550 Squadron Photos
F/O M A Buchanan DFC and Crew
F/O Buchanan and crew were posted to 550 Squadron from No.1 L.F.S Hemswell w.e.f. 12/5/1944:
- F/O M A Buchanan RCAF DFC (P)
- Sgt A E Johnson (F/Eng)
- F/O H B Snelgrove RCAF (Nav)
- Sgt E CLarke (A/B)
- P/O A E Sutton (W/Op)
- Sgt L E Updike RCAF (MU/AG)
- Sgt W M Beney RCAF (R/AG)
F/O M A Buchanan undertook his first operation as 2nd pilot to P/O N S Rogers ((Aachen, LL837, 24th May 1944).
The crew completed their tour on 25-26th August 1944 with a sortie to Russelheim.
F/O Buchanan's DFC was gazetted 12th January 1945.
After the completion of their tour, most of the crew transferred out of 550 Squadron in the month of October 1944 (to various destinations).
The pictures below are courtesy of Mark Simpson.
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F/O Melvin Arthur Buchanan RCAF DFC (P) |
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Sgt. Ernest Ashley Johnson (F/Eng) |
Sgt G W Beney
Many thanks to Margaret Beney (wife of Gordon Beney) for making available the following photographs and information.
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Top picture: the Buchanan crew in front of BQ-U Lower picture: G W Beney standing by his rear gun-turret |
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Sgt. G W Beney, A/G, in uniform |
Gordon Beney passed away in 2015 at the age of 90 yrs. For his 80th birthday he was able to get a flight in the restored Lancaster based in Hamilton, Ontario; the pilot entered the flight in his log book!