Flying Officer Ellis Reid No 1 Squadron RAF
A recent query concerned Flying Officer Ellis Reid, a pilot who served with No 1 (Fighting) Squadron during the time the squadron was based at RAF Hinaidi in Iraq between April 1921 and November 1926 (at which time No 1 Squadron was disbanded). F/O Reid was with No 1 Squadron for less than two months before he was killed in a flying accident on the 12th November 1942 and buried at the Ma'Asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery, Baghdad in Plot 3 Row H Grave 5. Here is a summary of his brief service record.
On the 29th March 1922 Ellis Reid was elected as a member of the RAE (Royal Aero Club of England). On the 9th November 1922 as a Flight Cadet on his way from Hendon (RAF Cranwell) to RAF Duxford, he was obliged to force land his Avro 504K Serial E3320 at Newmarket, but was not injured and completed his journey later that day. On the 19th November 1922 he was granted a permanent commission as a Pilot Officer. One month later, on the 19th December 1922, he was awarded the Aviator’s Certificate No: 7939 and posted to No 2 Squadron, based at Farnborough, UK. On the 26th March 1923 he was 'dangerously injured' in the crash of Bristol Fighter Serial J6593 when he stalled the aircraft on a left-hand turn during a solo training flight and spun into the ground at Farnborough aerodrome. On the 14th June, while still serving with No 2 Squadron, P/O Reid was again injured in flying accident at Croydon whilst flying an aircraft belonging to the Royal Aero Club. His passenger, Pilot Officer Frank Edward Nuttall (also of No 2 Squadron) was also slightly injured and they were both taken to the Purley Cottage Hospital for treatment. On the 8th February 1924, P/O Reid was posted to the RAF Base at Leuchars in Scotland. On the 19th May 1924 he was promoted to Flying Officer and on the 18th September 1924 posted to 1 Squadron, at that time based in RAF Hinaidi, Baghdad. On the 12th November 1924, whilst on an unauthorised flight in a converted dual-cockpit Sopwith Snipe F2499 belonging to No 1 Squadron with Lt W H E Cotter of the Royal Inniskilliing Fusiliers as passenger, he got into a spin at too low an altitude and failed to recover before crashing into the ground on the RAF Hinaidi aerodrome. F/O Reid was killed outright and Lt W H E Cotter suffered serious and life-threatening injuries. Ellis Reid was the son of Colonel Ellis Ramsay Reid (who died in 1918) Helena Kate Reid (who died in July 1924) and was only 22 at the time of his death. RIP
