550 Squadron and RAF North Killingholme Association

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: Cologne (28 Oct 1944 - 28 Oct 1944)

Operation Summary
Target	Out	Back	Aborted (Y / N)	Comments
Cologne	28 Oct 1944	28 Oct 1944	N	Thirty aircraft and crews were offered for opertions, twenty seven were accepted and stood by to be called upon at short notice for a daylight attack on COLOGNE. Twenty seven aircraft took off without incident at 13.10hrs, led by the Squadron Commander, Wing Commander B. Bell, more affectionately known as "Dingle". The weather conditions at Base left much to be desired and it seemed that the boys would not be able to take off owing to mist and low cloud, but the weather cleared for a brief spell which allowed the boys to take to the air and on to successfully attack military objectives in the Cologne area. The weather over the target was good and the crews highly delighted with the results achieved. The huge and busy railway bridge spanning the Rhine was seen to have had its time. All our aircraft returned safely to Base.

Aircraft Deployed			Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number	Returned or FTR	Comments	Crew Details
NG221	Returned	Primary 18,000 ft at 15.47 1/2 hrs. [Ed. ORB states NG138 "F2". According to Lancaster movement cards NG138 was never transferred to 550 Sqdn (see: http://lancasterbombersinfo.ipage.com/Data/Form-78s/Lancaster/NG113-NG199/mobile/index.html). NG133 "F2" is possibly meant (as cited as "F2" the ORB before loss on 14 Oct 1944, Duisburg operation). But this is post that date, so other "F2". NG221 is also listed as "F2", this is therefore assumed here.]	P/O W J Shaw (P) Sgt J Crawford (F/Eng) Sgt C Eardley (Nav) Sgt H H Tregonning (A/B) Sgt R F Jones (W/Op) Sgt R Murphy (MU/AG) Sgt J O'Leary (R/AG)

Operation/Target: Cologne (30 Oct 1944 - 30 Oct 1944)

Operation Summary
Target	Out	Back	Aborted (Y / N)	Comments
Cologne	30 Oct 1944	30 Oct 1944	N	Twenty-six aircraft and crews were offered for operations, but only twenty three were required and these took off at approximately 17.30hrs to attack military objectives in COLOGNE. All but one bombed their primary targets, "Q" (F/O Allen) having to return early with his port outer engine unserviceable. The attack is considered by all crews to have been most successful.

Aircraft Deployed			Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number	Returned or FTR	Comments	Crew Details
NG221	Returned	Primary at 18,000 ft at 21.21 hrs. [Ed. ORB states NG133 "F2". NG133 "F2" was lost on 14 Oct 1944, Duisburg operation. But this is post that date, so other "F2". NG221 is also listed as "F2", this is therefore assumed here.]	F/O D W Summons (P) Sgt C C Jerman (F/Eng) F/L G S Nankivell (Nav) F/O A Benger (A/B) F/Sgt J W Arnold (W/Op) W/O J J Boland (MU/AG) Sgt J F O'Halloran (R/AG)

Operation/Target: Cologne (31 Oct 1944 - 31 Oct 1944)

Operation Summary
Target	Out	Back	Aborted (Y / N)	Comments
Cologne	31 Oct 1944	31 Oct 1944	N	Twenty-four aircraft and crews were accepted and briefed to attack military objectives and communications at COLOGNE once again. Opposition was reported to be very moderate and the weather reasonably good. Once again crews participating considered this to have been a highly successful attack.

Aircraft Deployed			Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number	Returned or FTR	Comments	Crew Details
NG221	Returned	Primary at 19,000 ft at 21.03 hrs. [Ed. ORB states NG133 "F2". NG133 "F2" was lost on 14 Oct 1944, Duisburg operation. But this is post that date, so other "F2". NG221 is also listed as "F2", this is therefore assumed here.]	F/L R P Stone (P) F/Sgt C W Sawyers (Nav) Sgt G E White (F/Eng) F/Sgt E W Holliday (A/B) Sgt D E Norgrove (W/Op) Sgt L G B Wartnaby (MU/AG) F/Sgt F Wright (R/AG)

Operation/Target: Cologne (24 Dec 1944 - 25 Dec 1944)

Operation Summary
Target	Out	Back	Aborted (Y / N)	Comments
Cologne	24 Dec 1944	25 Dec 1944	N	23 crews were briefed to attack the marshalling yards at COLOGNE-NIPPES. 22 aircraft successfully took off with the intention of disrupting and disorganising things generally. The weather was anything but good at the time of take off, visibility fluctuating between 400-600 yards and before take off there were sinister rumours of a possible diversion - an ugly word at any time - and the wise ones collected their small kit. F/L MacLachlan "C" was genuinely disappointed at being a non-starter with a burst radiator and F/O Grundy "O" was abortive before setting course with a faulty starboard outer engine. The remainder bombed the target. Crews were surprised at the unusual phenomena of an entire absence of cloud, and with the assistance of very accuruate ground marking, proceeed to disrupt and disorganise as ordered. Photographs show many sticks of craters across the marshalling yards with nearly all the rail tracks severed and much rolling stock destroyed. With the exception of F/O Davidson "T(? - illegible)" who landed at Ludford Magna, all the aircraft landed at U.S.A.A.F Wendling, Norfolk. Any visions both air and ground crews may have had of holly, the flowing bowl and fun and games did not materialise. A certain amount of despondency descended on the Waafery and all the ground crews could do was to drink to absent friends, which they did with some measure of enthusiasm. No flying training was carried out.

Aircraft Deployed			Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number	Returned or FTR	Comments	Crew Details
NG221	Returned	Primary at 17,000 ft at 18.30 hrs.	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)

Operation/Target: Cologne (02 Mar 1945 - 02 Mar 1945)

Operation Summary
Target	Out	Back	Aborted (Y / N)	Comments
Cologne	02 Mar 1945	02 Mar 1945	N	26 aircraft with their crews took off at approximately 06.45hrs in the usual Squadron style to attack the approaches to the Rhine bridges at COLOGNE to prevent the retreating Huns from escaping to the east of the Rhine. For once the weather was kind. 5/10ths cloud was encountered until approximately 20miles short of the target which was clear. Visibility was good and crews had no difficulty in identifying the aiming point visually. Bombing was reported to be concentrated with a few hundred yards of aiming point. A generous fighter escort was supplied which discouraged the Luftwaffe from putting in an appearance. Flak over the target was moderate and accurate. Five aircraft from the Squadron were damaged. Photographs confirm that the aiming point was well and truly hit.

Aircraft Deployed			Servicemen Deployed
Aircraft Service Number	Returned or FTR	Comments	Crew Details
NG221	Returned	Primary, at 16,000 ft at 10.03 hrs.

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 (Cologne, 28 Oct 1944)

These details were last updated: 07 February 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.

Return to the top of the page.