Lancaster Crew
Log books
Below are pages from a number of 550 Squadron air-crew log books. These show various pre-operational, training and live operations during 1944-1945.
Where a small (lower resolution) and a large (higher resolution) picture is available, then either or both can be accessed to see the details. The smaller will be a faster download the larger will take longer, but the clarity is excellent in either version.
See also these examples of navigator charts and logs for the Politz Raid.
S/Ldr K MacAleavey (Nav), Flight Commander "A" Flight
S/Ldr Kevin MacAleavey was the Squadron Senior Navigation Officer and then Flight Commander "A" Flight, and was also a member of the F/O Beeson crew after the regular navigator fell ill; he flew a missions with this crew until he "caught a packet" and ended the war as a PoW.
The log book entries available cover both operations from both before he joined 550 Sqdn (with 144 Sqdn and training) and then his flights with various crews in 550 Sqdn.
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
F/O J W E Parker (F/Eng)
Pages from flight log book of F/O Parker (F/Eng) with the F/Lt Walters crew while with 550 Squadron (May 1945).
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
Sgt S Wright (F/Eng)
Pages from flight log book of Sgt Stanley Wright (F/Eng) with the F/O Hutcheson crew.
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
W/O D Porter (A/B)
Pages from flight log book of W/O Denis Porter (A/B) with the P/O R Vaughan crew while with 550 Squadron (1944-45).
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
F/Sgt J R Morley (F/Eng)
Pages from the log book of F/Sgt Morley flight engineer with the P/O A G Elliott crew.
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
S/Ldr F Hume (P)
Pages from flight log book of S/Ldr (later Wing Cmdr) Frank Hume while with 550 Squadron (1945).
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
F/O C G Hetherington RCAF (W/Op)
Pages from flight log book of F/O Hetherington RCAF (W/Op) with the F/Lt A W Browne crew.
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
F/Lt E G Fleming RNZAF (P)
F/Lt Edward Greer Fleming RNZAF, spent about three and a half years in England as a flying instructor with the RAF from around August 1942. He travelled to a number of bases and in September 1944 he went to #28 OTU in Wymeswold. In February 1945 he went to #1656 HCU at Lindholme in Yorkshire flying Lancaster MK I's (he had completed 1180 hours flying by then).
The log book entries available cover both live and training operations.
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
F/Lt J Cassidy RAAF (Nav)
F/Lt James Cassidy DFC* (RAAF) flew a full tour with 550 Squadron (following a first tour with 626 Squadron flying out of RAF Wickenby) as the navigator with the S/Ldr Caldow crew.
The two documents below list the operations he took part in from the time he joined up (6th December 1941) until he was de-mobbed (27th February 1946).
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
Pages from F/Lt Cassidy's log book.
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
P/O S Walmsley (MU/AG)
Pages from log book of P/O Walmsley mid-upper air-gunner with the F/O Roberts crew.
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
F/O P M Fletcher (A/B)
Pages from the log book of F/O Fletcher air-bomber with the F/O F J Cox crew.
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
Sgt W W Hopper (A/G)
Pages from the log book of Sgt Hopper mid-upper air-gunner with the F/O E V Sage crew.
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
Sgt R Craigs (A/G)
Pages from the log book of Sgt Craigs rear air-gunner with the P/O A G Elliott crew.
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
F/O E G Caswell (A/B)
Pages from the log book of F/O Caswell air-bomber with the F/Lt N L Rose crew.
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
Sgt M H A Campbell (R/AG)
Pages from the log book of Sgt M H A Campbell rear-gunner with the F/Sgt H C White crew.
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
F/Sgt E Ashley (W/Op)
Pages from the log book of F/Sgt E Ashley a wireless operator who flew with a number of crews including the F/Sgt C L Cochrane crew (and others).
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
RAF Bomber Command Operations
Described below are a number of operations carried out by RAF Bomber Command, accompanied by diary excerpts recorded at the time.
Operation Manna - May 1945
Operation Manna was an Allied operation to drop supplies to the starving Dutch people as the Germans withdrew in front of the Allied advance.
See Operations Manna and Chowhound
and Operations Manna for general information about the operations.
The following excerpt is taken from F/L Fleming's diary describing his Operation Manna flight on 4th May 1945.
Operation Exodus - May 1945
Carried out in May 1945 Operation Exodus involved flying recently released Allied PoWs back to the United Kingdom.
The following excerpt is taken from F/L Fleming's diary describing his Operation Exodus flight on 7th May 1945.
Operation Dodge - August 1945
British troops were repatriated back to the United Kingdom from Italy by Operation Dodge. See also: Operation Dodge for photographs.
The following excerpt is taken from F/L Fleming's diary describing his Operation Dodge flights in August 1945.
Operation Spasm - October 1945
Operation Spasm was run by Bomber Command out of RAF Mildenhall in late 1945, as a sightseeing tour over Berlin; so one of the so-called "Cooks Tours". There doesn’t seem to be much recorded information on the operation. These were not tours for the general public - they were run to allow ground personnel and others to see the damage that had been inflicted on Germany first hand.
From the log books of individuals it appears that there was 550 Sqdn involvement with this particular operation with flights from Base to Tibenham and then to Berlin-Gatow and back, and involving an overnight stay in Berlin.
The following excerpt is taken from P/O Walmsley's log book recording his Operation Spasm flights, with F/Lt "Jock" Shaw as pilot.
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
Sgt C Watson (R/AG)
Pages from the log book of Sgt Cecil Watson a gunner who flew with the S/Ldr Redmond crew.
| Log Book Photo | Description |
|---|---|
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
F/O R D Harris Crew
Pages from the log books of the F/O R D Harris crew.
There follow below pages from log books of members of the Harris crew. Many thanks to the following for making these items and associated information available for use on the web-site:
- Betty Hannem, daughter of F/O Harris
- Yemen Family for the photos in the David Johnston Yemen section
- Linda Rosenbaum, daughter of Gordon James Nicol, for the photos in the Nicol section
- Ditson family for the photos in the Melvin Toman "Tom" Ditson section
- finally Allyson Newburg (great niece of Douglas James Hicks (Air-Gunner)) for research and coordinating all the information obtained from the above.
F/Sgt D J Yemen RCAF
Yemen log (page 1) |
Yemen log (page 2) |
F/O G J Nicol RCAF
Nicol log (page 1) |
Nicol log (page 2) |
Sgt M T Ditson RCAF
Ditson log (page 1) |
Ditson log (page 2) |
Ditson log (page 3) |
S/Leader A P Gainsford (P)
17/04/2020
There follow below some pages from S/Ldr Gainsford's log book. Many thanks to Tony Gainsford (son) for making these items and associated information available for use on the web-site.
See the S/Ldr AP Gainsford crew.
Log book (page 1) |
Log book (page 2) |
Log book (page 23) |
Log book (page 4) |
F/O L S Johnston (P)
21/07/2020
There follow below some pages from F/O Johnston's log book. Many thanks to Jackie Armstong (daughter of Archie Armstrong, Navigator) for making these available for use on the web-site.
See the F/O L S Johnston crew.
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Log book (PDF format)
To find out more click on the image or click here. |
Sgt J F Chapman (W/Op)
05/09/2021
Pages from the log book of Sgt John Frederick Chapman wireless operator with the F/O K F Sidwell crew.
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
P/O C G H Kenyon Crew
Pages from the log books of the P/O C G H Kenyon crew.
There follow below pages from log books of members of the Kenyon crew. Many thanks to the following for making these items and associated information available for use on the web-site:
- Kim Sharp (son of Peter Cahill Sharp) for photo and log book pages in Sharp sub-section
- Bob Collicutt (son of Lawrence Collicutt) for photo and log book pages in Collicutt sub-section
F/O P C Sharp (Navigator)
Pages from the log book of F/O P C Sharp (Navigator) with the P/O Kenyon crew.
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
Sgt L M Collicutt RCAF (Rear Gunner)
Pages from the log book of Sgt L M Collicutt RCAF rear gunner with the P/O Kenyon crew.
Log book (page 1) |
Log book (page 12) |
To find out more, and see more log book pages, click here. |
Sgt E W Parker (MU/AG)
Pages from the log book of Sgt E W Parker mid-upper air-gunner with the W/O W H S Ansell crew.
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
Sgt R O Smith (W/Op)
Pages from the log book of Sgt R O Smith wireless operator with the F/Sgt D T Williams crew, covering the period March - October 1945.
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To find out more click on the image or click here. |
F/Sgt E Mozley (W/Op)
Pages from the log book of F/Sgt E Mozley wireless operator with the F/O G E Blackler crew.
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Log book (PDF format)
To find out more click on the image or click here. |
T/Sgt D S Price
The service record for T/Sgt D S Price (Fitter II Airframe, 26/11/1943 - 18/05/1944).
Service record (page 1) |
Service record (page 2) |
W/O G Aylmore (W/Op)
The log book of W/O G Aylmore Wireless Operator with the W/O J Groves crew.
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
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Log book: full log of 550 Sqdn and 150 Sqdn ops (10 pages, PDF format) |
Sgt C P Blackham (F/Eng)
21/07/2023
Pages from the log book of Sgt C P Blackham Flight Engineer with the F/Sgt D P Lambert crew.
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
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Log book, includes the Wachenfeld (Berghof, Eagle's Nest, Berchtesgaden) op on 25th April 1945. |
P/O J S Percival (P)
17/06/2024
Pages from the log book of P/O J S Percival pilot with the P/O Percival crew.
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
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Log book, including MANNA, Dodge and port-mortem flights in April, May and June 1945. |
F/Lt F J Mitchell (P)
17/10/2024
Pages from the log book of F/Lt F J Mitchell, pilot with the F/Lt F J Mitchell crew, on his 2nd tour with 550 Sqdn. Pages from his log book with 550 Sqdn, and also while with 103 Sqdn, are availble.
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
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Log book, including his time with 550 Sqdn. |