During Operation Buffalo in 1956, a Vickers Valiant from the squadron became the first British aircraft to drop a live atomic bomb.

In October the squadron took part in Operation Robinson, leading a large force of Lancasters in No.5 Group's daylight attack on the Schneider armament and locomotive works at Le Creusot in France.

Among the targets which it attacked during 1944 were the coastal gun battery at La Pernelle on the Normandy coast, and the V-1 flying bomb storage sites in the caves at St. Leu d'Esserent on the River Oise, some 30 miles north-west of Paris.

In December 1944, it took part in a raid on the German Baltic Fleet at Gdynia and in March 1945, was represented in the bomber force which so pulverised the defences of Wesel just before the crossing of the Rhine that Commandos were able to seize the town with only 36 casualties.

On returning from an operational bombing and strafing sortie at 1540 hours, some 1hr 25mins flying time (total airborne time to the moment of the crash was 1hr 33mins), the pilot of SX984 carried out several unauthorized low passes over the police hut at Githunguri, eight miles north-north-west of Kiambu, where another 49 squadron crew was paying a visit.

The aircraft went into an uncontrolled steep climb, stalled and crashed to the ground about 500 metres south of the police station.

The sixth member of the crew, the rear gunner, was thrown clear of the wreckage and taken to hospital where he died of his injuries a few hours later.

There is a memorial window to the crew and civilians killed in the crash in St Leonard's Church, Sandridge in Hertfordshire, UK.

The squadron was equipped with the first of the V-bombers, the Vickers Valiant, and was soon taking centre-stage in Britain's Atomic Bomb program.

The pilot, Squadron Leader Edwin Flavell, and the bomb aimer, Flight Lieutenant Eric Stacey, were awarded the Air Force Cross.

[24] The only remaining complete Vickers Valiant (XD818), the one that dropped the first British hydrogen bomb at Christmas Island with No.49 Squadron as part of Operation Grapple, is preserved at the RAF Museum Cosford near Wolverhampton.