No 55 Base

Rank	Name	Date	Notes
April
Gp Capt	R T Taafe OBE	15 Apr 1944	Assumed temporary command of No 55 Base
Wg Cdr	R N Stidolph	24 Apr 1943	Arrived on posting from No 61 Sqn for Operations duties
Wg Cdr	R W Holloway	24 Apr 1943	Arrived on posting from RAF Foulsham for duty as Senior Admin Officer
Wg Cdr	E J Eley	24 Apr 1943	Arrived on posting from
Fg Off	C A Nicholson	27 Apr 1943	Arrived on posting from RAF Coningsby for Electrical Engineer duties
SO	Hopcroft	27 Apr 1944	Attached from HQ, No 5 Group for Intelligence duties
SO	Crabbe	29 Apr 1944	Attached from HQ, No 5 Group for Signals duties
May
Wg Cdr	T B McGinn	3 May 1943	Arrived on posting from No 1654 HCU, RAF Wigley for duty as Base Engineer Officer
A/Cdre	H N Thornton MBE	15 May 1944	Arrived on posting and assumed command of No 55 Base
Gp Capt	R T Taafe OBE	15 May 1944	Relinquished temporary command of No 55 Base
During this month the following personnel were posted in to complete the Base Staff: -
Wg Cdr	R G P Jaggard MBE	xx May 1943	Arrived on posting from RAF Wymeswold for Accountant duties
Sqn Off	B Hayward	xx May 1943	Arrived on posting from No 20 (P) AFU for WAAF 'G' duties
Sqn Ldr	W C Hawken MBE	xx May 1943	Arrived on posting from RAF East Kirkby for Armament duties
Sqn Ldr	E A Dearman	xx May 1943	Arrived on posting from RAF East Kirkby for Intelligence duties
Sqn Ldr	H A Astbury	xx May 1943	Arrived on posting from No 54 Base for Accountant duties
Sqn Ldr	L H Button	xx May 1943	Arrived on posting from RAF East Kirkby for Operations/Flying Control duties
Sqn Ldr	B V Smith	xx May 1943	Arrived on posting from RAF Dunholme Lodge for Signals duties
Flt Lt	K C Brigden	xx May 1943	Arrived on posting from RAF Coningsby for Electrical Engineer duties
Flt Lt	A F Morris	xx May 1943	Arrived on posting from RAF East Kirkby for Signals (Radar) duties
Flt Lt	M Carty	xx May 1943	Arrived on posting from RAF East Kirkby for Intelligence duties
Flt Lt	P H C Burgess	xx May 1943	Arrived on posting from No 1 PDC for Accountant duties
Flt Lt	W B Rawling	xx May 1943	Arrived on posting from RAF East Kirkby for Adjutant duties
Flt Lt	Cornwall Walker	xx May 1943	Arrived on posting from No 93 Group for Operations/Flying Control duties
Flt Lt	C J Morley	xx May 1943	Arrived on posting from RAF East Kirkby for Catering duties
Fg Off	T G Bartlett	xx May 1943	Arrived on posting from RAF East Kirkby for Accountant duties
SO	D M de Sausmarez	xx May 1943	Arrived on posting from RAF East Kirkby for Assistant Adjutant duties
SO	D E Holey	xx May 1943	Arrived on posting from RAF East Kirkby for Code and Cypher duties
SO	Crabbe	xx May 1944	Posted from HQ, No 5 Group for Signals duties
Plt Off	J E L Adams	xx May 1944	Posted from HQ, No 5 Group for Signals duties
June
No personnel movement were recorded in the ORB for this month
July
No personnel movement were recorded in the ORB for this month
August
A/Cdre	H N Thornton MBE	12 Aug 1944	Attached to HQ, No 5 Group for duty as SASO
Gp Capt	R T Taafe OBE	12 Aug 1944	Assumed temporary command of No 55 Base
A/Cdre	H N Thornton MBE	19 Aug 1944	Ceased to be attached to HQ, No 5 Group and resumed command of No 55 Base
Gp Capt	R T Taafe OBE	19 Aug 1944	Relinquished temporary command of No 55 Base
September
No personnel movement were recorded in the ORB for this month
October
Gp Capt	E L S Ward DFC	7 Oct 1944	Relinquished command of RAF Strubby
Gp Capt	J B Jeudwine DSO, OBE, DFC	7 Oct 1944	Assumed command of RAF Strubby
November
No personnel movement were recorded in the ORB for this month
December
No personnel movement were recorded in the ORB for this month

Source - No 55 Base ORB (AIR 29/854/2)

Organisational Movements: Apr - Dec 1944

Date	Notes
April
22 Apr 1944	No 55 Base was formed in No 5 Group at RAF East Kirkby, wef 15 Apr 1944, comprising: - Base Station - RAF East Kirkby No 57 Sqn No 630 Sqn Sub-station - RAF Spilsby No 207 Sqn Sub-station - RAF Strubby
May
1 May 1944	No 280 Sqn (Coastal Command) arrived at RAF Strubby as a Lodger Unit
June
No relevant entries recorded in this month's ORB
July
1 Jul 1944	No 404 Sqn arrived from RAF Davidstow Moor as a Coastal Command Lodger Unit
4 Jul 1944	No 144 Sqn arrived from RAF Davidstow Moor as a Coastal Command Lodger Unit
15 Jul 1944	'B' Flight, No 2785 Sqn RAF Regiment, RAF East Kirkby was transferred to No 2847 Sqn at RAF Hawkinge 'B' Flight, No 2751 Sqn RAF Regiment, RAF Spilsby was transferred to No 2768 Sqn at RAF Hawkinge
August
No relevant entries recorded in this month's ORB
September
3 Sep 1944	No 144 Sqn departed for RAF Banff No 404 Sqn departed for RAF Banff
6 Sep 1944	No 280 Sqn departed for RAF Langham
28 Sep 1944	No 619 Sqn arrived at RAF Strubby from RAF Dunholme Lodge
30 Sep 1944	No 44 Sqn arrived at RAF Spilsby from RAF Dunholme Lodge
xx Sep 1944	Administration of Wainfleet Bombing Ranges was transferred from RAF Coningsby (No 54 Base) to RAF Spilsby (No 55 Base)
October
10 Oct 1944	'B' Flight, No 227 Sqn was formed at RAF Strubby
13 Oct 1944	No 55 Base Battle School was formed at RAF Strubby
20 Oct 1944	No 5 Group AA School moved from RAF East Kirkby to RAF Strubby
27 Oct 1944	'B' Flight, No 227 Sqn departed for RAF Balderton to join remainder of the squadron
November
9 Nov 1944	No 2735 Sqn RAF Regiment arrived at RAF Strubby
December
No relevant entries recorded in this month's ORB

Source - No 55 Base ORB (AIR 29/854/2)