Here is another angle (from Wikipedia):
"Reid and Sigrist was an English engineering company based at New Malden in Surrey. It later acquired sites at Desford and Braunstone in Leicestershire. Initially it developed and manufactured aircraft instrumentation and pilot selection aids but later diversified into flying training and aircraft design. During World War II the company was part of the Civilian Repair Organisation repairing, rebuilding and converting warplanes at the Desford site. Post-war it continued to manufacture aviation instruments and guidance systems but also diversified further to produce cameras and optical instruments. In 1954 the company was purchased and taken-over by the Decca Record Company".
"From January 1940 Desford also housed units of the Civilian Repair Organisation (Reid & Sigrist - my note), engaged in aircraft repairs and modifications, originally the Boulton Paul Defiant, and later the B-25 Mitchell. Vickers-Armstrongs also had a factory at Desford to manufacture undercarriages for Supermarine Spitfires, and also carried out the assembly of aircraft there, with about 1,000 Spitfires rolling out of the Desford factory."
Additionally...
"During World War II Reid and Sigrist was one of the companies incorporated into the Civilian Repair Organisation set up by the British Air Ministry to co-ordinate the repair of damaged RAF aircraft. This work was carried out at the Desford site. The initial contract covered the repair of Boulton Paul Defiant two-seat turret fighter, with the first airframe being delivered to Desford in January 1940. This was later followed by an additional contract to convert the obsolete Defiants into the TT target towing version of the aircraft.
Reid and Sigrist also undertook repairs of RAF Bell P-39 Airacobra fighters and also signed contracts to repair and convert North American B-25 Mitchell bombers. Work on Defiant airframes finished in June 1945 and the last Mitchells left Desford in November the same year. "
Apparently Reid & Sigrist was part of the Civilian Repair Organisation. I've just got the feeling that my Grandad Raymond Nelson was involved in this. R&S also had an operation at Braunstone aerodrome, so this wasn't simply a "satelite emergency landing field for Desford" as I first throught. The RAF trained pilots here too as well as at the main Desford base.
At Desford R&S worked on : Airacobra, Defiant; parts of Harvard, Mitchell bombers.
I found this R&S related link as well... which might be of interest...
https://www.revolvy.com/page/Reid-and-SigristThe fact that my Grandad was not in the military (or the RAF, unlike his younger brother) and was in the LEI 8 Home Guard battalion rather points to the fact that his occupation must have been a reserved one. From his marriage certificate at Enderby he is listed as an electrical engineer. Postwar I was told that he worked for Armstrong Whitworth, which with R&S and Whittle, had a relationship with them.
Postwar he lived in the Glenhills Prefabs, which were built for Whittle factory workers. Perhaps another connection?
From 1953-63 my Grandad was a Radio Ham and into the 60's he worked as an Aircraft Radio Fitter Foreman for Auster-Beagle at Rearsby. The Auster Heritage group confirmed that another employee remembered his name and on my Grandad's death certificate in 1967 - his job is listed there.
So lots of snippets, but no proper connections and nothing particularly concrete to back most of this up.
I wonder if there is anymore info about the "Civilian Repair Organisation" in Leicestershire?
TIA
Regards,
John.