Last Dambuster. Johnny Johnson's Account.

Couldn’t make Aces High tomorrow, unfortunately, due to being in Spain. Went 5 years ago for the 65th when Les Munro and others were there then. He said then he would never make the trip from NZ again. So I guess he may well be there in another 5 yrs!

Always thought it rather appropriate that the last 3 Dambusters should be a Brit, an Antipodean and a North American.

If all has gone well, they should be on these shores right now, seeing as they are doing a signing at Aces High tomorrow!

Adrian
(tickets booked!)

Found this excellent Documentary on Youtube. Contains rare footage of the aftermath.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p4N_t3bDKY&list=HL1368182788

Recent Interview with Fred Sutherland on Canadian TV here

http://mobilevideo.cbc.ca/u/pass~fn/1/ls/~g-16×9~http:,,mobilevideo.cbc.ca,/1/ts/~s~__ABR__/1/f/~video_mp4~__LSV__/1/m/4/c/5/u/bxhd/cbc01/video.m3u8

Always thought it rather appropriate that the last 3 Dambusters should be a Brit, an Antipodean and a North American.

(The newspaper article does make clear that there are 3 survivors and that Johnny is the last British)

This from Radio 2s details of their day devoted to the Dambusters:

“. I’m especially glad that Dambusters pilot Les Munro and bomb-aimer George ‘Johnnie’ Johnson will be a part of it.”

There will be special messages from Dambusters pilot Les Munro and bomb-aimer George ‘Johnnie’ Johnson, both aged 93 and two of just three remaining veterans from the raid.”

[QUOTE)

I was going to suggest amending the thread title as, as far as I am aware, both Les Munro and Fred Sutherland are still alive in New Zealand and Canada respectively, so Johnny still has two fellow survivors.[/QUOTE]

Hello Charlie. Interesting point. Looks like the press could have got it wrong again.:apologetic:

Thank you posart. I remembered that the Sorpe was attacked differently, but had not realised the parametres of height and speed were different. I will amend my earlier post.

I was going to suggest amending the thread title as, as far as I am aware, both Les Munro and Fred Sutherland are still alive in New Zealand and Canada respectively, so Johnny still has two fellow survivors.

Yes, indeed – but at that height and speed they were outside the parametres for a “hit” weren’t they?

Charlie, the method of attack against the Sorpe was different from that of the Mohne and Eder. They were briefed to fly down the length of the dam itself and drop the Upkeep as close to the centre as possible, without needing to bounce or spin it. Johnny told me that the aim was to drop it as low and as slow as possible whilst lining up the port outer so that it was over the crest of the dam.

Still an amazing story. I didn’t realize how little notice they had of their target.
Although practising over reservoirs must have given them an inkling ?

Maybe of interest.

http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/radio-2-to-mark-dambusters-anniversary/054456

http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/tv-radio/397278/BBC-to-mark-Dambusters-anniversary-with-special-live-broadcasts

I think most of us who mercifully have never had the experience of “going to war”, cannot understand are the feelings and emotions of those who participated. Of course they varied from crew member to crew member but for most it was a job they had to do and so they got on with it. And most were pragmatic about it afterwards. In their shoes how would we have felt? We can never know.

The thing I find most incredible with the Dambusters and all the other raids is. Aeroplane technology was still in its infancy at this time. So even flying was dangerous. But carrying high explosives to a target. Plus the high risk of been shot at. And most knew before going on a mission they may never return. They still went for it all the same. I salute them all.

Yes, indeed they were.

Brave brave men