Thread: Dambusters, 1943

In March 1943, a new squadron was specially formed to carry out a difficult mission. The task of 617 Squadron was to damage the dams that powered the factories in the Ruhr Valley and to cut off the water supply to the German arms industry. It was led by 24-year-old Guy Gibson.

The Eder Dam after the dam buster raid of 1943 - hills surrounded the dam and the Germans thought it could never be bombed...

On 16th May 1943, 19 Lancaster bombers of 617 Squadron took off from RAF Scampton. It was a clear moonlit night, to aid navigation. The planes carried specially designed 'bouncing bombs'. In the days before computer-aided bombing, a bouncing bomb would maximise the chances of actually hitting a target. Each bomb would need to be dropped from 60 feet, at right angles to the dam wall, very close to the dam. It would then bounce across the water to the target and explode.
The raiders attacked three dams. The Mohne and Eder dams were successfully breached and the Sorpe dam was damaged.
The mission was extremely dangerous. Eight planes were lost. Of the 133 men who took part in the raid, 53 lost their lives and 3 were captured after bailing out. The bravery of the aircrew who flew on this mission was recognised with 33 gallantry awards, including a Victoria Cross for Guy Gibson.
Though the Germans repaired the dams quickly, the impact of the raid was huge. It destroyed farmland, 25 bridges and 11 factories. Another 114 factories were badly damaged. It disrupted road and canal transport, and power, water and gas supplies all through the area. In the flooding below the Mohne there were 1,294 casualties, including 593 foreign workers. Another 47 people died below the Eder. For the rest of the war, the Germans had to divert an extra 10,000 troops to guard the dams.
This attack on Germany's industrial heartland was celebrated in the British press. Leaflets were dropped over the occupied countries in Europe showing before and after photos of the dams. The success of the raid and the courage of Gibson and his Dambusters became a source of national pride.

http://www.dambusters.org.uk/index.htm

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/dambusters.htm

Thought these would make for some interesting reading

In me favourites Kelly. I need to read up on this. Another absolutely priceless photo Jim btw

I just found the NIven book in a box, the fines are now up to 5 quid.
Anyway GuY Gibson gets a mention on one page, here's what it says:

Guy Gibson, the master bomber, spent a weekend with us just after he had been awarded the Victoria Cross for blowing up the Eder and Mohne dams. He was in a rare state of excitement because Winston Churchill had invited him to dinner at 10 Downing Street on the Monday. Guy made a date with us for luncheon at one o’clock on the following day so he could report everything the great man said.
(The wife) and I were at The Berkeley sharp at one – no Gibson. Two o’clock – no Gibson. We were just finishing our ersatz coffee around three o’clock when he came tottering in looking ghastly, eyes like dog’s balls.
‘How was it?’ we asked.
‘Marvellous – fabulous !’ he croaked. ‘God! I’m tired – that was the best yet!’
‘What did he say?’
‘Who?’ said Gibson.
‘Churchill,’ I said with a touch of asperity.
Gibson looked stricken – then he clutched his head.
‘Jesus Christ! I forgot!’
A month later on his one hundred and twentieth bombing mission, he was shot down.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Gibson

Very Interesting

Thanks Kelly, some good quotes on the man from Barnes-Wallis and Bomber Harris there.
Also it seems he wasn't shot down at all, but a fault on his Mosquito caused him to crash to his death by running out of fuel over Holland.

617 Squadron RAF was formed in March 1943 to attack the Mohne and Sorpe dams, which provided water to the Ruhr, and the Eder, which helped keep canals at navigable depth. A special bomb was developed for the mission by Barnes Wallis. Dropped from low level, it bounced on the water before sliding down the dam wall. On the night of May 16-17, the Mohne and Eder dams were both breached, but although loss of life and industrial dislocation were considerable, the damage was short-lived.

Wing Commander Guy Gibson, commander of 617 Squadron, boarding his Lancaster. Eight of the nineteen bombers were lost.



The Barnes Wallis 9,250 Ib (4,195 kg) bouncing bomb slung below a Lancaster.




The breached Mohne dam four hours after the raid.



Guy Gibson photographed near RAF Scampton on July 22 1943. Awarded the Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest award for military valour, Gibson was killed the following year at the age of 26.

Instead of Germany's Ruhr Valley below, it was Derbyshire but no less poignant for that. This was the exact spot the famous bombers had painstakingly prepared for their mission in 1943. In dummy run after dummy run, the elite RAF crews planned their method of attack on the similar German targets.

Bombs away: The world's only flying Lancaster makes a low pass over the Derwent Dam



Crowds line the riverbank as the Lancaster completes its anniversary flyby



A prototype of the so-called 'bouncing bomb' developed by Barnes Wallace.