550 Squadron Photos
F/Lt N A Burrows and Crew
The F/Lt Burrows crew were posted to 550 Sqdn from No. 71 Base w.e.f. 8-1-45:
- F/L N A Burrows (P)
- Sgt R C Smith (F/Eng)
- Sgt A Wilson (Nav)
- F/O R B Watling (A/B)
- Sgt R F Gorman (W/Op)
- Sgt L B Towson (MU/AG)
- Sgt A J Miles (R/AG)
The picture below is of F/Lt Burrows and crew.
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F/Lt Burrows and crew
L-to-R: F/Lt Burrows (P), Sgt Wilson, F/O Watling, Sgt Smith, Sgt Germain, Sgt Towson, Sgt Mills A number of different A/B s are recorded flying as part of this crew; in the photo above F/O Watling is the A/B and was not on the flight ME548 (below) that was lost over Hanau. |
Lancaster ME548 was flown by the F/Lt Burrows crew when it was lost on the 18 March 1945 on a raid on Hanau. Two of the crew (F/Lt Burrows and Sgt Towson) were killed and are buried in the Rheinberg War cemetery, while the remainder baled out and were gathered up by units of the US Army.
On this ocassion F/Lt Burrows was flying with the following crew (specifically a replacement A/B was flying):
- F/L N A Burrows (P) [KIA]
- Sgt R C Smith (F/Eng) [Surv]
- Sgt A Wilson (Nav) [Surv]
- F/O W K Campbell RAAF (A/B) [Surv]
- Sgt R F Gorman (W/Op) [Surv]
- Sgt L B Towson (MU/AG) [KIA]
- Sgt A J Miles (R/AG) [Surv]
Other information about the flight and the target available here.
The entry on the 550 Squadron Roll of Honour is available here.
Station Narrative No. 14
This narrative, included in the Station Operational Record Book, is the report an operation to Hannau in March 1995 by the Burrows crew.
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Burrows crew, ME548, Hannau, 18/19 Mar 1945
Interrogation of Sgt Wilson, F/O Cambell, Sgt Smith and Sgt Germain evaded and returned to Allied lines F/Lt Burrows (P) and Sgt Towson (MU/AG) were killed the remaining crew members survived |
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(pg. 2 of 3) |
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(pg. 3 of 3) |
Supplement to Narrative No. 14
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Burrows crew, Hannau, 18/19 Mar 1945
Interrogation of Sgt Miles (R/AG) of F/Lt Burrows crew. Baled out, broken ankle |