55 Squadron Photos

Lt William Bishop Pilot 55 Squadron RFC. Shot down over Belgium 2.Oct 1917 during 3rd Ypres offensive.

Lt Douglas Mackintosh (served as Mathew). Observer / Gunner with Bishop above and shot down Oct.2.1917 Belgium

RFC Wings belonging to Bishop and returned from Belgium

Medals awarded to Lt Douglas Mathews (Mackintosh).

Commemoration Scroll Lt George Mathews (Mackintosh)

William E Johns, flew on 55 Squadron DH-4s with the Independent Force in France and wrote of his experiences. Later, as "Capt W.E.Johns", he wrote the Biggles stories

55 Squadron was arguably the first bomber squadron to operate regularly far into Germany. With the Independent Force, they pioneered formation flying (in vic) in order to concentrate their fire power. Nevertheless they suffered great casualties. One of the significant airfields from which they flew at this time - Azelot - south of Nancy is still in existence as a light flying field.

Stuttgart raid on 15.09.1918. Target was the Daimler works. Civilian casualties were caused here.

DH-4 D8396 of 55 Squadron flown by 2nd Lt Robert I.A.Hickes+ and Thomas A Jones+ and shot down by Johannes Voigt-Christiansen (in helmet) on 30th August 1918 in front of the church in Latour En Wouvre. The two 55 Squadron officers are buried here.

PFM Fellowes RN. who became Gp Capt RAF and in 1920 as a Wg Cdr took 55 Sqn to Turkey with his 'Q' force - as the "Point of the Spear". This gave rise to the Squadron Emblem some years later.

C Flight 55 Squadon - Iraq, with Wapiti in 1937

Photos showing Cpl James Taylor 55 Squadron, in Iraq 1930s

James Taylor was a stores Cpl on 55 Sqn based in Hinaidi. The shots show him with various groups on the base, at the RAF leave (R&R) camp at Ser Armadia in Kurdistan and in Baghdad. ...and was that the Squadron dog? Thanks to Friend of 55 Squadron Steve Finbow for the images of his grandfather James Taylor. Steve has many more photos of his period which are currently being sorted.

The rough conditions at Hinaidi were forgotten during leave spent here in Ser Amaida camp... Picture by Wilf Cross

Photographs from WO Alfred Wiles 55 Squadron

Alfred Wiles was a navigator in the Desert Campaign in WW2 and was shot down in a Blenheim in action in 1941. He survived and was taken to POW camp. A copy of the relevant ORB page appears in the Faces and Queries section. These photos show shots taken from the cockpit, relaxing with comrades and later in Stalag Luft 3 far North in Germany.