February 7, 1945 - Squadron Leader Edgar Pickles

From the Operations Record Book:  

27 aircraft and crews were the Squadrons contribution to an attack on KIEVE a road centre where six routes meet, also a rail junction linking the Ruhr and those area still held by the Hun in Holland north of the Rhine - the object being to blot out the town, thus denying the enemy the main route into that part of the battle area. All aircraft successfully took off without incident in the usual Squadron style at approximately 18.30hrs. F/L Pickles in "Y" very reluctantly had to abandon his mission when over France owing to his bomb sight being unserviceable. F/L Rhude had the galling experience of going all the way to the target and then found his bombsight u/s. He made the correct decision, refrained from bombing and brought his bombs back. The route to the target was practically cloud free but the target ware was covered by 9/10-10/01 cloud about 3000 ft thick. The Master Bomber had the matters well organised and brought the main force down beneath the cloud where they found the ground marking concentrated and easy to follow. The crews were unanimous that the bombing was very concentrated with "cookies" bursting all around the markers. Flak was negligible only a few spasmodic bursts being observed.

---

L-to-R: S/Ldr Edgar Pickles (P), "Pete" Spindler (Nav), "Taffy" Evans (B/A), Johnny Graham (W/Op), Alec Gow (F/Eng), Leonard Brooks (MU/AG), Joe Pascoe (R/AG), Source: http://www.550squadronassociation.org.uk/

The Operations Record above refers to Squadron Leader Edgar Pickles.  According to Peter Coulter, 550 Squadron’s webmaster, Pickles was still solo flying well into his eighties or early nineties.  Pickles is reputed, at the end of his tour with 550 Squadron (his second of the war), to have driven his Austin mini up the steps of the Officers Mess, driving right up to the bar and ordering drinks for all present.  Pickles maintained an active role in the 550 Squadron Association until his passing October 20, 2019.