550 Squadron Photos

F/Lt Williams DFC RAAF and Crew

F/O Williams and crew were posted to 550 Squadron from 11 Base w.e.f. 2.10.44:

Pictured below the F/O Williams crew:

F/O L O Williams and crew
One copy of the photo is annotated on rear "10/44"
A second copy is annotated "Crew completed 14/1/45. Pilot 16 more to do"
L-to-R: F/O Williams, F/Sgt James, F/Sgt Reed, Sgt Aspinall, F/Sgt Binder, F/Sgt Johnson, F/Sgt Marks
The name board at the bottom looks as if dated 11.11.44. The crew look like they may be wearing poppies.

The Williams crew completed their tour on 14/1/1945, with the exception that F/O (later F/Lt) Williams had not completed a full operational tour at that point.

In fact the above crew, with the exception of F/O Williams had been transferred into 550 Squadron on an earlier date (in June 1944), with a different pilot, F/O H A T Clark. However, this crew, while flying on 18/19 July 1944 with F/O Clark were ordered to bale out by the pilot when the aircraft got into difficulties. The pilot, F/O Clark, tried to land the aircraft but unfortunately it crashed at Seething and he was killed in the attempt. The remainder of the crew, having survived, transferred away from North Killingholme only to return later (in October 1944) with F/O Williams as pilot. See also the F/O Clark crew page.