    william reid vc (21 december 1921 &ndash; 28 november 2001) was a scottish recipient of 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 earned his victoria cross as a pilot in the royal air force bomber command during the second world war. born in baillieston, lanarkshire, he applied to join the raf on the outbreak of war. after initial training, he was selected as a bomber pilot, and soon became a flying instructor himself. he was eventually given an operational posting, flying a number of raids before that on dÃ¼sseldorf which led to the award of the vc. on a later raid he was shot down and spent some time as a german prisoner of war. he left the raf after the war, and worked in the agricultural industry. on 19 november 2009 his vc was sold at auction for Â£384,000, a record for a vc awarded to someone from the united kingdom. ==early life== william reid was born in baillieston, near glasgow, on 21 december 1921 the son of a blacksmith. he was educated at swinton primary school and coatbridge higher grade school and studied metallurgy for a time, but then applied to join the raf. after training in canada, he received his wings and was a sergeant when he was commissioned as a pilot officer on probation in the royal air force volunteer reserve on 19 june 1942. he then trained on twin-engined airspeed oxfords at little rissington before moving to the operational training unit at raf north luffenham. there, his skill as a pilot led to his being selected as an instructor, flying the vickers wellington, albeit with the promise of a posting to an avro lancaster heavy bomber unit. he was promoted to flying officer on 19 december 1942.{{london gazette|issue=35864|supp=yes|startpage=334|endpage=335|date=12 january 1943|accessdate
1921_births 2001_deaths Alumni_of_the_University_of_Glasgow British_World_War_II_pilots British_World_War_II_recipients_of_the_Victoria_Cross People_from_Glasgow Royal_Air_Force_Volunteer_Reserve_personnel_of_World_War_II Royal_Air_Force_officers Royal_Air_Force_personnel_of_World_War_II Royal_Air_Force_recipients_of_the_Victoria_Cross Scottish_airmen World_War_II_prisoners_of_war_held_by_Germany