Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Flying Officer A. P. Reed, No. 16 Squadron, Royal Air Force, killed in action, 19 May 1940

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (Lieut., R.U.R.); 1939-45 Star; War Medal 1939-45, these privately engraved, ‘F/O. A. P. Reed, 16 Squadron R.A.F.’, mounted for wear, first with edge bruise, otherwise nearly extremely fine (3)
£400-500

Andrew Patrick Reed was the son of Major-General Hamilton Lyster Reed, V.C., C.B., C.M.G., R.A., and of Marjorie Eleanor Reed. As a Gentleman Cadet of the Royal Military Academy, Reed was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Ulster Rifles in February 1933 (London Gazette 3 February 1933). As a Lieutenant in the unit he served in pre-war Palestine. He was granted the temporary commission of Flying Officer and seconded to the R.A.F. in April 1939 (London Gazette 9 May 1939). In January 1940 he was posted to No. 16 Squadron at Old Sarum, flying Lysanders. In April 1940 the squadron was posted to France, and when the fighting began it was heavily engaged in reconnaissance work in the Le Cateau and St. Quentin areas, suffering losses in the process.

On 19 May 1940, the squadron diary records, ‘3 tactical reconnaissance sorties ordered by G.H.Q. carried out. O.C. R.A.F. Station Amiens-Glissy requested assistance in ferrying 12 Lysanders from satellite aerodrome to Abbeville. 8 aircraft despatched with 8 pilots in the back seats. One flight encountered an enemy raid and was attacked by fighters. F/O Reed and P/O Dromgoole shot down and both killed. P/O/ Hughes wounded and aircraft forced to land and destroyed. Assistance given by medical staff to wounded in Amiens Station. Squadron ordered to evacuate aerodrome, moving personnel by lorry and destroying all stores and equipment that could not be moved. Air Party proceeded to Lympne [Kent].’

Flight Officer Andrew Patrick Reed’s name is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. With copied research.