550 Squadron and RAF North Killingholme Association

Squadron Operations: Summary Information

Overview

There follows below a list of the all of the operations flown by 550 Squadron and the aircraft involved on each. The information used to build this page was taken in the first instance from the lists provided on the original Squadron Association web-site, but has been augmented by new information gathered since that time (squadron operations logs, individual aircrew log books, and other sources).

This information is not yet complete: it has been build from the a number of sources (documentary and people) and compilation of complete lists is an ongoing task that is expected to take quite some time to complete. So please don't shout just yet if you spot an omission - work continues to build a more complete, and accurate, list.
Do however shout if you spot an error! Please email any corrections or information to the contact details in the link at the bottom of the page.

Operation Summary: The column headers should be fairly self-explanatory. The term "aborted" as used here covers a number of possibilities:

the operation was cancelled before crews were briefed
the crews have been briefed as to the target, and in some cases the planes may even have been bombed up and the crews on-board at their stations awaiting take-off, before the op has been stood-down
finally a number of cases where the op was already under way and the planes en-route but for whatever reason the operation was aborted (e.g. the master bomber orders the attack cancelled due to weather conditions at target adversely affecting targeting).

Aircraft Deployed: When a link to a particular aircraft is given, this indicates aircraft known to have taken part in this raid (in the records currently available to the web-site author). A record of whether the aircraft returned or failed to return (FTR) is also logged.

Servicemen Deployed: Names of the crew in the operation.

Station Summary: This section is the information from the RAF North Killingholme Station Record Book for the operational date (if available).

Definitions of the abbreviations used are available: here.

Manageable Lists

The amount of data in the database is growing and this is resulting in the "all operations/targets" list getting rapidly bigger and thus slower to generate. There are options to display shorter, more quickly generated, reports if you want to home in on something specific. For example, there are options to generate reports on operations to a single target, or by single aircraft (to all targets) or by single aircraft to a single target. There is, on the database-reports summary page, a short user guide (PDF format) on how to do this.

Operation/Target: Berlin (29 Dec 1943 - 30 Dec 1943)

Operation Summary
Target	Out	Back	Aborted (Y / N)	Comments
Berlin	29 Dec 1943	30 Dec 1943	N	Fourteen aircraft with crews were offered and briefed to attack targets in BERLIN. Five aircraft returned early but the remained successfully attached their targets and returned safely to BASE. Orders were received that the Sqdn should remove to RAF Station, NORTH KILLINGHOLME, LINCOLNSHIRE by 3rd January 1944.

Aircraft Deployed			Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number	Returned or FTR	Comments	Crew Details
DV176	Returned	Abandoned at 17.45hrs at 18,000 ft. Oxygen supply reduced to one third and one half after take-off. Suspected leak in altitude regulator. [Ed: ORB states DU176. Unclear which aircraft this is or could be. There is no DV176?. Other? Multiple battle order pages do list DV176)]	F/L A B Craig (P) Sgt L C Woodcock (F/Eng) F/Sgt E M England (Nav) W/O G C Notman (A/B) Sgt R S Pilson (MU/AG) F/Sgt S H Brasher (R/AG) Sgt B G Davies (W/Op)

Operation/Target: Berlin (01 Jan 1944 - 01 Jan 1944)

Operation Summary
Target	Out	Back	Aborted (Y / N)	Comments
Berlin	01 Jan 1944	01 Jan 1944	N	Twelve aircraft with crew were offered for operations and briefed to attack targets in BERLIN. Two aircraft returned early, one aircraft failed to return to BASE (no news since take-off) and one aircraft on returning, crashed and was burnt out at Whapole Drive, Lincs all the crew being killed. RAF Station SUTTON BRIDGE signalled details of the crash. The remaining aircraft bombed the targets and returned safely, landing base - GRIMSBY.

Station Summary
This date had been tentatively arranged for arrival of 550 Squadron. The Squadron however, operated from WALTHAM on 1/2 Jan and no squadron personnel arrived ay North Killingholme.

Aircraft Deployed			Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number	Returned or FTR	Comments	Crew Details
DV176	Returned	Primary 19,000 ft. Bombed at 03.13 hours glow of fires on cloud as markers has disappeared after run in.	F/L A B Craig (P) Sgt L C Woodcock (F/Eng) F/Sgt E M England (Nav) W/O G C Notman (A/B) F/O L W Denton (W/Op) Sgt R S Pilson (MU/AG) F/Sgt S H Brasher (R/AG)

Operation/Target: Berlin (02 Jan 1944 - 03 Jan 1944)

Operation Summary
Target	Out	Back	Aborted (Y / N)	Comments
Berlin	02 Jan 1944	03 Jan 1944	N	Eleven aircraft were offered for operations, three subsequently being withdrawn owing to unserviceability. The remainder briefed to attack targets in BERLIN. Three aircraft returned early, but the remainder successfully bombed the targets and on returing to this country, owing to bad weather conditions were landed at various bases.

Station Summary
550 Squadron again operated from WALTHAM. 9550 Servicing Echelon, C.O. F/L G COOPER having, been formed on 25/11/43, arrived today, complete with Electrical Section. F/O H G GARDINER, Station Armament Officer, has been on duty for the last few days arranging for equipment to be transferred from WALTHAM. Bomb trolleys arrived today. S/Ldr E R BARKER Station Intelligence Officer arrived today from Wickenby.

Station Summary

550 Squadron again operated from WALTHAM.
9550 Servicing Echelon, C.O. F/L G COOPER having, been formed on 25/11/43, arrived today, complete with Electrical Section.
F/O H G GARDINER, Station Armament Officer, has been on duty for the last few days arranging for equipment to be transferred from WALTHAM. Bomb trolleys arrived today.
S/Ldr E R BARKER Station Intelligence Officer arrived today from Wickenby.

Aircraft Deployed			Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number	Returned or FTR	Comments	Crew Details
DV176	Returned	Primary 19,000 feet at 03.06 hrs. Late take off caused lateness of target. Enemy aircraft opened fire at 600yards. Our aircraft made a diving turn and lost enemy aircraft.	F/L A B Craig (P) Sgt L C Woodcock (F/Eng) F/Sgt E M England (Nav) W/O G C Notman (A/B) F/O L W Denton (W/Op) Sgt R S Pilson (MU/AG) F/Sgt S H Brasher (R/AG)

Operation/Target: Brunswick (14 Jan 1944 - 15 Jan 1944)

Operation Summary
Target	Out	Back	Aborted (Y / N)	Comments
Brunswick	14 Jan 1944	15 Jan 1944	Y	Twelve aircraft with crews were offered for operations and were briefed to attack targets in BRUNSWICK. One aircraft did not take off owing to unserviceability, two aircraft returned early (abortives) and one aircraft did not return (no news since take-off) and is, with the crew posted as "missing". Eight aircraft successfully bombed the targets and returned safely to base.

Station Summary
11 aircraft of 550 Squadron were detailed to take part in a heavy attack on BRUNSWICK, Preparations for this first operation went, on the whole, smoothly, although the early take-off called for maximum speed and an all-out effort from still under-established ground-staffs. Bombing-up was duly completed and 11 aircraft took off in 37 minutes. 2 sorties were abortive; 1 aircraft was missing and 1 landed at WOODBRIDGE due to engine failure. The remaining 7 aircraft, which claim to have attacked the primary target, were landed at base all within 18 mins by portable lighting, the Drem lighting system being unfinished. A timely demonstration of bomb-handling by a special party from 1 Group Headquarters proved of value to the Station Bomb Stores personnel.

Station Summary

11 aircraft of 550 Squadron were detailed to take part in a heavy attack on BRUNSWICK, Preparations for this first operation went, on the whole, smoothly, although the early take-off called for maximum speed and an all-out effort from still under-established ground-staffs. Bombing-up was duly completed and 11 aircraft took off in 37 minutes. 2 sorties were abortive; 1 aircraft was missing and 1 landed at WOODBRIDGE due to engine failure. The remaining 7 aircraft, which claim to have attacked the primary target, were landed at base all within 18 mins by portable lighting, the Drem lighting system being unfinished.
A timely demonstration of bomb-handling by a special party from 1 Group Headquarters proved of value to the Station Bomb Stores personnel.

Aircraft Deployed			Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number	Returned or FTR	Comments	Crew Details
DV176	Returned	Primary 21,000 ft at 19.16 hrs. Returned on 2 1/2 engines. Landed at WOODBRIDGE.	F/Lt G A Davison (P) Sgt L B Martin (F/Eng) W/O A Selman (Nav) F/O R C Rice (A/B) Sgt B G Davies (W/Op) Sgt C Gregory (MU/AG) Sgt W J Brown (R/AG)

Operation/Target: Berlin (27 Jan 1944 - 28 Jan 1944)

Operation Summary
Target	Out	Back	Aborted (Y / N)	Comments
Berlin	27 Jan 1944	28 Jan 1944	N	Fourteen aircraft with crews were offered and briefed to attack targets in BERLIN. Four aircraft returned early, but the remaining ten successfully bombed the target and returned safely to BASE.

Station Summary
OPERATIONS Berlin operation again laid on. 14 aircraft of 550 Squadron were detailed. 10 claimed to atack Berlin. Remaining 4 were abortive sorties.

Aircraft Deployed			Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number	Returned or FTR	Comments	Crew Details
DV176	Returned	Primary 20,000 ft at 20.33 hrs	F/L A B Craig (P) Sgt L C Woodcock (F/Eng) F/Sgt E M England (Nav) W/O G C Notman (A/B) F/O L W Denton (W/Op) Sgt R S Pilson (MU/AG) F/Sgt S H Brasher (R/AG)

Operation/Target: Berlin (30 Jan 1944 - 31 Jan 1944)

Operation Summary
Target	Out	Back	Aborted (Y / N)	Comments
Berlin	30 Jan 1944	31 Jan 1944	N	Thirteen aircraft with crews were offered for operations and briefed to attack targets in BERLIN. One aircraft did not take off due to unserviceability, one aircraft returned early, and one aircraft did not return - no news since take off. Ten aircraft successfully bombed the target. F/O G.A. Morrison in DV305 was attacked by enemy fighter over BERLIN and the two gunners killed instantaneously. The B/A (F/O Warren) through a misunderstood order, baled out. In spite of severe damage to the aircraft and with no navigational aids, apart from the Moon and Stars, returned safely, landed WOODBRIDGE.

Station Summary
OPERATIONS 12 of the 13 aircraft of 550 Squadron detailed to take part in yet another large assault on BERLIN took off, 1 being cancelled due to hydraulic leak. 10 claim to have atacked the target, 1 sortie was abortive and 1 aircraft is missing. A feature of the raid was the outstanding performance of the crew of O/550. Their story is told in the Station's narrative report No. 1 dated 1/2/44, a copy of which is attached hereto as Appendix 1. As a result of this mission, the captain of O/550, F/O G.A. MORRISON, was awarded an immediate D.S.O. He thus becomes the only present holder of this award on the Station, as well as the first recipient of a decoration of any kind for work done from this Station. GENERAL From the Stirling aircraft which crashed yesterday and is now above water 5 bodies have been recovered. Our Medical Officer F/Lt Cunningham and our R & I Engineer F/O Stevens, intervening. Three were identified as Sergeants SPENCE, WALKER and HELSBY.

Station Summary

OPERATIONS
12 of the 13 aircraft of 550 Squadron detailed to take part in yet another large assault on BERLIN took off, 1 being cancelled due to hydraulic leak. 10 claim to have atacked the target, 1 sortie was abortive and 1 aircraft is missing. A feature of the raid was the outstanding performance of the crew of O/550. Their story is told in the Station's narrative report No. 1 dated 1/2/44, a copy of which is attached hereto as Appendix 1. As a result of this mission, the captain of O/550, F/O G.A. MORRISON, was awarded an immediate D.S.O. He thus becomes the only present holder of this award on the Station, as well as the first recipient of a decoration of any kind for work done from this Station.
GENERAL
From the Stirling aircraft which crashed yesterday and is now above water 5 bodies have been recovered. Our Medical Officer F/Lt Cunningham and our R & I Engineer F/O Stevens, intervening. Three were identified as Sergeants SPENCE, WALKER and HELSBY.

Aircraft Deployed			Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number	Returned or FTR	Comments	Crew Details
DV176	Returned	Primary 20,000 ft are 20.25 hrs. [Ed: ORB lists DV476, assumed typo and DV176 meant]	F/L A B Craig (P) Sgt L C Woodcock (F/Eng) F/Sgt E M England (Nav) W/O G C Notman (A/B) F/O L W Denton (W/Op) Sgt R S Pilson (MU/AG) F/Sgt S H Brasher (R/AG)

Summary Statistics

Based on the data in the lists displayed above, and keeping in mind that data is still being updated and thus not yet complete, the following statistics are generated:

Aircraft Deployment Statistics

Aircraft deployments	6
MAX Aircraft deployed in single operation	1 (Berlin, 29 Dec 1943)

These details were last updated: 21 November 2024

Note

this list is still being built and will take some time to complete
what is currently displayed is believed accurate but much more is still to be added

This note describes the options currently available to produce a smaller, more manageable list and also describes planned future enhancements to the reporting facility.

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