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: Bremen (21 Mar 1945 - 21 Mar 1945)
| Operation Summary |
| Target |
Out |
Back |
Aborted
(Y / N) |
Comments |
| Bremen |
21 Mar 1945 |
21 Mar 1945 |
N |
15 aircraft from the Squadron were detailed for operations. All of them took off safely without incident at approx 08.00. The target was the Deutsche Oil Refinery on the North West outskirts of BREMEN. The route was direct across North Holland, ideal weather conditions were experienced and no flak appeared. Marking was vary accurate and the Master Bomber had a firm and clear control of the attack. Very quickly a pall of smoke, of varying shades, enveloped the target. Along the bombing run the aircraft had to fly through a lane of hot, quite accurate, heavy flak and several aircraft were hit, but none vitally. "K" (P/O Screen) was hit in the port outer engine and limped back to base on three engines. All of the Squadron aircraft landed safely at base. 3 aircraft and crew flew 10 hours flying training. |
| Aircraft Deployed |
Servicemen Deployed |
Aircraft Service Number |
Returned
or FTR |
Comments |
Crew Details |
RA503
|
Returned |
Primary at 14,500 ft at 10.00 hrs |
|
ME519
|
Returned |
Primary at 14,500 ft at 10.02 hrs |
|
PD321
|
Returned |
Primary at 15,500 ft at 10.01 1/2 hrs |
F/O R G Screen (P)
Sgt B T McGee (F/Eng)
Sgt J Carson (Nav)
F/Sgt T W Brown (A/B)
F/Sgt H P Rattenbury (W/Op)
F/Sgt H Jacobs (MU/AG)
Sgt J J Barry (R/AG)
|
PB514
|
Returned |
Primary at 14,500 ft at 10.00 hrs |
P/O R H Digby (P)
Sgt J H Walker (F/Eng)
F/O A E Lewis (Nav)
Sgt A E McLeod (A/B)
Sgt D Crabtree (W/Op)
Sgt J L Perrigo (MU/AG)
Sgt R D Hager (R/AG)
|
ME390
|
Returned |
Primary at 15,000 ft at 10.00 1/4 hrs |
|
PD320
|
Returned |
Primary at 14,000 ft at 10.00 1/2 hrs |
|
PD382
|
Returned |
Primary at 14,500 ft at 10.02 hrs |
|
ND972
|
Returned |
Primary at 16,000 ft at 10.01 1/2 hrs |
F/Sgt C L Cochrane (P)
Sgt J Potts (F/Eng)
F/Sgt - Moore (Nav)
F/Sgt D G Mather (A/B)
Sgt D G Hammersley (W/Op)
Sgt R H Keevil (MU/AG)
F/Sgt R G Miles (R/AG)
|
NG250
|
Returned |
Primary at 15,000 ft at 10.00 1/2 hrs |
|
RF135
|
Returned |
Primary at 15,000 ft at 10.00 hrs |
F/L D R Parsons (P)
Sgt W L Howell (R/AG)
Sgt G E Carter (F/Eng)
F/Sgt J Price (Nav)
Sgt M W Morrison (A/B)
F/Sgt K Robinson (W/Op)
Sgt E Dinsley (MU/AG)
|
PA268
|
Returned |
Primary at 14,000 ft at 10.00 hrs |
|
NG135
|
Returned |
Primary at 15,000 ft at 10.01 hrs |
F/O H J Handley (P)
F/Sgt L J Tough (F/Eng)
Sgt H B Brier (Nav)
F/Sgt J Taylor (A/B)
Sgt R G Aldridge (W/Op)
Sgt H Firth (MU/AG)
Sgt D Hiskins (R/AG)
|
PB707
|
Returned |
Primary at 14,000 ft at 10.01 1/2 hrs |
W/O R E Vietheer (MU/AG)
P/O J S Percival (P)
Sgt E W Ward (F/Eng)
F/Sgt S E Whyte (Nav)
Sgt N R Knipton (A/B)
Sgt C J Nileman (W/Op)
Sgt I Rees (R/AG)
|
PD313
|
Returned |
Primary at 15,000 ft at 10.00 hrs |
F/O G E Mearns (P)
Sgt F Norris (F/Eng)
F/Sgt W G Kelly (Nav)
Sgt J F McKeen (A/B)
Sgt D O'Neil (W/Op)
Sgt A Colin (R/AG)
|
RF136
|
Returned |
Primary at 14,500 ft at 10.01 hrs |
F/O L G Michie (P)
F/Sgt J Rodgers (F/Eng)
F/O M K Anderson (Nav)
F/O H R Whitney (A/B)
F/Sgt T E Hewitt (W/Op)
F/Sgt H L Alleyne (MU/AG)
F/Sgt S W Brown (R/AG)
|
Operation/Target: Bremen (22 Apr 1945 - 22 Apr 1945)
| Operation Summary |
| Target |
Out |
Back |
Aborted
(Y / N) |
Comments |
| Bremen |
22 Apr 1945 |
22 Apr 1945 |
N |
It was a formidable force that Bomber Command detailed, with four separate aiming points - enemy strong points on the east side of Bremen, within a few miles of our troops. No. 1 Group had the honour of opening the attack, and 550 Squadron contributed 27 aircraft to this spearhead. All 27 took off at 18:00, but "G" (F/O Johnston) had an engine out on take-off and was saved the consequent "cross country". The remainder completed the course and the majority returned as full of eggs as when they departed. They had the chagrin of seeing most of Bremen clear of cloud but the target area itself covered by a thick patch and because our troops were so near the Master Bomber had no choice but to call the party off. Our crews held out the hope that conditions might improve for later waves, but it transpired that only our force fitted with special equipment could bomb. That, at any rate, was a gesture to our troops, who we hope realised, when they saw the bombers overhead that the promised assistance was only withheld so that they should not be imperialed. Return was more or less devoid of incident except for "M" (F/O Handley) which after touching down took off again for a flight, which, unfortunately cannot be counted as squadron training hours. |
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 |
42 |
MAX Aircraft deployed
in single operation |
27
(Bremen, 22 Apr 1945) |
These details were last updated: 24 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.
Return to the top of the page.