Formed:
25 Nov 1943
Disbanded: 31 Oct 1945
Squadron was
based at:
RAF
Grimsby :: 25 Nov 1943 - 3 Jan 1944
RAF North Killingholme ::
3 Jan 1944 - 31 Oct 1945
Squadron code: BQ
Aircraft operated:
Lancaster Mk I, Mk
III :: Nov 1943 -
550 Sqn was formed from C Flt, 100
Sqn, on 25 Nov 1943. Shortly thereafter it moved to
the nearly completed RAF North Killingholme and flew its first mission
from there on 14 Jan 1944. From the initial single flight the Sqn
grew to 3. The Sqn operated within the Main Force of Heavy Bombers
under Bomber Command.
A 550 Sqn Lancaster (LL811 J-Jig (Bad Penny II)) was credited
with opening the D-day attack when it dropped the first string of bombs
at 23:34 on 5 Jun 1944. Combat operations continued until 25 Apr 1945 and
until disbandment at the end of October the Sqn was committed to activities
such as food drops to the Dutch and repatriating troops from Italy.
RAF
North Killingholme and 550 Sqn are commemorated in a memorial
stone in North Killingholme village close to the oil refineries. View
this
page "A
Brief History of the RAF in Lincolnshire" and the other
memorials page on this site.
A detailed squadron history has been compiled and may be found on the
550 Sqn website. |