to enter cloud and climb to safety height, i.e. high enough to clear the hills with a margin of safety. As soon as we estimated that we should have cleared the high hills, we descended into the gloom beneath the clouds.

To enable the other chaps to pick me up again, a very difficult job under the existing weather conditions, I put on my navigation lights for a short while. This was also done by the leader of the second section, Squadron Leader Blessing. Crews afterwards stated that this was a great help for them to regain formation. At this stage we had arrived at a point approximately 20 miles from the target and we turned to our run-up, increasing speed and then opening bomb doors. We picked up various landmarks which we were looking for, and knew from these that we were dead on track. The visibility was now down to about 1,500 yards - not much when one is travelling at such high speed.

The target was now only two miles away but not yet in sight. At a thousand yards I picked up the tall chimneys and opened up to full throttle. My observer pointed out the balloons, and immediately the flak came up at us in bright red streams and unhealthily close. I could see one gun on a flak tower firing away as hard as he could at someone on my right. Now it was every man for himself. I picked out a tall building and went for it, releasing my bombs at point-blank range, yanked the stick back to climb over the building, and as I topped it, the airscrew received a direct hit. There was a violent explosion in front of my eyes and I felt something tug at my hand and leg but took no notice for the time being. Things were too hot.

Now we were in a veritable hail of tracer shells, dodging and twisting for dear life. More balloons ahead, which we missed by the Grace of God, and now, apart from a few inaccurate bursts, we were clear and I was able to survey the damage. My left hand was bleeding freely, as was my left leg. The kite was vibrating considerably and I could see holes in the fairing immediately in front of the radiator. Flak had pierced a hole just aft of the port radiator and close to one of the main tanks. There were two large holes in the fuselage close to the throttle box, where some fittings had been blown away. My intercom had packed up and I discovered later that a splinter had severed the lead just below my starboard ear. The collar of my battledress was torn too. This wasn't noticed until I arrived back at base, when Flight Lieutenant Sismore, my navigator, asked me what I had done to get that.

However, to continue. After that one violent explosion it seemed a miracle that the aircraft could keep in the air. I was especially anxious about my port radiator with that hole so near and constantly checked the temps to watch for any rise. Fortunately it remained constant at 97°C and the vibrating got no worse, so the need to feather the damaged propeller never arose.

We were now returning individually, and so I nipped into the low cloud for safety - to clear hills and avoid any flak that may have been put up. My observer bound up my hand and then we settled down to the long journey home with a frequent apprehensive glance at the engine instruments and fuel. I personally felt satisfied that I got the target with my bombs and later one of the boys said that he saw them go in, followed by a sheet of flame a hundred feet high-and it would be some time before they actually exploded.

On the way back we ran into more trouble by entering two more defended areas. The second one was very hot and it was with luck that we escaped by means of violent evasive action combined with full throttle and fine pitch.

From now on the return journey was uneventful. Petrol was checked and we decided that we should have sufficient. On arrival back at base we discovered that there was not much left. But our worries were over now so we did not bother any more. Even though B for Beer was badly damaged she behaved magnificently throughout and is now being repaired, which will take a few days. One of the port engine bearers had a large hole through the middle of it but the vital parts of the engine were sound.’

Three of the 14 Mosquitos which set out for Jena failed to return, and two more were written off and their crews killed while landing.

Reynolds was awarded an immediate Bar to his D.S.O., and Sismore the D.S.O., and they completed two more sorties against Munich and Lubeck in July, prior to Reynolds being rested as Satellite C.O. of R.A.F. Stanton Harcourt in September.


No. 140 Wing - the Gestapo H.Q. Aarhus raid - Bar to D.F.C.

In January 1944, however, he was appointed 2nd-in-command 140 Wing in 2nd T.A.F. and, having re-enlisted Sismore as his Navigator, was quickly back on operations. Thus strikes against the electrical works at Hengeld and the construction works at Dieppe in March.

The Wing having relocated to Gravesend, and thence to Thorney Island, Reynolds and Sismore carried out a strike on the heavy coastal battery at Fecamp on 23 May, prior to attacking enemy communications in Normandy in June, including strafing a train and bombing a bridge on D-Day.

About this time 2nd T.A.F. undertook a number of strikes against Gestapo and S.S. establishments in revenge for the murder of members of the S.A.S., Reynolds and Sismore attacking the Gestapo barracks at Bonneil Matours on 14 July, but it was for their part in the spectacular low-level strike against Gestapo H.Q. at Aarhus on 31 October - after several more sorties to France - that Reynolds and Sismore were to win further accolades.

The Aarhus sortie was the first of three high precision low-level attacks on Gestapo H.Qs in Denmark, Reynolds and Sismore leading the attacking force drawn from 21, 464 and 487 Squadrons - although Air Vice-Marshal Basil Embry came along for the ride under the pseudonym ‘Wing Commander Smith’. He later wrote:

‘That day the weather was ideal for a low attack, cloud base being twelve hundred feet and in the target area visibility about a mile and a half, making interception by enemy fighters unlikely. We flew the whole way at about fifty feet, as was usual for this type of mission. As we approached Aarhus I noticed a German transport aeroplane flying on a reciprocal course to ours and about two hundred yards to one side. If the occupants saw us, they must have had quite a shock.

We approached the target so low that we were well below the level of the roof and had to pull up to clear it as we released our bombs. All eighteen aircraft bombed accurately and, looking back, Peter told me the building was wrecked. We continued flying as low as possible and at a high cruising speed until well out to sea on the way home. The aeroplane on my right had actually touched the roof of the university, knocked off half its elevator and tail wheel, and ripped a gash in the bottom of the fuselage in which was lodged a lump of masonry. The pilot had spotted a German shooting at us and, trying to silence him with return fire, had misjudged his height.

Reports from the Danish patriots were awaiting us when we reached home; they were delighted with the complete success of the raid. It transpired that the Gestapo Chief for Jutland had called a conference of his subordinates from all over the province and that they numbered two hundred and forty, all of whom perished in the attack. Yet miraculously certain prisoners who were in the building survived the ordeal.’

Reynolds, who was now effectively “grounded” with around 90 sorties to his credit, was awarded an immediate Bar to his D.F.C., as was Sismore.

Attending Staff College in the first half of 1945, he was sent to H.Q. No. 45 Group as a member of the Air Staff (Operations), from which duties he was released in January 1946, having visited Canada and the U.S.A., and he is believed to have settled in the former country in later life.


to be sold with the following archive:

(i) The recipient’s R.A.F. Pilot’s Flying Log Books (Form 414 types) (2), covering the periods August 1937 June 1943, and July 1943 to January 1946.

(ii) A fine array of wartime photographs (approximately 100), subject matter including aircraft, personnel and air-to-air images, in addition to several “target” pictures - quite a few of them of the spectacular kind.

(iii) Central Chancery investiture letters dated 2 October 1940, with another of cancellation, dated on the 8th; 3 February 1941, 14 May 1943, and 9 June 1944, together with Buckingham Palace forwarding letter in respect of the Bar to his D.F.C., and several related congratulatory telegrams and messages.

(iv) A wartime scrapbook with numerous newspaper and magazine cuttings in respect of the Berlin, Jena and Aarhus raids.

(v) The recipient’s Air Ministry Certificate of Competency and Licence to Fly Private Flying Machines (G.B. and Northern Ireland), dated 1 October 1937; a quantity of official correspondence in respect of him being appointed to a short service commission, together with his warrant for appointment to the acting rank of Pilot Officer, issued at St. James’s 1 February 1938, and a telegram recalling him with immediate effect to 144 Squadron, dated 10 April 1940.

(vi) The recipient’s R.A.F. Service and Release Book, dated 31 January 1946.

(vii) A piece of the recipient’s Mosquito airscrew which penetrated the aircraft’s cockpit, wounding him, during the Jena raid.