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: Caen (18 Jul 1944 - 18 Jul 1944)

Operation Summary
Target	Out	Back	Aborted (Y / N)	Comments
Caen	18 Jul 1944	18 Jul 1944	N	The eighteen aircraft warned yesterday were detailed to attack military strong points in the Caen area in support of the military plans to break through. The Squadron's aiming point was the village of SANNERVILLE where the enermy had concentrations of mortars, long range guns, anti-tank guns, A.A. units, Transport and reserve personnel. Our aircraft arrived over the target just before sunrise at 05.45 hours. Conditions were ideal, visibility being excellent. The markers which were easy to identify in the light of dawn were punctual and accurate with the exception of one dropped 100 yards south. Bombing concentrations weer excellent. Flak was negligible at first but on leaving the target, accurate predicated flak was encountered. The only fighters seen were those of the Spitfire cover. All our crews arrived back safely in time for breakfast feeling highly satisfied with their mornings work.

Aircraft Deployed			Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number	Returned or FTR	Comments	Crew Details
NE164	Returned	Primary 6,000 feet at 05.55 hours.	F/O H Jones (P) Sgt J R Drury (F/Eng) F/Sgt C W Sawyers (Nav) Sgt F H Habgood (A/B) Sgt D Hunter (W/Op) Sgt R B Cumberlidge (MU/AG) Sgt I Williams (R/AG)

Operation/Target: Scholven-Buer (19 Jul 1944 - 19 Jul 1944)

Operation Summary
Target	Out	Back	Aborted (Y / N)	Comments
Scholven-Buer	19 Jul 1944	19 Jul 1944	N	The sixteen aircraft which were offered and accepted were briefed to carry out attacks on the largest synthetic oil plant in the Ruhr, situated at SCHOLVEN-BUER near GELSENKIRCHEN. The aircraft took off without incident carrying a nice load of "cookies". Weather over the target was clear, though industrial haze prevented pinpointing. Bomb Aimers were presetned with an accurately and punctually marked target, and most crews spoke of a close concentration round the markers which were clearly seen. Results were immediate and unmistakable, several outsize explosions were seen and black oily smoke is reported to have reached a height of 16,000 ft and as was expected good photographs were obtained. Ground opposition was more intense than at recent targets and although there were several sigthings of enemy fighters, none of our crews reported combats. The Wireless Operator of "G" (P/O Hussey) sustained a fractured arm as a result of shapnel received whilst over the target. With the exception of one, "M" (F/O Clark) all the aircraft returned to Base. This aircraft was twice hit by Flak on its bombing run rendering its Port Outer engine unserviceable and after bombing the markers, the Port Inner has to be feathered when it caught fire. On the homeward track whilst over the North Sea the Starboard Inner Engine gave out, leaving only one engine serviceable and this was running hot. The crew decided to try to make for an English airfield, but when the coast had been crossed a lot of height was lost and the Captain ordered the crew to bale out. After holding the aircraft on an even keel to allow the crew to bale out, it is presumed that the aircraft was too low for the Captain to follow and in trying to land the aircraft hit overhead cables and crashed, the Pilot crashing with his aircraft and losing his life. His crew landed near Seething in Norfolk.

Aircraft Deployed			Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number	Returned or FTR	Comments	Crew Details
NE164	Returned	Primary 20,000 ft at 01.34 hrs.	F/O H Jones (P) Sgt J R Drury (F/Eng) F/Sgt C W Sawyers (Nav) Sgt F H Habgood (A/B) Sgt D Hunter (W/Op) Sgt R B Cumberlidge (MU/AG) Sgt I Williams (R/AG)

Operation/Target: Wizernes (20 Jul 1944 - 20 Jul 1944)

Operation Summary
Target	Out	Back	Aborted (Y / N)	Comments
Wizernes	20 Jul 1944	20 Jul 1944	N	Nineteen aircraft andcrews were offered, accepted and briefed for an early evening attach on a target in WIZENEF [Ed. - assumed incorrect spelling, and Wizernes or Wizemes(?) V-bomb site is intended.]. All the aircraft took off successfully in good style and all reached the target which was bombed with the usual precision. Flak opposition at the target was negligible and the only fighters to be seen were, once again, Spitfires. All our aircraft returned safely to base bringing back good photographs.

Aircraft Deployed			Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number	Returned or FTR	Comments	Crew Details
NE164	Returned	Primary 14,000 ft at 21.03 hours.	F/O H Jones (P) Sgt J R Drury (F/Eng) F/Sgt C W Sawyers (Nav) Sgt F H Habgood (A/B) Sgt D Hunter (W/Op) Sgt R B Cumberlidge (MU/AG) Sgt I Williams (R/AG)

Operation/Target: Kiel (23 Jul 1944 - 23 Jul 1944)

Operation Summary
Target	Out	Back	Aborted (Y / N)	Comments
Kiel	23 Jul 1944	23 Jul 1944	N	Seventeen aircraft and crews offered, accepted and briefed for operations against the enemy's Naval Base at Kiel. All the aircraft took off in the usual Squadron style and the outward journey was uneventful with mainly cloudy conditions. More cloud was encountered in the target area, but being fairly thin the markers were seen through it. Concentration appeared to be satisfactory, healthy fires were buring and were seen when 120 miles away. Flak was reported as intense over the target and the West Danish Coast was also active, but no serious trouble was encountered, "C" (P/O Holdsworth) had a short encounter with a JU88, the firing starting simultaneously; no damage or casualties were sustained by our aircraft, while strikes were observed on the enemy - it is only claimed as probably damaged. All our aircraft returned safely to base.

Aircraft Deployed			Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number	Returned or FTR	Comments	Crew Details
NE164	Returned	Primary 20,500 ft at 01.35 hours. Orange glow over T/A. [Ed. There is no A/B listed in the ORB on this op! This seems fairly unlikely! Therefore the standard A/B Sgt FH Habgood is assumed.]	F/O H Jones (P) Sgt J R Drury (F/Eng) F/Sgt C W Sawyers (Nav) Sgt F H Habgood (A/B) Sgt D Hunter (W/Op) Sgt R B Cumberlidge (MU/AG) Sgt I Williams (R/AG)

Operation/Target: Stuttgart (28 Jul 1944 - 28 Jul 1944)

Operation Summary
Target	Out	Back	Aborted (Y / N)	Comments
Stuttgart	28 Jul 1944	28 Jul 1944	N	Eighteen aircraft and crews were offered but only seventeen were accepted for operations. The crews were briefed to attack STUTTGART once again and all successfully took off without incident. All the aircraft claim to have bombed the target area and contrary to the previous raids experienced fairly heavy opposition from the ground defences, Two of our aircraft "O" P/O Jones and "T" F/O Roche failed to return from this mission, two other aircraft failed to reach Base and landed at Woodbridge and Bombrook. In the crew of "O" as Navigator was F/O Dinney who has for several weeks been acting as the Squadron Navigation Leader.

Aircraft Deployed			Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number	Returned or FTR	Comments	Crew Details
NE164	FTR	Missing, no news after take-off. [Ed. ORB says LL796 "O" - but cannot be as LL796 FTR with all crew KIA 12 July 44. This is believed, therefore, to be NE164 "O", which arrived with 550 Sqdn 16.7.44 and in which the F/O Jones crew had already flown four ops.]	F/O H Jones (P) Sgt J R Drury (F/Eng) Sgt F H Habgood (A/B) Sgt D Hunter (W/Op) Sgt R B Cumberlidge (MU/AG) Sgt I Williams (R/AG) P/O W Dinney (Nav)

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	5
MAX Aircraft deployed in single operation	1 (Caen, 18 Jul 1944)

These details were last updated: 27 March 2025

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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