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: Hannover (05 Jan 1945 - 06 Jan 1945)
| Operation Summary |
| Target |
Out |
Back |
Aborted
(Y / N) |
Comments |
| Hannover |
05 Jan 1945 |
06 Jan 1945 |
N |
24 aircraft with crews took off at approximately 19.00 hours to attack HANOVER. The weather was nowhere difficult on route and our crews were led visually to the target by means of it's "Blaze of Glory" that could be seen for a hnudred miles, this blaze had been started by an earlier attack two and a half hours before by [unreadable]. Our attack was to impede the fire fighters and add more fuel to the fires. The [???] was blazing beautifully and the second installment of H.Es and incendiaries was added to the [???]. Fires and smoke increased and could be seen by our crews when over the Zuider Zee on their return. Good photographs were brought back. Flak was reported generally as moderate, but accurate for height and there was searchlight activity, although with the glare of Recc. flares above and the fire glow below they had a pretty thin time. The attack was an outstanding success and Hanover now has a hangover. One of our aircraft "M" (F/O Adams) and crew failed to return, no news being received after take-off. They were a grand team and will be missed by all on the Squadron. A good flying training programme was also carried out. |
| Aircraft Deployed |
Servicemen Deployed |
Aircraft Service Number |
Returned
or FTR |
Comments |
Crew Details |
NG221
|
Returned |
Primary at 19,000 ft at 21.50 1/2 hrs |
S/L W F Caldow (P)
F/L J Cassidy (Nav)
F/O S P George (F/Eng)
F/O D Gear (W/Op)
F/O J H Marston (R/AG)
F/O R Sloggett (A/B)
F/O S Squires (MU/AG)
|
NF931
|
Returned |
Primary at 18,500 ft at 21.54 1/2 hrs |
|
NG246
|
Returned |
Primary at 20,500 ft at 21.51 1/2 hrs |
|
PD321
|
Returned |
Primary at 20,000 ft at 21.54 hrs |
F/O F S Adley (F/Eng)
F/L V B Ansell (P)
Sgt H Doherty (R/AG)
Sgt T D Rodgers (Nav)
Sgt L Trudgian (A/B)
F/Sgt H A Elderfield (W/Op)
Sgt S J H Adams (R/AG)
|
NF998
|
Returned |
Primary at 19,000 ft at 21.55 hrs |
|
PD382
|
Returned |
Primary at 12,000 ft at 21.52 hrs |
|
NN715
|
Returned |
Primary at 21,000 ft at 21.54 hrs |
|
NG398
|
Returned |
Primary at 21,000 ft at 21.50 hrs |
|
PD320
|
Returned |
Primary at 19,000 ft at 21.55 hrs |
|
NG331
|
FTR |
Missing - No news after take off. |
F/O J C Adams (P)
Sgt W P Scott (F/Eng)
F/Sgt B Sterman (Nav)
F/O W R Elcoate (A/B)
F/Sgt F Papple (W/Op)
F/O F S Renton (R/AG)
Sgt K D Winstanley (MU/AG)
|
NG287
|
Returned |
Primary at 21,000 ft at 21.55 hrs |
|
ME301
|
Returned |
Primary at 19,000 ft at 21.1 hrs |
P/O K A Smith (P)
Sgt C Symington (F/Eng)
Sgt G Duce (Nav)
Sgt S Martin (A/B)
Sgt R E G Williams (W/Op)
Sgt C J Marshall (MU/AG)
Sgt H F Longworth (R/AG)
|
NG289
|
Returned |
Primary at 20,000 ft at 21.50 hrs |
F/O J A Beale (P)
Sgt Matthews (F/Eng)
F/O A F Geen (Nav)
F/O G C Glover (A/B)
F/Sgt R A Spearing (W/Op)
Sgt MacKenzie (MU/AG)
F/Sgt J L McKeown (R/AG)
|
PD221
|
Returned |
Primary at 20,000 ft at 21.50 1/2 hrs |
|
NG363
|
Returned |
Abortive - Rear Turret u/s |
|
PB864
|
Returned |
Primary at 19,500 ft at 21.56 hrs |
F/L D R Parsons (P)
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)
Sgt J Cooper (R/AG)
|
PB707
|
Returned |
Primary at 21,000 ft at 21.51 1/2 hrs |
|
NG120
|
Returned |
Primary at 20,000 ft at 21.52 hrs |
|
NG132
|
Returned |
Primary at 21,000 ft at 21.52 1/2 hrs |
|
LM228
|
Returned |
Primary at 20,000 ft at 21.53 1/2 hrs |
|
NG134
|
Returned |
Primary at 20,000 ft at 21.52 hrs |
F/O L A Doward (P)
Sgt G Buckman (F/Eng)
F/Sgt S Gall (Nav)
F/Sgt D Jackman (A/B)
Sgt J A Morgan (MU/AG)
Sgt S Pelham (R/AG)
F/Sgt T Fairclough (W/Op)
|
ME776
|
Returned |
Primary at 19,000 ft at 21.54 hrs |
F/O D H Grundy (P)
W/O E W King (F/Eng)
P/O R T Sowter (Nav)
W/O R C McLauchlan (A/B)
F/Sgt L F Figg (W/Op)
Sgt E C Jarvis (MU/AG)
Sgt E J MacKenzie (R/AG)
|
NF932
|
Returned |
Primary at 20,000 ft at 21.54 hrs |
|
NG243
|
Returned |
Primary at 21,000 ft at 21.54 hrs |
|
Operation/Target: Hannover (25 Mar 1945 - 25 Mar 1945)
| Operation Summary |
| Target |
Out |
Back |
Aborted
(Y / N) |
Comments |
| Hannover |
25 Mar 1945 |
25 Mar 1945 |
N |
6 aircraft were called for operations. "M2" (F/S Wilson) had to "scrub it" with an unserviceable tacometer on the starbroad inner engine, but the other five took off with further mishap at approx. 06.50 hours. The target was HANNOVER and the route out uneventful apart from a front which had to be negotiated somewhere between 03.00 degress and 05.00 degress East. The bombing was accurate and well concentrated. No enemy aircraft were seen and flak was slight. "Y" (P/O Screen) had to feather the starboard outer over the North Sea outbound but pressed on through the front. In response to a request for fighter assistance 4 Mustangs came along and took them to the target, after which they were joined by three more. Some little distance away, on the return, they were subjected to predicted flak, which however they managed to avoid. All the aircraft landed safely at base. The Flight Lieutenants Franklyn R and J have, with their crews, completed their tours on consecutive days. 4 aircraft and crews flew a total of over 10 hours on a day flying training programme. |
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 |
29 |
MAX Aircraft deployed
in single operation |
24
(Hannover, 05 Jan 1945) |
These details were last updated: 13 April 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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