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:

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: Nuremberg (30 Mar 1944 - 31 Mar 1944)

Operation Summary
Target Out Back Aborted
(Y / N)		 Comments
Nuremberg 30 Mar 1944 31 Mar 1944 N Seventeen aircraft and crews were offered for operations and were briefed to attack targets in NUREMBURG. Twelve successfully attacked the main target, three the last resort target and two (F/S Jefferies in LM425 "N" and F/S Foster in ND425 "C") failed to return. The remaining aircraft landed at base with the exception of F/O Sage in "U" who landed at Kelstern owing to fuel shortage. One new crew also carried out night circuits and landings. P/O McCrae in ME556 "F" received injuries to his left arm and the rear gunner Sgt Brown injuries to his left eye in combat with an enemy night fighter. The aircraft also suffered extensive damage.
Aircraft Deployed Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number Returned
or FTR		 Comments Crew Details
LM319 Returned Primary 20,500 ft at 01.16 hours. Bombed R/Y sky markers. F/L W H Waycott (A/G)
F/O J J Logan (Nav)
F/L R W Picton (P)
Sgt K P C Williams (W/Op)
Sgt T H Guest (F/Eng)
F/O J F Potter (A/B)
Sgt W Essar (MU/AG)
ND425 FTR Up 21.55. Missing - news not received after take-off. F/Sgt C G Foster (P)
Sgt J McGhie (F/Eng)
F/Sgt J C Garratt (Nav)
Sgt R Johnson (A/B)
Sgt E W Wash (W/Op)
Sgt W Barratt (MU/AG)
Sgt R G Johns (R/AG)
ME556 Returned Last resort target 18,000 ft at 01.18 hours. Attacked by night fighter. Pilot slightly injured in left arm and rear gunner in left eye by broken perspex. Aircraft extensively damaged. Bombed searchlight and flak enplacement West Kapelle to lighten aircraft and evade second night fighter. P/O D McCrae (P)
Sgt R A Drury (F/Eng)
F/O M Shapiro (Nav)
F/Sgt F G Lebano (A/B)
Sgt A G Hall (W/Op)
Sgt C A Bonner (MU/AG)
Sgt A H Brown (R/AG)
ND403 Returned Primary 20,000 ft at 01.16 hours. Bombed MPI of 12 R/P flares R/Y. F/O K Bowen-Bravery (P)
P/O G E Thomas (Nav)
F/Sgt J P Fyffe (A/B)
W/O P E E F Keeley (W/Op)
Sgt R R Thompson (MU/AG)
Sgt T A Thompson (F/Eng)
Sgt A H Bowers (MU/AG)
LL826 Returned Primary 21,500 ft at 01.21 hours. Bombed MPI of R/P flares R/Y. F/L A J Grain (P)
F/O M R Oliver (Nav)
F/O E C Jones (A/B)
F/O H W Batt (W/Op)
Sgt J Ellis (R/AG)
Sgt K R Dye (MU/AG)
Sgt C A Bennett (F/Eng)
ND733 Returned Primary 19,500 ft at 01.24 hours. Bombed estimated position of R/Y flares. Sgt T P Burke (F/Eng)
W/O T A Lloyd (P)
Sgt R L G Moore (W/Op)
F/Sgt D M Stephen (Nav)
F/O E Yaternick (A/B)
Sgt J G Pearce (MU/AG)
Sgt A C Crilley (R/AG)
LL834 Returned Primary 21,500 ft at 01.15 hours. Bombed R/P flares R/Y P/O V J Bouchard (P)
W/O D H Knight (Nav)
Sgt J H Knox (A/B)
Sgt R Binney (F/Eng)
Sgt E J Baker (W/Op)
Sgt C A Rann (MU/AG)
Sgt J J M Calvin (R/AG)
LL850 Returned Primary 22,000 ft at 01.17 hours. Bombed red T.I's F/L R E G Waite (P)
Sgt T J Murphy (F/Eng)
F/Sgt W H Westley (Nav)
F/Sgt K M MacAuley (A/B)
Sgt H M Urquhart (W/Op)
Sgt J T Bayliss (MU/AG)
Sgt V O Gillingham (R/AG)
LM425 FTR Missing - no news since take-off. F/Sgt A H Jefferies (P)
Sgt H Simpson (Nav)
F/Sgt D S Jeffrey (A/B)
Sgt S A Keirle (W/Op)
Sgt W G Upton (MU/AG)
Sgt J W Whitley (R/AG)
Sgt R H Paxton (F/Eng)
LL747 Returned Primary 21,500 ft at 01.20 hours. Bombed R/Y sky markers F/L A D McConnell (A/B)
W/O T E Boyle (Nav)
F/L J O Richard (P)
Sgt A G Day (F/Eng)
F/Sgt W G Rate (W/Op)
Sgt T J Connaghan (MU/AG)
Sgt W J Carthew (R/AG)
LL837 Returned Primary 21,600 ft at 01.25 hours. Bombed red T.I's P/O N S Rogers (P)
Sgt H J Pearce (F/Eng)
F/O H T A Evans (Nav)
Sgt N C Jenkins (A/B)
F/Sgt D Salmon (W/Op)
F/Sgt M E Mills (MU/AG)
Sgt J H Marshall (R/AG)
LM460 Returned Last resort target bombed 21,000 ft at 01.18 hours. Bombed centre of incendiary fires approx. 30-40 miles east of primary target. 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)
DV309 Returned Primary 16,000 ft at 01.26 hours. Bombed red T.Is P/O G W Hinde (P)
Sgt T L J Whittick (F/Eng)
Sgt D Hughes (Nav)
F/Sgt C C Sharland (A/B)
Sgt D R M Davies (W/Op)
Sgt E C Beacham (MU/AG)
Sgt W A J Young (R/AG)
LM455 Returned Primary last resort target estimated position of "cookie" explosion approx. 30 miles NW of target. 20,000 ft ay 01.07 hours. S/L G D Graham (P)
F/O J R Harding (Nav)
F/Sgt H Jennings (A/B)
F/Sgt A B Frost (F/Eng)
Sgt B G Winzar (W/Op)
Sgt E J Brennan (MU/AG)
Sgt J W Nash (R/AG)
LL831 Returned Primary 21,500 ft at 01.24 hours. Landed at Kelston on return owning to shortage of petrol. F/O E V Sage (P)
Sgt H P Robinson (F/Eng)
F/O O L Albutt (Nav)
Sgt W C Taylor (A/B)
F/O D A Goulden (W/Op)
Sgt W W Hopper (MU/AG)
Sgt E G R Pepper (R/AG)
LL851 Returned Primary 21,500 ft at 01.25 hours. Bombed M.P.I. of red T.Is P/O C G H Kenyon (P)
F/O P C Sharp (Nav)
F/Sgt W R J Maroney (A/B)
Sgt J G Hill (W/Op)
F/Sgt J N Ellis (F/Eng)
Sgt G K Logan (MU/AG)
Sgt L M Collicutt (R/AG)
ME687 Returned Primary 22,000 ft at 01.24. Bombed R/Y flares. W/O R A Rember (P)
Sgt L Whybrow (F/Eng)
F/O E E Radcliffe (Nav)
Sgt R W Smalley (A/B)
Sgt K Hibbert (W/Op)
Sgt J Tweedie (MU/AG)
Sgt D H Phillips (R/AG)

Operation/Target: Nuremberg (16 Mar 1945 - 17 Mar 1945)

Operation Summary
Target Out Back Aborted
(Y / N)		 Comments
Nuremberg 16 Mar 1945 17 Mar 1945 N Squadron put 19 aircraft for operations. 18 aircraft took off; F/O Luder aircraft stayed on the ground with an unserviceable rear turret. The target was NURENBURG. Up to 10/10 cloud was experienced en route but this broke up to 4-6/10 in the targe area, over which there was a large gap giving a clear view of the ground markers, which were punctual and concentrated. The Master Bomber's instructions came through clearly. Fires got going quickly outlining the street patterns, finally merging into one large conflagration, the glow from which could be seen for 150 miles on the return journey. Flak defences were only slight to moderate with 15-20 ineffective searchlights which were doused early in the attack. On the other hand, enemy fighter activity was intense from the Stuttgart area to the target and beyond. Many combats were reported. "L" (F/S Wilson) claimed to have damaged a JU.88. "K" (/O Findlay) saw stikes on another. "D" (F/S Jamieson) landed at Manston with the rear gunner, Sgt, Klementoski, wounded so seriously that he has since died. "B" (F/O Liefooghe) failed to return, no news being received after take-off. S/L Caldow AFC, DFC and F/O Cowper completed their tours of operations. The latter came home on three engines. Six aircraft and crews carried out day and night flying training.
Aircraft Deployed Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number Returned
or FTR		 Comments Crew Details
ME390 Returned Primary at 16,000 ft at 21.31 hrs

[Ed: this was the completion of 2nd full operational tour for S/Ldr Caldow, F/Lt Cassidy and several of the other members of this crew.]		 S/L W F Caldow (P)
F/L J Cassidy (Nav)
F/O S P George (F/Eng)
F/O R Sloggett (A/B)
F/O D Gear (W/Op)
F/O S Squires (MU/AG)
F/O J H Marston (R/AG)
PD320 Returned Primary at 18,000 ft at 21.30 hrs F/O G G H Cowper (P)
Sgt R H Whitehead (F/Eng)
F/O R M Mills (Nav)
F/Sgt C H Baldwin (A/B)
F/Sgt S E Willis (W/Op)
Sgt S E Morrison (MU/AG)
Sgt H R Graham (R/AG)
NG336 FTR Missing - no news after take-off. F/L R J Liefooghe (P)
Sgt I Jones (F/Eng)
F/Sgt A E Higgins (Nav)
F/O R E Hughes (A/B)
F/Sgt V C Davidson (W/Op)
Sgt D Anthony (R/AG)
Sgt F E Self (MU/AG)
NG390 Returned Primary at 16500 ft at 21.30 hrs
ME519 Returned Primary at 16,000 ft at 21.34 hrs
PD382 Returned Primary at 17,000 ft at 21.33 1/2 hrs
NG221 Returned Primary at 16,000 ft at 21.36 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)
NG132 Returned Primary at 16,300 ft at 21.30 hrs
MG120 Returned Primary at 16,500 ft at 21.31 hrs
NF931 Returned Primary at 18,000 ft at 21.30 1/2 hrs F/O K F Sidwell (P)
Sgt J Allen (F/Eng)
F/Sgt J W Hewitt (Nav)
Sgt J L Banks (A/B)
F/Sgt J F Chapman (W/Op)
Sgt F W Woodley (MU/AG)
Sgt D C Whitmarsh (R/AG)
RF136 Returned Primary at 18,000 ft at 21.32 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)
PB514 Returned Primary at 16,500 ft at 21.30 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)
PD321 Returned Primary at 16,500 ft at 21.34 hrs F/O H A Findlay (P)
F/Sgt W A Swan (P/F/Eng)
Sgt J B Carter (Nav)
F/O R Melia (A/B)
Sgt E Barton (W/Op)
Sgt I Daly (MU/AG)
Sgt W Towle (R/AG)
NG250 Returned Primary at 18,000 ft at 21.32 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)
PD313 Returned Primary at 17,500 ft at 21.33 hrs F/Sgt D T Williams (P)
Sgt V Rose (F/Eng)
Sgt D H Shaw (Nav)
Sgt A M McCreight (A/B)
Sgt R O Smith (W/Op)
F/Sgt A W Robinson (MU/AG)
Sgt J E Lindsay (R/AG)
ME542 Returned Primary at 17,500 ft at 21.32 hrs F/Sgt F P Knight (P)
Sgt P J Bradley (F/Eng)
Sgt P C Pullen (Nav)
Sgt R E Ramsden (A/B)
Sgt V F Crewes (W/Op)
Sgt I W Needle (MU/AG)
Sgt R A Stockwell (R/AG)
ND972 Returned Primary at 17,500 ft at 21.31 1/2 hrs
RA547 Returned Primary at 18,000 ft at 21.32 1/2 hrs F/Sgt G W Jamieson (P)
F/Sgt H W Burlingham (F/Eng)
F/O E A Butcher (Nav)
Sgt W D Riley (A/B)
F/Sgt J P Aucoin (W/Op)
F/Sgt J W Hamilton (MU/AG)
F/Sgt W J Klementoski (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 35
MAX Aircraft deployed
in single operation		 18
(Nuremberg, 16 Mar 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.


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