Flying Officer Kenneth Killeen

Flying Officer Kenneth Killeen

Six photographs and one article on Kenneth's squadron.
Photos 1, 2 and 3 are head and shoulders portraits annotated as "Escape" photographs.
Photo 4 is a half length portrait of Kenneth with a navigator brevet.
Photo 5 is a near three quarter length portrait of Kenneth.
Photo 6 is Kenneth and six crew standing in front of a Lancaster.
The page is annotated
'Flying Officer Kenneth AL Killeen
Royal Air Force 1942-1946
184115 - Navigator
115 Squadron (Lancaster)
3 Group. Bomber Command
Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force Communications Squadron'.
The history of 115 Squadron covers the squadron's service, operational performance and points of interest.

Six b/w photographs and on printed sheet

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PKilleenKAL17020001, PKilleenKAL17020002

F/O [underlined] K.A.L. KILLEEN [/underlined]
[three black and white photographs of Flying Officer Kenneth Killeen in civilian clothes]
“ESCAPE” PHOTOGRAPHS
[one black and white photograph of Flying Officer Kenneth Killeen in uniform]
[underlined] 115 SQUADRON [/underlined]
APRIL 1944 TO SEPTEMBER 1944
[page break]
742 THE BOMBER COMMAND WAR DIARIES
115 SQUADRON
SERVICE
In 3 Group from the outbreak until the end of the war. Flew Wellingtons and Lancasters from Marham, Mildenhall, East Wretham, Little Snoring and Witchford. Detached to Coastal Command for one short period in April 1940.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
Raids Flown
Wellingtons – 332 bombing, 54 minelaying, 4 leaflet
Lancasters – 261 bombing, 27 minelaying
Total – 593 bombing, 81 minelaying, 4 leaflet = 678 raids
Sorties and Losses
Wellingtons – 3,075 sorties, 98 aircraft lost (3.2 per cent)
Lancasters – 4,678 sorties, 110 aircraft lost (2.4 per cent)
Total – 7,753 sorties, 208 aircraft lost (2.7 per cent)
22 Lancasters were destroyed in crashes.
POINTS OF INTEREST
115 Squadron had one of the finest records of operational service in Bomber Command.
An original squadron on the outbreak of war and, except for one very short period of detachment to Coastal Command, served continuously until the end of the war.
Carried out the first Gee trials in August 1941.
Carried out the third highest number of bombing raids in Bomber Command heavy squadrons and the most raids in 3 Group.
Flew the second highest number of sorties in Bomber Command.
Probably dropped the second greatest tonnage of bombs, approximately 23,000 tons, in Bomber Command; dropped more bombs than any other squadron in 3 Group.
Suffered the most losses in the whole of Bomber Command; the only squadron to lose more than 200 aircraft in the war.
Carried out most raids, flew most sorties and suffered most losses of any Wellington squadron in Bomber Command.
Carried out most raids, flew most sorties, suffered most losses and the highest percentage loss rate in any Lancaster squadron in 3 Group.
[page break]
[black and white photograph of Flying Officer Kenneth Killeen in uniform]
FLYING OFFICER
KENNETH A.L. KILLEEN
ROYAL AIR FORCE 1942 – 1946
184115 – NAVIGATOR
115 SQUADRON (LANCASTER)
3 GROUP. BOMBER COMMAND
SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE COMMUNICATIONS SQUADRON
[black and white photograph of seven aircrew standing in front of a Lancaster bomber]