Squadron Operations: Summary Information
Overview
Listed below is the information available for operations to this target flown by 550 Squadron.
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: Pas de Calais (22 Jun 1944 - 23 Jun 1944)
| Operation Summary |
| Target |
Out |
Back |
Aborted
(Y / N) |
Comments |
| Pas de Calais |
22 Jun 1944 |
23 Jun 1944 |
N |
The seventeen aircraft and crews were again offered and accepted were briefed to attack a "Doodle Bug" (Flying Bomb) lair in the Pas de Calais soon after lunch, the Squadron's first real day-light excursion after almost a week of stand-ups and stand-downs without any operations taking place. Great excitment prevailed at having the opportunity of taking part in a Mind-Sumers day's dream, not to mention the satisfaction given to the Station personnel and the local inhabitants of seeing the boys take off and return between lunch and tea time. The weather conditions were almost ideal, the Lancasters raced the clounds and get to the target first, where visibility was excellent. In the concentrated queue of aircraft making for the target, most or our crews were, at one time or another, able to recognise our own Lancasters. An inconspicious, but effective fighter cover completed the picture. The general impression was that is a very quiet trip, the Luftwaffe was either too busy elsewhere or too "browned off" to interfere. One aircraft "G" (P/O Lord) had to return early due to engine trouble. The remaining aircraft successfully bombed the target including "S" (F/Lt Redmond) which after having been badly damaged by enemy flak crashed near Tunbridge Wells, after all the members of the crew had baled out without injury. Two others were damaged by flak and one member of "M" - F/O Strecke - sustained a slight shrapnel wound in his feet. The cameras recorded a good concentration of bombs in the target area. |
Operation/Target: Pas de Calais (24 Jun 1944 - 25 Jun 1944)
| Operation Summary |
| Target |
Out |
Back |
Aborted
(Y / N) |
Comments |
| Pas de Calais |
24 Jun 1944 |
25 Jun 1944 |
N |
Eighteen aircraft and crews were offered, accepted and briefed to attack another flying bomb lair in the Pas de Calais. P/O Boocock in "O" was forced to abandon the mission owing to engine trouble, otherwise the Squadron effort passed without incident, and all the remaining aircraft claimed to have bombed the markers in clear weather. All crews agree that the searchlight belt has been brightened up, three of our aircraft were held in the cones of searchlights for varying periods although the Ack Ack response seems to gave been spasmodic. Sightings of enemy aircraft were few and far between, being exceeded by glimpses of pilotless planes seen crossing the Channel. |
Operation/Target: Pas de Calais (27 Jun 1944 - 27 Jun 1944)
| Operation Summary |
| Target |
Out |
Back |
Aborted
(Y / N) |
Comments |
| Pas de Calais |
27 Jun 1944 |
27 Jun 1944 |
N |
Seventeen aircraft were offered, accepted and briefed to attack another lair of the "Doodle Bug" in the Pas de Calais. The trip was largely without incident "M" (P/O Clarke) had, however, a close brush with an unidentified enemy fighter who opened fire at point blank range with no effect. This was the only sighting reported. All our aircraft returned safely and claimed to have bombed the primary target. Opposition over the target was reported as being negligible. |
Operation/Target: Pas de Calais (02 Jul 1944 - 02 Jul 1944)
| Operation Summary |
| Target |
Out |
Back |
Aborted
(Y / N) |
Comments |
| Pas de Calais |
02 Jul 1944 |
02 Jul 1944 |
N |
The nineteen aircraft and crew offered were accepted for operations. All took off successfully shortly before miday without incident as usual. Eighteen returned at 15.45 hours. "D" (P/O Hussey) returned earlier through engine failure and was sent out to jettison part off the bomb load before landing. The target was the Flying Bomb Site in the Pas de Calais and the weather over the target was good. Most crews brought back enthusiastic reports. Markers were well placed and most of the crews were able to map read their positions to good purposes. The evidence of our own cameras makes it reasonable to suppose that the operation was highly successful. No Luftwaffe opposition was experienced the defence being confined to light flak.
W/Cdr Connolly returned from six days leave and S/L Nicolas proceed on leave on completion of his second tour of operations.
The Squadron was given a definite stand down until the evening of 3rd July which was much appreciated by the boys, who needless to say took full advantage. |
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 |
4 |
MAX Aircraft deployed
in single operation |
1
(Pas de Calais, 22 Jun 1944) |
These details were last updated: 20 June 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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