The Dambusters

The end of this week marks the 70th anniversary of the legendary Dambusters raid on the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams of Germany's Ruhr valley during the Second World War. On the night of the 16th/17th May 1943, 19 Avro Lancaster Bombers of 617 Squadron took off from RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, to launch a daring attack on Germany's industrial heartland. 

The raid, a vital event that took place as the tide of war was turning for Britain and her allies, was engineered by Vickers designer Barnes Wallis, from his creation of the bouncing bomb. The bomb played the key, central roll as it was designed to be dropped on approach to the face of the dam, bounce along the water, (passing over defensive torpedo nets) and then explode in front of the structure, breaching it and causing a large influx of water to pass through the dam. This explosion would be caused because of the backspun, drum shaped bomb which would run down the side of the dam to its underwater foundation. Wallis perfected this test on Chesil Beach, Dorset in 1943. 

There was just one problem. The raid was to be carried out at night (as were relatively all RAF bombing missions at the time) but bombs had to be dropped at a height of 60ft, while crews would have to fly across western Europe at a height of 100 ft. Here were 133 airmen, approaching their targets in the middle of the night at incredibly low altitudes, bombing dams that were virtually invisible because of the night. Nevertheless, the raid was a great success, with the Mohne and Eder dams breached and the Sorpe heavily damaged due to the effectiveness of Wallis' bouncing bomb. The raid delivered a significant blow to the area with many factory and production facilities being destroyed or heavily damaged. 

However, success did come at a price. Out of the 133 airmen that operated on the mission, 53 were killed and 3 were taken prisoner when they bailed out of aircraft after taking fire from German defences. 8 Lancasters had been shot down, with 11 returning to base at Scampton by the early hours of the 17th May. 

In the weeks that followed, Wing Commander Gibson was made a national hero and was awarded the Victoria Cross, while the squadron were paid a royal visit by King George VI. The raid was vital in the upkeep of British morale and the war effort, and came at a perfect time for Britain. The attack was a way of proving themselves as an ally to the USA and also Stalin and the Soviet Union.

Following the raid, 617 squadron were kept together as a specialist strategic unit and eventually dropped the 'Grand Slam' and 'Tallboy' bombs, also designed by Barnes Wallis. (The latter would be dropped on the German battleship known as 'The Tirpitz', sinking it on November 12th 1944).

Operation Chastise, as it was known, still holds great significance in British history and is one of the great feats of air combat displayed by RAF Bomber Command throughout the course of the war. Gibson and the 132 airmen of 617 squadron carried out an attack that was pivotal in 1943, generating tactical and strategic effects throughout the following year of World War II. The night of 16th/17th May 1943 went down in history as the night of the attack on the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams by the gallantly titled 'Dambusters'.

To all the Dambusters of 16/17th May 1943.

Harry Denton.

© Harry Denton : 17/05/13