550 Squadron Photos

F/O G P Fauman and Crew

The F/O Fauman crew:

F/O Fauman was a USAF airman and the only one who flew with 550 Squadron.

Fauman Crew
Back row: L-to-R: -, Sgt Bill Drake, F/Sgt Stebner, F/O Fauman, -
Front row: L-to-R: -, Sgt Cooksey (?, based on comparison with the following photo)
The photo looks as though it was taken in front of PD208/BQ-V. That possibly puts the photo as having been taken on or around 2 July 1944 (by the dates in Bill Drake’s log book)
Picture courtesy of David Drake (nephew of Bill Drake (R/AG))

Sgt Peter Edwin Cooksey (W/Op)
Picture courtesy of Mark Simpson

Sgt A E Stebner (Nav)
Picture courtesy of Ian Stebner (son of A E Stebner)

F/Sgt A E Stebner: Navigator's Log Book

Document	Comment
	F/Sgt A E Stebner(Nav) Log Book Source: Ian Stebner (son of A E Stebner)

Sgt P E Cooksey

	P E Cooksey (warrant and medals) Picture courtesy of Ben Cooksey (grandson of P E Cooksey)
	550 Squadron group photo Picture courtesy of Ben Cooksey (grandson of P E Cooksey)

Sgt W A Drake: Rear-Gunner's Log Book

Document	Comment
	Sgt W A Drake RAF (R/AG) Log Book Source: David Drake (nephew of Bill Drake (R/AG))

Thanks due again to David Drake for the following information.

Sgt Drake reached 550 Squadron by the following route:

1 Air Gunnery School, RAF Pembrey 29 Aug 43 – 8 Oct 43
83 Operational Training Unit, RAF Peplow 25 Nov 43 - 5 Feb 44 (where he first flew with the then Sgt (later Tech Sgt) G P Fauman on 23 Nov 43)
1656 Heavy Conversion Unit, RAF Lindholme Mar-Apr 44 (where he also flew with the by now F/O G P Fauman)
1 Lancaster Finishing School, RAF Hemswell Apr-May 44 (where he also flew with F/O G P Fauman).

Sgt Drake flew his 550 Ops in the following Lancasters:

Id	Serial	Name	No. Ops
BQ-A	LM319		3
BQ-B	EE139	Phantom of the Ruhr	1
BQ-C	EE193		1
BQ-D	LL748		3
BQ-E	PA991		2
BQ-G	ED562		1
BQ-J	LL811		4
BQ-K	LL810		1
BQ-K	PD995	later recoded 'V' and named 'The Vulture Strikes'	8
BQ-M	NG331		2
BQ-R	ME503		1
BQ-V	PD208		20

Note that some 15 sorties were flown in PD208 by Fauman's crew in July 1944 - presumably making them the principle crew that month. Six more sorties were flown in August, the last on the 8th (the aircraft being lost on the 14th). His final sortie was on 28 August 1944 against a V1 site at Wemars Capelle, leaving the squadron on 18 October. Sgt Drake saw out pretty much the rest of his wartime service on air-sea rescue launches. He passed away in 1967.