Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War D.F.C. group of seven awarded to Squadron Leader M. G. Reid, Royal Canadian Air Force, who flew a total of 38 operational sorties as a Navigator in Halifaxes of 10 and 76 Squadrons, nearly half of which were daylight raids
Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1945’; 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal, Canadian issue in silver; Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, with overseas clasp; War Medal 1939-45, Canadian issue in silver; Canadian Forces Decoration, E.II.R., with Second Award Bar (S/L M. G. Reid) mounted for display, generally very fine
(7) £1,600-£2,000

D.F.C. London Gazette 6 November 1945.

The original recommendation states:

‘Pilot Officer Reid was posted to No. 10 Squadron in March 1945 and has completed his first tour of operations comprising 38 sorties and 194 operational hours. He has participated in attacks on heavily defended German targets, including Gelsenkirchen (twice), Sterkrade (twice), Dusseldorf, Duisburg and Magdeburg.

This Canadian officer has at all times proved himself to be a consistently superior Navigator whose outstanding skill has enabled his captain to bring back many good photographs of the target area and has played a great part in the safe return of his aircraft and crew. His enthusiasm for operations has been abounding, while his extreme coolness under adverse conditions has done much to foster a high standard of morale in his crew.

On several occasions he has led the squadron and the group in daylight attacks on German targets. These attacks were carried out with the greatest skill and determination and have been highly successful. He has greatly assisted in the training of new crews and has always set a fine example to his fellow navigators in the squadron.

I strongly recommend that Pilot Officer Reid’s outstanding skill, courage and strong devotion to duty be now recognised by the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.’

Mervyn Garfield Reid was born at Minaki, in Kenora district, Canada on 31 October 1922 and enlisted in the R.C.A.F. in April 1942.
Commissioned on qualifying as a Navigator, he was posted to 76 Squadron, a Halifax unit operating out of R.A.F. Holme-on-Spalding Moor, in July 1944. And between then and early March 1945, he flew 31 sorties against French and German targets, around half of them of a daylight nature. The former included Caen and the Channel ports at Brest and Calais, in addition to V.1 launch sites. And the latter Duisburg, Dusseldorf, Gelsenkirchen and Stuttgart.

Having then transferred to 10 Squadron, a Halifax unit operating out of R.A.F. Melbourne, Yorkshire, he completed another seven sorties, all of them of a German nature, including daylight strikes against enemy troops and communications in Bottrop, Dortmund and Essen. His final sortie – his 38th – was against Sterkrade on 24 March 1945.

Returning to Minaki after the war, Reid re-enlisted in the R.C.A.F. in January 1949 and onetime served as Liaison Officer to Strategic Air Command in Omaha, Nebraska.

He subsequently became Marina Manager and then Assistant General Manager of Minaki Lodge Resort and, with his sons, acquired Minaki Marina in 1974 and Birch Island Resort in 1978. He died in October 2010.

Sold with the recipient’s original Royal Canadian Air Force Flying Log Books (2), covering the period 28 March 1943 to 25 April 1961, the covers removed and the books privately bound in a leather volume with ‘M. G. Reid’ embossed on front covers.