Captain William Ernest Reed, was an English World War I

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

credited with nine aerial victories. He continued in military service until 1938.

Early life

William Ernest Reed was born at

Jarrow Jarrow ( or ) is a town in South Tyneside in the county of Tyne and Wear, England. It is east of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is situated on the south bank of the River Tyne, about from the east coast. It is home to the southern portal of the Ty ...

, Tyneside, on 23 March 1896.

World War I

Reed first served as a corporal in the Tyne Electrical Engineers, before being commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Durham Fortress Engineers on 25 June 1915. Both were

Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is head ...

units of the

Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry ...

, engaged in coastal defence works in the north-east. On 5 September 1916 Reed was seconded for duty in the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

, and was appointed a flying officer the same day. He was posted to No. 19 Squadron, and claimed his first aerial victory while on a bomber escort mission, on 14 April 1917. He scored again eight days later, but was wounded by ground fire in the process. On 10 May 1917 ''Flight'' magazine reported Reed as

wounded in action Wounded in Action (WIA) describes combatants who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during wartime, but have not been killed. Typically, it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing ...

. A week later, ''Flight'' noted that Reed had been

mentioned in despatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches, MiD) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face ...

. On 1 July 1917 he was promoted to lieutenant, with precedence from 1 June 1916, in the Royal Engineers, while remaining seconded to the RFC. On 1 April 1918 Reed was appointed a temporary captain "whilst so employed" to serve as a flight commander in the newly formed No. 92 Squadron. He scored seven aerial victories with them between August and October, but was wounded again on 3 November 1918. His exploits earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross, which would not be

gazetted A gazette is an official journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper. In English and French speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name ''Gazette'' since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers ...

until 8 February 1919. His citation read: :Lieutenant (Acting-Captain) William Ernest Reed. ::"A brilliant and skilful scout leader. On 29th October, although seriously handicapped by clouds, he led a successful patrol over the enemy lines. Attacking a large formation of enemy machines, his own formation accounted for five, he himself destroying one and driving down another out of control. In addition to these he has to his credit three other enemy aircraft."

List of aerial victories

Post-war career

On 25 March 1921 Reed relinquished his temporary commission in the Royal Air Force, upon his appointment into the

; he retained the courtesy rank of captain. On 11 April was commissioned as a lieutenant in the 50th (Northumbrian) Divisional Engineers (Territorial Force). Between 24 May and 8 July 1921 he served as a temporary lieutenant in the Defence Force, a unit "formed to help maintain law and order, and to render any necessary assistance in protecting those employed on carrying on the essential services of the country, without which the people of the country might starve", during the industrial unrest around the 1921 miner's strike. On 7 October 1921 he was promoted to captain in the 50th (Northumbrian) Divisional Engineers. He eventually resigned his commission on 15 October 1938.

References

;Bibliography * {{DEFAULTSORT:Reed, William 1896 births Year of death missing People from Jarrow Royal Engineers soldiers Royal Engineers officers Royal Flying Corps officers Royal Air Force personnel of World War I British World War I flying aces Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Territorial Force officers