William (Bill) Reid was born in Baillieston, on 21 December 1921 the son of a blacksmith. He was educated at Swinton Primary School and Coatbridge Higher Grade School (known as Coatbridge Albert) and studied metallurgy for a time, but then applied to join the RAF.

    
William (Bill) Reid, VC (1944)      Medals awarded to Flight Lieutenant William Reid, VC.
                             The Victoria Cross is the medal on the left.
(Sometime after his death in 2001, the family sold the medals for a British record price in 2009)



William (Bill) Reid, VC, a member of Baillieston Old Parish Church, being warmly welcomed back as a distinguished war hero outside the church in 1944.
(Origin of these photographs is unknown so no acknowlwdgement can be given).

[ London Gazette, 14 December 1943 ] Raid on Düsseldorf, Germany, 3 November 1943, A / Flight Lieutenant William Reid, 61 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and subsequently 617 (Dambuster) Squadron.

< Click to view details of his Victoria Cross heroism.

Baillieston.Net is an independent short history of Baillieston village.

Disclaimer

The contents of baillieston-history.co.uk are NOT necessarily
endorsed by nor do the contents represent the views of
Baillieston St. Andrew's church

By clicking on this link, you will navigate away from this church web-site as a new browser window will be opened. To return to the church's web-site, close the baillieston-history.co.uk browser window.

This web-link is provided, for those visitors to our church's web-site, who may be interested in the history of Baillieston and surrounding districts. Rather surprisingly, although there is a very extensive photographic library, including a number of historical photographs of

Baillieston Old Parish church, the Old Church Hall and Rhinsdale church,

the current Baillieston St. Andrew's Church of Scotland is conspicuous by its absence (although there are numerous modern photographs in the collection).

< Click to view an independent short history of Baillieston village