During 11 months at Coningsby and later Syerston Gibson flew 20 more operations. At the end of his third tour he had completed 170 sorties and was promoted to Wing Commander. He also added a Distinguished Service Order and bar to his decorations at the age of only 24.Due to his formidable operational record, reputation for seeing through a task, leadership skills and experience flying the new Lancaster,Gibson was the perfect choice for Harris to lead the Dambusters. Gibson undertook command of 617 Squadron with no idea of the task ahead. Unusually Gibson was given the authority to pick his own new Squadron.
Gibson flew only the Dambusters raid with 617 Squadron despite them flying more precision bombing missions after.
The success of the Dambusters eclipsed Gibson’s previous outstanding record and gave him a place in history. He was awarded the Victoria Cross; the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was now the most highly decorated pilot in the RAF and a national hero. Alas his devotion to duty would see him shot down in 1944 during a bombing raid on Rheydt.
In September 1943 WIlliam Reid was posted to 61 Squadron at RAF Syerston, Newark, to commence Lancaster bombing operations, and flew seven sorties to various German cities before the raid on Düsseldorf that would see him badly wounded and indeed subsequently awarded the VC for his actions in both completing his mission and managing to pilot his badly damaged Lancaster home:
The KING has been graciously pleased to confer the VICTORIA CROSS on the undermentioned officer in recognition of most conspicuous bravery:——————
Acting Flight Lieutenant William REID (124438), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 61 Squadron.
On the night of November 3rd, 1943, Flight Lieutenant Reid was pilot and captain of a Lancaster aircraft detailed to attack Dusseldorf.Shortly after crossing the Dutch coast, the pilot’s windscreen was shattered by fire from a Messerschmitt 110. Owing to a failure in the heating circuit, the rear gunner’s hands were too cold for him to open fire immediately or to operate his microphone and so give warning of danger; but after a brief delay he managed to return the Messerschmitt’s fire and it was driven off.
During the fight with the Messerschmitt, Flight Lieutenant Reid was wounded in the head, shoulders and hands. The elevator trimming tabs of the aircraft were damaged and it became difficult to control. The rear turret, too, was badly damaged and the communications system and compasses were put out of action. Flight Lieutenant Reid ascertained that his crew were unscathed and, saying nothing about his own injuries, he continued his mission. Soon afterwards, the Lancaster was attacked by a Focke Wulf 190. This time, the enemy’s fire raked the bomber from stem to stern. The rear gunner replied with his only serviceable gun but the state of his turret made accurate aiming impossible. The navigator was killed and the wireless operator fatally injured. The mid-upper turret was hit and the oxygen system put out of action. Flight Lieutenant Reid was again wounded and the flight engineer, though hit in the forearm, supplied him with oxygen from a portable supply.Flight Lieutenant Reid refused to be turned from his objective and Dusseldorf was reached some 50 minutes later. He had memorised his course to the target and had continued in such a normal manner that the bomb-aimer, who was cut off by the failure of the communications system, knew nothing of his captain’s injuries or of the casualties to his comrades. Photographs show that, when the bombs were released, the aircraft was right over the centre of the target.
St
eering by the pole star and the moon, Flight Lieutenant Reid then set course for home. He was growing weak from loss of blood. The emergency oxygen supply had given out. With the windscreen shattered, the cold was intense. He lapsed into semiconsciousness. The flight engineer, with some help from the bomb-aimer, kept the Lancaster in the air despite heavy anti-aircraft fire over the Dutch coast.
The North Sea crossing was accomplished. An airfield was sighted. The captain revived, resumed control and made ready to land. Ground mist partially obscured the runway lights. The captain was also much bothered by blood from his head wound getting into his eyes. But he made a safe landing although one leg of the damaged undercarriage collapsed when the load came on.
Wounded in two attacks, without oxygen, suffering severely from cold, his navigator dead, his wireless operator fatally wounded, his aircraft crippled and defenceless, Flight Lieutenant Reid showed superb courage and leadership in penetrating a further 200 miles into enemy territory to attack one of the most strongly defended targets in Germany, every additional mile increasing the hazards of the long and perilous journey home. His tenacity and devotion to duty were beyond praise.
The site was put into care and maintenance after operations at RAF Syerston ceased in 1970 before eventually being sold by the Ministry of Defence. The Al-Jamia Al Islamia School opened in 1994. It was supported by private money, with a board of trustees.In 1997 Ofsted inspectors criticised hygiene, safety standards, teaching standards and the buildings were themselves starting to deteriate.The same year a roofer, Mr Jason Anker, fell from the roof and broke his back. The school was judged to be culpable. Mr Anker obtained an order banning the sale of the buildings and the land until he was paid compensation.His claim was settled January 2007 and the school shut the same year.
One of the trustees, Mr Zaheer Rahman, stated their hope was to recoup money for private investors from the UK Islamic community, who had previously given unsecured loans to the former trustees in a futile attempt to keep the school open.To do this the land was put up for sale and it was due to be auctioned but was withdrawn because the trustees could not be sure how much land had been aquired through compulsory purchase to allow the widening of the A46 at the time the guide price was £250,000.
The main school building, was originally the old officers’ mess it was approximately 2,583sq metres and had a total of 51 rooms. In 2009 a suspected arson attack badly damaged one of the wings.