In Memory Flight Officer Reggie Wade
Top Row: Alex MacMillan, Unknown, Dixon or Dickson (Visiting Ferry Command aircrew)
Middle Row: ‘Soapy’ Hudson, Reggie Wade, Ronnie Simmons, Phillip Morris, Bob Nash
Sitting on the floor: Peter Buckland
Picture courtesy of Ron Simmons
This brings the sad news that we have lost another of our 223 Squadron veterans.
F/O Reggie Wade was Navigator in the crew of Squadron Leader Carrington, 'B' Flight Commander. Sadly he passed away on Christmas Eve.
Rod Vowler and I first had contact with Reggie in the 1990s and I had kept in touch with him through the years. His co-pilot Tom Wallis also remembers him with respect, and I have been in touch with Ronnie Simmons who has kindly penned some memories of Reggie which are reproduced below. This is most appropriate as they were great wartime pals. I have also attached a photograph taken at 111 (C) OTU, Nassau in 1944 (above). It shows a number of the personalities, including Reggie, that Ronnie mentions and was taken on the occasion of the latter's 21st birthday celebrations.
With the exception of Dixon/Dickson all were destined for 223 Squadron. All except Bob Nash were Navigators. Bob Nash was the Co-Pilot for Squadron Leader R E C McKnight, OC 'A' Flight. Alex MacMillan was in F/L Stan Woodward's crew. ‘Soapy’ Hudson flew with F/L ‘Jock’ Hastie, Ronnie with F/L Mark Levy, Phillip Morris with F/O F T Sellars. Peter Buckland flew 5 ops with F/O Tim Noseworthy as 2nd Navigator and was then posted across to 214 Squadron, where sadly he lost his life with the crew of P/O Robertson RNZAF in Fortress HB796 on 8 February 1945.
‘At the outbreak of WW2, Reggie was in a reserved occupation, namely the Police Force. Release from such an occupation was allowed by volunteering for Special Services in the Armed Services, such as RAF aircrew, which he elected to do. He was categorised for pilot training ending up in a lease-lend flying station in the USA such as many of us did. Unfortunately, a number of us did not fit the final expectation required for pilots, and were sent to Canada to be aircrew reassignment. I first met Reggie, and many others, in similar circumstances at Trenton, the main air base in Ontario, where we were to be re-categorised. The others included such people as ‘Soapy’ Hudson, Alex MacMillan and Peter Buckland etc. In a group discussion we all elected to apply for Navigation/Bomb Aimer status for which, after a test, we were all accepted for.
Our first Course together was at 31 Bombing and Gunnery School, Picton, Ontario, where Reggie was elected to be our Course Leader. At this point he was affectionately named ‘The Old Sod’ because he was a few years older than the rest of us. We all passed then to Navigation School, 9 Air Observers School, at St Johns, Quebec. Whilst there, we spent our short Leaves together in the City of Albany, New York, USA where we were adopted by a wonderful American family.
We all graduated together as Navigators/Bomb Aimers and, after a short Course in reconnaissance at Summerside, Prince Edward Island, we transferred to 111 (C) OTU at Nassau in the Bahamas. We crewed up in Nassau training initially on B-25 Mitchells, followed by B-24 Liberators and expected to be joining Coastal Command. On returning to the UK, after just a few days we were telegraphed to report immediately to 223 Squadron in 100 Group, Bomber Command. Reggie became the Navigator for Squadron Leader ‘Lofty’ Carrington, 'B' Flight Commander and successfully completed a tour of operations. He was always a father figure to us younger fellows, was always affable and could take many of the jokes that were played on him. We all parted company at the end of our respective tours and I later discovered that Reggie completed his RAF career as Officer I/C Passenger and Freight, RAF Shaibah, Iraq Transport Command.
Some 60 years later I was contacted by Richard Forder, unknown to me at the time but now a very good friend, who had traced me to my Canadian home. Richard was able to give me Reggie's telephone number in Glastonbury. I rang the number and on hearing a male voice I said ‘Are you the old sod?’ He immediately replied ‘Is that Ronnie Simmons?’ As a result of these contacts I attended the 100 Group Reunion for the first time in May 2005 with my wife and two daughters. Whilst in the UK we visited Reggie who had arranged a real reunion with cake and champagne and the pleasure and joy of meeting his daughter Debbie.
I will never forget the wonderful moments of times together and say a farewell, dear friend,Reggie.’
Ronnie Simmons
Sent in by Richard Forder
Reginald Wade of Glastonbury who was also a Sergeant at Glastonbury, retired in 1972 and passed away at West Mendip Hospital on Christmas Eve, 2012, aged 94 years young.
This article is from the Spring 2013 issue of Confound and Destroy
