Morning after the night before, The Dams raid 71 years

Whilst I was admiring his Gibson Games jigsaw on Saturday, Dad surprised me by saying “it was bloody scary when they were practicing!”. I don’t know whether it was “the real thing” – though he wouldn’t have been far from a line between Scampton and Reculver, perhaps? – but obviously someone put the wind up him in a very low Lanc!

Adrian

Well spotted creaking door! A quick Google and the design does seem to match up. I hadn’t thought of a Soviet dam. In any case, the EBay description was wrong.

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

It’s a broken dam alright…..but it wasn’t done by 617 Squadron on 17th May 1943!

Edit: I think it is the Dneprostroi Dam on the lower reaches of the Dnieper river.

It was blown-up by retreating Soviet troops in 1941 and then again by retreating German troops in 1943…

…there cannot be many dams that have been blown-up twice!

Or the Eder.

In fact, I think it’s an open sluice gate (or weir) somewhere. There does not seem to be any damage to the structure.

That doesn’t look like the Mohne Dam….

I got this photo on ebay some time back. Taken on 18th May 1943.

Dave

Can you find the image,there’s so many. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=dambuster+lancaster+paintings&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=-gJ5U6WpKoqy7AbCsYHQDQ&ved=0CDAQsAQ&biw=1920&bih=967

This forum may be a good start http://ehangar.com/ [i have asked on there so we will see if there’s any answer]

Does anyone know if the painting of a 617 Lanc being bombed up (from the front) is available for sale?
I came across it in a book shop as a jigsaw puzzle and it’s a great picture.

The film of the Buffalo Airways DC-4 doing it in daylight, with practice runs and nobody shooting at you, showed what a difficult job it was for 617. Job well done/ Hope they make the re make of the film soon and get over all the nonsense, however it will be difficult to surpass the original. But then I still prefer “A night to remember” to “Titanic”.

While doing helicopter sling load work (Bell 212 & 205) in the area I’ve had a chance to fly over all these dams.
For a helicopter in daylight they are very tight areas, but in a four engine aircraft & at night time with people shooting at you it was quite an achievement.
Hats off to the brave crews who were in those Lancasters!

My question is was this a bouncing bomb? The distance suggests not! I have not read anything anywhere on this subject, perhaps I have not looked far enough.

The two bombs dropped on the Scorpe were bouncing bombs, but they were not spun and didn’t bounce.

Yes, the 1977 amendment to the Geneva Convention. Article 56 of Protocol 1.

Does anyone know if the destruction of dams/dikes is against current international law (or Geneva code)?
IIRC, in Vietnam the dikes were on the “no hit” list….

How did they do the Sorpe?

We visited all of the dams that 617 visited in 43 last week! The Moehne seemed to be possible with some determination. The Eder was in a different league, with a more difficult approach, exit! However the Sorpe was something else, the approach being parallel with the dam on the water side after a dive from the hill on the approach side to fly the few hundred yards drop the bomb then climb out above the hills on the far side! My question is was this a bouncing bomb? The distance suggests not! I have not read anything anywhere on this subject, perhaps I have not looked far enough.

Missed that, do you recall the name of the doco? Be interested to see it .

I think you are referring to the documentary with George “Johnnie” Johnson. Narrated by Stephen Fry, called “Last of the Dambusters”. It can be found on YouTube.

That sounds about right, They showed it around the 70th anniversary last year, well worth a watch.

hi,
I think with all the recriminations and such, it was said the dams were repaired within 3months and war production re-started, but the other side of the coin- that was 3 months of lost production, man power used were not used elseware, and I think in 1943 it gave the public a real needed boost.

I think you are referring to the documentary with George “Johnnie” Johnson. Narrated by Stephen Fry, called “Last of the Dambusters”. It can be found on YouTube.

Enter the KING

WESTMORELAND. O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!

KING. What’s he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark’d to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God’s will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.
God’s peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man’s company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call’d the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam’d,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian.’
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispian’s day.’
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb’red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

Missed that, do you recall the name of the doco? Be interested to see it .

Did anyone watch that documentary where one of the veterans went back to meet some of the people who’s lives it effected? It was very moving, he got quite upset.