Albert Reeks AFC RAFVR - 103 Squadron - RAF Newton - Sept 1940 to May 1941 – Wireless Operator/Air Gunner.
Albert Reeks ( pictured above ) was born in Darlington on 4th October 1921, the youngest of 5 children. He developed an early interest in the “wireless” from his brother (older by 14 years) who worked on development of the abortive Jenkins mechanical TV system. Bert was apprenticed as a carpenter at 14, working for the LNER, until he found the opportunity to pursue his interest in radio by enlisting in 1939.
He qualified as a W/Op in May 1940: a month later as an air gunner.
He flew with 103 Sqdn (Battles & Wellingtons) from RAF Newton and was then posted to the to the OADF ( Overseas Aircraft Delivery Flight ) at Kemble in mid May 1941
His first “delivery” was a Bristol Bombay to Cairo. On arrival he was told his return ticket was invalid! (Didn't they tell before you left? How remiss!)
He spent the rest of the War with 216 Squadron (Bombays, Hudsons, Dakotas) supplying troops in the Middle East, Burma etc.
Bert met his future wife in the typing pool at Cairo West.
They married in 1946 before returning together to the UK and had 3 children. With a civil licence he flew with BEA (Dakotas, Viscounts) based at “London Airport” as it was known, until electronics rendered W/Ops redundant in the mid sixties. He then worked for a short time with British Eagle. Bert died of cancer in 1966. Phil Reeks
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Operational Tour with 103 Squadron.
Fairey Battle ops :-
16/17-9-40 - P/O Thorougood - N2157 - Boulogne - Shipping and barges.
21/22-9-40 - P/O Thorougood - N2157 - Calais - Shipping and barges - Searchlights and heavy flak. Fired 250 rounds.
103 Squadron converted to Wellingtons 10th Oct 40.
Most of these were flown as front turret gunner and 2nd wireless operator.
In all cases searchlight and flak activity is noted sometimes very heavy
First op 22/12/40 - S/L C Tait - T2617 - Ostend - Shipping and barges.
28/12/40 - S/L C Tait - T2617 - Rotterdam - Oil Refinery - Searchlights and heavy and light flak. AG nose turret and 2nd Wop. Fired 400 rounds at search lights and ground defences
3/1/41 - S/L C Tait - T2617 – Bremen.
9/1/41 - S/L Blome-Jones - R1041 - Gelsenkerken - SL light and heavy flak.
15/16-1-41 - Sgt Muggeridge - R1041 - Bremerhaven oil plant. Landed at Wytton with burst oil tank.
28/2 - 1/3 - 41 - W/C Littler - R1393 – Wilhelmshaven.
12/13-3-41 - Sgt Muggeridge - R1396 – Hamburg.
21/22-3-41 - Sgt Muggeridge - R1393 – Lorient.
9/10-4-41 - Sgt Muggeridge - R1393 – Kiel.
13/4/41 - Sgt Muggeridge - R1393 - Brest - German capital ships.
15/16-4-41 - Sgt Muggeridge - R1393 - Kiel - Rear Turret Gunner.
17/18-4-41 - Sgt Muggeridge - N2770 - Berlin - ER - Engine trouble.
24/25-4-41 - Sgt Muggeridge - R1393 - Kiel - Intense Searchlight activity and heavy flak. Aircraft held in searchlights for 5 minutes. Front turret disabled by shell splinter.
30/4-1/5-4-41 - Sgt Muggeridge - R1393 - Kiel.
3/4-5-41 - Sgt Muggeridge - R1393 – Cologne.
5/6-5-41 - Sgt Muggeridge - R1393 – Mannheim.
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Posted to OADF at Kemble in May 1941
This was followed by several routine flights followed, on the 13th June 1941, by a long ferry flight in Bristol Bombay L5833 to Heliopolis Egypt via Gibraltar, and Malta. This was completed on the 17th June 1941. Albert Reeks was transferred to 216 Squadron based at Heliopolis on arrival.
For the remainder of WW2 Bert was involved in transport duties all over North Africa, Mediterranean and the Middle and Far East. 216 ranged far and wide during this period and were an extremely hard working Squadron.
There are far too many flights in his log book to list individually however.
From May 41 to July 1942 he was flying Bristol Bombays and Vickers Valentias. Total hours on Bombays - 467:30 Day and 23:30 Night. Total hours on Valentias - 24:45 Day.
From August 1942 he flew Lockheed Hudson VIs - 403:05 Day and - 4:05 Night.
From March 1943 he was flying Douglas Dakota C.47s - 1212:05 Day and 141:50 Night.
Bert was released from the RAF on the 1st September 1950 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant and the award of the AFC. This was no doubt in recognition of his long and outstanding service throughout his RAF career.
Thanks to Phil Reeks for this fascinating insight into his father's wartime career and copies of the log books and photo.
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