In November 1938, Reddington joined the RAFVR as an Airman u/t Pilot. Called up on 1 September 1939, he completed his elementary flying and moved on to 10 Flying Training School, Ternhill, Shropshire for No 19 Course, from 11 April to 24 July 1940. Reddington completed the course, arrived at 5 Operational Training Unit, Aston Down, west of Cirencester, on 3 August, converted to Spitfires and joined No 152 Squadron at Warmwell, Dorset on 17 August. A major task for the squadron was the defence of the Portland naval base, often attacked by the Luftwaffe.
During combat over Portland on 30 September, Sergeant Reddington was shot down in Spitfire L 1072 and is believed to have crashed into the sea. He is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 18.
His second daughter was born in February 1941 and named Lesley in honour of her father.
