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Good news for Dambuster memorial appeal
A piece of good news to cheer us all at this festive season. This blog’s good friend Volker Schürmann has recently informed us that the appeal for funds to erect a permanent memorial at the site where...
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It’s coming on Christmas
Pic: Unsplash It’s coming on Christmas They’re cutting down trees They’re putting up reindeer And singing songs of joy and peace [Joni Mitchell, The River] Songs of joy and peace to all readers of...
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Dambuster of the Day No. 86: Edward Smith
Sgt E C Smith Flight engineer Lancaster serial number: ED936/G Call sign: AJ-H Second wave. Aircraft badly damaged and mine lost, flying low over sea on outward flight. Returned to base. Edward...
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Dambuster of the Day No. 87: Richard Macfarlane
Flg Off R Macfarlane Navigator Lancaster serial number: ED936/G Call sign: AJ-H Second wave. Aircraft badly damaged and mine lost, flying low over sea on outward flight. Returned to base. Richard...
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Dambuster of the Day No. 88: Bruce Gowrie
Pic: Canadian National Archives Wrt Off C B Gowrie Wireless operator Lancaster serial number: ED936/G Call sign: AJ-H Second wave. Aircraft badly damaged and mine lost, flying low over sea on outward...
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Dambuster of the Day No. 89: John Thrasher
The 16 members of the RCAF who survived the Dams Raid, photographed the following day. John Thrasher is in the back row, sixth from the left. His crewmate Bruce Gowrie is in the front row crouching,...
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Dambuster bomb sight sells for £41,000, and is going to ‘good home’
The wooden bomb sight used by Plt Off John Fort on the Dams Raid sold yesterday at auction for a staggering £33,500 hammer price (more than £41,000 with commission and taxes added). The bidding opened...
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Time for a change
The old WordPress theme Pilcrow was a bit 2008… so I’ve now changed it. Hope you like the new look. Appropriately enough, it is called Plane. It’s modern and clean, and a tribute to the guys and gals...
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1942 picture shows Shannon and Walker in 106 Squadron
Pic: IWM Blog reader Clive Smith has sent me this interesting picture, which he unearthed in the Imperial War Museum collection. It shows two crews from 106 Squadron, and was apparently taken at RAF...
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‘Gibson’s cap’ and other Dambuster fakes exposed
The case below was reported on various websites just before and after Christmas. I refrained from posting about it until now because I didn’t want its important story to get confused with the recent...
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Dambuster of the Day No. 90: William Maynard
Sgt T W Maynard Front gunner Lancaster serial number: ED936/G Call sign: AJ-H Second wave. Aircraft badly damaged and mine lost, flying low over sea on outward flight. Returned to base. Thomas William...
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Dambuster of the Day No. 91: Stephen Burns
Sgt S Burns Rear gunner Lancaster serial number: ED936/G Call sign: AJ-H Second wave. Aircraft badly damaged and mine lost, flying low over sea on outward flight. Returned to base. Stephen Burns was...
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Dambuster of the Day No. 92: Joseph McCarthy
Joe McCarthy talks to the King, Scampton, 27 May 1943. Note McCarthy’s dual “Canada USA” shoulder flash. [Pic: IWM CH9925] Flt Lt J C McCarthy DFC Pilot Lancaster serial number: ED825/G Call sign:...
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Dambuster of the Day No. 93: William Radcliffe
Six members of the McCarthy crew, photographed in July 1943. L–R: George “Johnny” Johnson, Don MacLean, Ron Batson, Joe McCarthy, Bill Radcliffe, Len Eaton. [IWM TR1128] Sgt W G Radcliffe Flight...
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Dambuster of the Day No. 94: Donald MacLean
Don MacLean in an official photograph, probably taken soon after the Dams Raid, as he is still wearing his Flight Sergeant’s stripes and crown. [Pic: RCAF] Flt Sgt D A MacLean Navigator Lancaster...
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Dambuster of the Day No. 95: Leonard Eaton
Flt Sgt L Eaton Wireless operator Lancaster serial number: ED825/G Call sign: AJ-T Second wave. First aircraft to attack Sorpe Dam. Mine dropped successfully but failed to breach dam. Returned to...
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Dambuster of the Day No. 96: George Johnson
Johnny Johnson as a newly commissioned Pilot Officer, probably photographed in late 1943. [Pic: Torquay Herald Express] Sgt G L Johnson Bomb aimer Lancaster serial number: ED825/G Call sign: AJ-T...
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Dambuster of the Day No. 97: Ronald Batson
This photograph, taken in August 1943, shows six members of Joe McCarthy’s Dams Raid crew fraternising with recently arrived USAAF personnel. The printed caption on the reverse reads: “Passed By...
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Dambuster of the Day No. 98: David Rodger
Pic: Rodger family Flg Off D Rodger Rear gunner Lancaster serial number: ED825/G Call sign: AJ-T Second wave. First aircraft to attack Sorpe Dam. Mine dropped successfully but failed to breach dam....
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“Part of our country’s glory”
Pic: Ray Hepner Collection This blog has a new good friend, the collector Ray Hepner, who is very kindly allowing me to show some items from his archive over the next few weeks. The first of these is...
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