Corporal Reg Thompson, Ground Crew, 617 Squadron (Dams and Tirpitz raids) So I, in a daze, I went back to the, to my crew, and they said what happened, History is just history, stop looking back on it with rose coloured specs. In May 2021, No. 617 Squadron embarked eight F-35B Lightnings on board HMS Queen Elizabeth as part of Carrier Strike Group 2021 (CSG21), operating alongside VMFA-211 as the fixed wing component. On 16 November 2021, one of the squadron's F-35B fighters crashed during operations in the Mediterranean. The pilot was able to eject safely. Please note that the contents of this disk are protected electronically against unauthorised copying and use. Gibson and crew at "crew-in". Operation: Bergen (Specific target:- The floating docks) Date: 12th January 1945 (Friday) Unit: No. Now, all that was now required was the men to carry out the mission; the Dambusters. 35 Squadron vs No. The mission was codenamed Operation 'Chastise'. Its just a dog, its name is offensive now and was back then to those offended by it. Type: Lancaster I (BI Special) Serial: NF992. Naturally, Brickhall's book is based on real events, this is a true story complete with photographs of the main players, aircrews and the amazing aircraft. spitzer1@comcast.net. 1 Squadron RAF Regiment 0001. January 29, 2022 by RAF PATHFINDERS ARCHIVE. Flt Lt D.J. Maudslay tried once more, but his mine hit the parapet with him just above it. Objectives of the Association are exclusively charitable: a. Vivian Nicholson. a. 10 May 1921 - 21 June 2008. Profiles of every active regular and reserve RAF squadron, including their roles, aircraft, location, contact details, and history. I'd love to learn the name of the B-17 and if anyone has a photo of the crew. 617 squadron, which was immortalised in the Dambusters film, has been reformed to fly the Royal Air Forces (RAF) latest front-line aircraft, the F35 Lightning II. The Dambusters Raid. 617 Squadron Nose Art. Shannon (DSO) Sgt R.J. Henderson. RAF Brize Norton. 617 Squadron (August 1981) No. He was Vulcan ground crew on 230 OCU in the fifties so was well aware of the history of 617 squadron. Of course I will replace also this idiot logo of the squadron, exposed here. Killed No.617 Squadron is undoubtedly the most famous RAF squadron of the Second World War, earning that fame on its very first operational sortie, the famous dams raid of 16/17 May 1943. Search AIR 27 by squadron number or name to find relevant operations record books. The aircraft took off from Woodhall Spa at 20.51 hours on a mission to bomb Munich. AJ-L ED929/G. Hits: 2546 . You can also add keywords such as training. Harold Simmonds. 425 Squadron, was in Rockcliffe. Victor Hill. Eighty men survived the raid. RAF squadrons can fly aircraft or be ground based carrying out many different roles. Nobody ever reacts unless they are fired upon but yesterday we were fired upon from the ground." This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). I will publish more info about this squadron. The 617 Squadron was formed during the Second World War for the famous Dambuster raids, led by Guy Gibson. The Allsebrooke crew gather with ground staff for this pleasing photo taken on B - Bakers dispersal at Fiskerton (the village is just over the hill behind them). Wing Commander John Herbertson (Officer in Charge 617 Squadron) briefs the crew for their final sortie. Information from publishers game page Operation Chastise: the Dambuster Raid On the night of May 16, 1943, nineteen Lancaster bombers of 617 Squadron took off from their base near Lincoln in Great Britain and headed for the heart of German industry in the Ruhr. The squadrons task was to destroy the dams that controlled the reservoirs feeding Germanys war engine. The aircraft had an impressive lifting capacity. Squadron Leader Larry Curtis flew more than 70 bombing operations during the Second World War and had the very unusual distinction for a wireless operator of earning two DFCs. Operations record books of stations and miscellaneous units (1911-1980) Search our catalogue for operations record books of stations and miscellaneous units for details of the daily events and operations of any RAF unit. The new Officer Commanding of 617 Squadron, Wing Commander John Butcher, has taken his first flight in an F-35B. Administrator. "Mick", also bearing his name "Air Marshal Sir Harold Martin" at top, 1p. He was quite clear to me that it was highly insulting to use that word. UPKEEP. Walker (bar DFC) F/O B. Goodale. Enemy Coast head The Dambusteby Philip E. West. The new Officer Commanding of 617 Squadron, Wing Commander John Butcher, has taken his first flight in an F-35B. We seek additional information and photographs. The Incredible Story Of. In January 1944, Ross joined 57 Squadron RAF at Scampton. On the 24th April 1944 George Harden was one of the eight man crew of Lancaster DV394 coded KC-M. 617 Squadron had been formed under great secrecy at RAF Scampton in March 1943 for the specific task of attacking three major dams in the Ruhr industrial region in Germany. I'm looking for the first names of RCAF personnel who served with 617 Squadron during 1944-1945: P/O Dry, William J., J/88794 RCAF, rear gunner. No 617 Squadron was formed at Scampton on 21st March 1943. bravery of the attacking aircrews together with survivors the With both 100 and 120 Squadrons did after the War 617 squadron dambusters survivors Command of Wing Commander Gibs An engine is on a crane with several ground crew working on it. F/Sgt L.J. Frederick III. George then joined 617 Squadron, the famous "Dam Busters". A squadron dog with controversial name. Serial: NF923. THE NAMES. 617 Squadron, Royal Air Force, attacked the railway viaduct at Arnsberg, Germany, using the 22,000 pound (9,979 kilogram) Grand Slam earth-penetrating bomb. A wreath was laid at the 617 Squadron Dam Memorial in Woodhall Spa on behalf of the Association by two members, Trevor Muhl, Air Gunner 8/42 - Bomb Aimer 10/44 representing aircrew, and Joe/'Beck' Parsons, Electrician 3/41-3/43 representing ground crew, both of whom also served with 617 Squadron.The brief ceremony was conducted by Frank Haslam jnr, And he said to me, didn't you hear me, I said, yes sir, I'd love to, and I'm sure the crew would. 617 Squadron . On 31 July 1944, 617 Squadron was linked with 9 Squadron for a "Tallboy" deep penetration bomb attack on a V-weapon storage dump at Rilly-la-Montagne, near Rheims. The ground crew doing maintenance work on a Halifax II of No 408 Squadron at Leeming, August 10th, 1943. RAF Lossiemouth. Recommended Tamiya Colors: AS-22 Dark Earth, AS-9 Dark Green, AS-11 Medium Sea Gray. Four realistically recreated flight-crew figures, one ground-crew figure and two types of markings for aircraft of 617 Squadron top off this highly authentic recreation. As well as bombing, the unit supported the D-Day assault with Operation TAXABLE, a radar-spoofing mission. b. The Squadron evolved specifically for the famous Dams raids that took place on the night of 16/17 May 1943. During this raid, the Squadron employed the 'Upkeep', a bouncing bomb designed by Barnes Wallis. I publish here the maps of the Allied Squadrons involved with WWII missions. The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, Lincoln as a surprise where he was stationed in his teens in 1944-1945, as ground crew with 617 Squadron . The 'dambusters' went on to become a highly accurate precision bombing squadron, reserved for special targets either small scale, difficult to hit or that required the use of Barnes Wallis's other This officer has always displayed courage, zeal and determination." And I truly didn't think I'd heard correctly. Also statements from Barnes Wallis, Arthur Harris, Goebbels and Speer as well as German civilians. Now the war in Europe was over it was decided to disband 463 + 4 617 SQUADRON Code: KC:M. On 1 April 2014 the squadron was disbanded. On the reverse 'Archangel (Yagodnik) 17.9.44 Engine Change on PB415'. If you are not the owner of the 617 Sqn Operational Record Book CD-ROM or are not using the contents of this disk in accordance with the license you are in breach of the law and should desist immediately. Disbanded in 2014, 617 Squadron has primarily been a ground attack and reconnaissance squadron and became a household name when, in 1943, they carried out Operation 19 March 1945: Modified Avro Lancaster B Mk.I Special heavy bombers of No. The crew volunteered to join 617 Sqn after that sqn had suffered such severe losses on the Dams raid. Operation Chastise. This officer has always displayed courage, zeal and determination." Crown copyright. Sumpter (DFM) Sgt B. Jagger. Also, the London Gazette is not of much help and only seems to list promotions and full names of RAF members. 1 Ground Defence School 1 Air Observers School Central Gunnery School 5 Gp Anti Air School. RAF squadrons can fly aircraft or be ground based carrying out many different roles. They transferred as an entire crew and tragically all died as an entire crew. The dams were fiercely protected. Tweet . The ground crew are then seen at work preparing a Vulcan for flight. 617 SQUADRON: A 25.5 x 12.5 photograph depicting the Wartime members of 617 Squadron, standing and seated together in four rows on a runway, with an Avro Lancaster bomber in the immediate background, individually signed in pencil to the lower white border by eight pilots of 617 Squadron including Les Munro, Basil Ambrose, George Johnson, John Cole, He said right, you will join 617 squadron. It is less widely known that the ground crews and support tradesmen were also hand-picked. Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC Commanding Officer of 617 Squadron - the Dambusters at Scampton 22, July 1943. The cream of Bomber Command, a 617 Squadron Dambuster aircrew, with the squadron's mascot prior to the famous raid on the industrial dam system of the Ruhr. Johnny Fauquier with a Grand Slam. This is the third of my trilogy of A3+ "Dambuster" prints. The major group is the WWII Crew listing, which contains a complete list of all the crews that flew operational sorties with the squadron during WWII 25017 - RAF 617 Squadron - The Dambusters 70th Anniversary Commemorative Set, 1943. RAF Marham. 97 Squadron Instrument Repairers, Coningsby 17th June 1944 Back row (left to right) LAC Salter, Cpl Mclean, LAC Adcock, Pilot Officer Markwell, AC Fletcher, Sgt Sadler, LAC Murphy, AC Shelton, AC Rosser, LAC Scott. The crew is pictured at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, after the Dambuster raid in May 1943. Johnny Fauquier, Distinguished Service Order and three bars and Distinguished Service Cross, commander of No. The king inspects a line-up of ground crewmen beneath the nose of Frederick III ED989/DX-F, which has a motif derived from a caricature of W/C (Wing Commander) Freddie Campbell Hopcroft, CO of 57 Squadron, which shared Scampton with 617 Squadron. See item details RAF Brize Norton. Drew Rothwell Cullen Wyness DFC, 103028 RAFVR Age 24. Operation: Ladbergen. This fly-on-the-wall documentary charts the thoughts and emotions of the crew and commanders and, importantly, shows the great No. cell: 617-921-0071 About 500 Lossiemouth personnel - from the 12, 14 and 617 Squadrons - are now in the Gulf. because it was unheard of. 2503 Squadron RAuxAF Regiment Antony Stone. Mr Curtis joined the RAF at the age of 18 in 1939 and became a squadron leader with the 617 Dambusters squadron. Promote efficiency of the Royal Air Force by preserving traditions and comradeship by encouraging personnel to benefit from experience/lessons of predecessors by maintaining contact with past members of the Squadron. 617 Squadron, RAF, the famous dam busters, still stationed in the United Kingdom. Thanks for any assistance you can provide.--Bruce Spitzer. 23/24.09.1944 617 Squadron Lancaster I NF923 KC:M Flt Lt. Geoffrey S. Stout DFC. The main party, comprising 142 Ground crew (including three F/Sgts, ten Sergeants and two WAAF) under charge of the Squadron Adjutant, followed in a fleet of buses. how would you like to go to 617 squadron. Tags: 617 Squadron ; ground crew ; ground personnel ; Lancaster ; Tirpitz 's, Intelligence officers and down to the mess waitresses. However, I'm hoping to learn more about his crew. RAF Honington. At the end of 1981 the iconic Avro Vulcan was withdrawn from service and the famous 617 Squadron faced its final days.Fortunately, these last weeks of the 617 Squadron at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, were captured on camera. We were taken by road. Search Reset Result 0. 617 (Dambusters) Squadron, one of the most famous squadrons in the RAF, was formed on 21 March 1943 under the command of Wg Cdr Guy Gibson. On the night of May 16, 1943, nineteen Lancaster bombers of 617 Squadron took off from their base near Lincoln in Great Britain and headed for the heart of German industry in the Ruhr. Date: 23rd/24th September 1944 (Saturday/Sunday) Unit: 617 Squadron. They process all applications for medals to exmembers of the RAF in World War II. 1 engine that damaged the fuel system and led to an engine fire. RAF Marham. The legendary name was resurrected in 1958 as a fitting moniker for those who would lead Britain's defence against a new kind of warfare - the threat of nuclear attack. The night of 16/17 May 1943 was clear with a full moon, perfect conditions for the raid. The aircraft took off from Woodhall Spa at 20.51 hours on a mission to bomb Munich. Destruction of power generation, water supply and industrial capacity was the objective. June 9, 2018. Hammer Price: Interested in the price of this lot? No. We must have travelled back to camp by train to Saxilby and then walked. Aircraft serial number: 42-31829. George then joined 617 Squadron, the famous "Dam Busters". Digitally logged. Royal Air Force. Survived/Murdered (1) Flt Eng: Flt Sgt. Air Crew. Operation: Ladbergen. On the 24th April 1944 George Harden was one of the eight man crew of Lancaster DV394 coded KC-M. The nineteen specially modified Lancasters of 617 Squadron were despatched in three waves from RAF Scampton. Porritt, was killed but the other crewmembers were able to escape the flaming wreck. We seek additional information and photographs. Number 617 Squadron after the Dams Raid by Robert Owen In May 1943 Number 617 Squadron of Bomber Command, the Royal Air Force, succeeded in breaching two of Germanys great dams. Educate and inform general public on work and history of. Please contact us via the Helpdesk. 617 Squadron Lancaster BI NF992 KC-B Crew loss story. Code: KC:M. 35 Squadron vs No. Section One contains year by year listings of personnel on strength of (or attached to) the squadron. 617 Squadron at Scampton in March 1943. F/Lt English, F. L., J/17159 RCAF, rear gunner. Weighing 36,900 lb empty (or 16,738 kg), it was able to haul an additional 33,100 lb (or 15,014 kg) in fuel and bombs. It experimented with new bomb sights, target marking techniques and colossal new 'earthquake' bombs developed by Barnes Wallis, the inventor of the 'bouncing bomb'. On 7 January 1971, Vulcan B.2 XM610 of No.44 Squadron crashed after fatigue failure of a blade in the No. John Fort. 1 Tactical Police Squadron 617 Squadron 0617. Subscribe to the price guide Auction Date: 14 Aug 2013 10:30 BST Auctioneer: Tennants Auctioneers. Incidentally they had no parachutes, so for moral purposes on these trips only, we also flew without. Martin was a crew member of the third aircraft to attack the Mohne Dam. These listings provide the names of personnel that were on strength of (or attached to) the squadron, grouped into various categories (eg those that were POW, those that were in the Guinea Pig Club). Thomas James Hurdiss 1239780 RAFVR Age 23. Please check availability with your local retailer; click HERE to find a retailer near you. Type: Lancaster I. Type: Lancaster I. Gibson led the first wave of nine aircraft and was the first to attack the Mhne Dam. Image #1 is the only one in which the name (Uncle Chuck-chuck) may be clearly read on the photograph. In the cauldron of total war, it is right and proper that both the 1,400 civilians killed in these floods and the 53 crew members from 617 Squadron lost in the attack have their place in the narrative. 11th December 1981. 617 Squadron . P/O J. Buckley (DFC) AJ-Z ED937/G. King George VI visits Scampton 1943 - King walking with Stn Cdr Gp Capt Whitworth DSO DFC and Wg Cdr Gibson VC DSO DFC. 9 Squadron (November 1981) will help you establish more details about your friends or relatives who served with the squadron. Thus was the birth of No. When the first Lancaster B1 Special (PB997) arrived at Downham Market on 5 March, Johnny Fauquier, the Canadian C/O of 617 Squadron, was eager to try it out.During a post-war interview, he recalled his first flight with a Grand Slam on board -the first time anyone had tried to take off, and land, with the huge bomb, Only 48 men who took part in the raid survived the war. Within Categories. On our new website, we have just added some interesting and unusually detailed German eyewitness reports of the loss of the Robertson crew after the Nuremburg raid of 27/28 August 1943. Halifax J of No 432 Squadron crashed at take-off at East Moor, Yorkshire, April 16th, 1945. Flown on 16/17 May, the raid destroyed the Eder and Mhne dams. The unit returned to combat in July 1944 - Now flying from RAF Woodhall Spa, 617 Squadron began dropping the 12,000lb Tallboy and, later, 22,000lb Grand Slam bombs. Harold Martin, Pilot; Jack Leggo, Navigator; Robert Hay, Bomb Aimer; Ivan Whittaker, Flight Engineer; Leonard Chambers, Wireless Operator; Bertie Towner Foxlee, Front Gunner AJ-P crew members. Of the 133 crew flying in 19 planes, 53 lost their lives, while another three became prisoners of war. The Survivors of 617 Squadron:- a group photograph of air and ground crew, seated and standing. 23/24.09.1944 617 Squadron Lancaster I NF923 KC:M Flt Lt. Geoffrey S. Stout DFC. 97 Squadron Nose Art. Search near . After various operations (invasion in Iraq), it was announced that in July 2013 - 617 Squadron will be the first operational Royal Air Force squadron to fly the new F-35B Lightning II. We are then introduced, via captions, to the current members of 617 Squadron: Flight Lieutenant Mike Kay (captain); Flight Lieutenant Chalie Brakewell (Navigator Plotter); Flight Lieutenant Austen Dancey (Navigator Radar); and Flight Lieutenant Paul Beech (co-pilot). They are seen preparing for a flight and being briefed. The Squadron crest was chosen by HM King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, when they visited RAF Scampton on 27th May 1943. Coded: KC-B. On the 5th March 1943 we were posted as a crew to No 57 Squadron, Scampton. As a young punk I had read Paul Brickhall's book of the same name so I knew exactly what this 1955 movie was based upon. The crew abandoned the aircraft safely, and the aircraft crashed harmlessly in Wingate. The squadron developed tactics to use the bouncing bomb. Type: Lancaster I Serial: NG180 Code: KC:S Base: RAF Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, England Location: In the vicinity of the Kembs-Mrkt barrage Pilot: Sqn Ldr. 617 Squadron 0617. Battery positioned in bomb storage bay for easy access. Operation Chastise was an attack on German dams carried out on 1617 May 1943 by Royal Air Force No. Lancaster aircraft on ground from 617 SQN. Karen Barker has provided this photograph of her father, LAC Roy Whitehead. The most famous bouncing bomb mission was the RAFs Operation Chastise of 16-17 May 1943, better known now as the Dambusters mission, in which 19 specially modified Lancaster Bombers of 617 Squadron carried out an attack on the dams in Germanys Ruhr Valley. 617 Squadron, subsequently publicised as the Dam Busters, [1] using a specially developed bouncing bomb invented and developed by Sir Barnes Wallis.The Mhne and Edersee Dams were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of After flying 14 operations with 57 Squadron he was transferred to 617 Squadron in April 1944. Joint Aircraft Recovery and Transportation Squadron. THE CREW OF AJ-J. Gibson flew only on the Dambusters raid with 617 Squadron even though its members flew several more precision bombing missions afterwards. The control entitlement and issue of medals lies at PMA Sec 1C at RAF Innsworth, Gloucester. Thanks to the epic raids against the German dams by No 617 Squadron flown from Scampton, the name of the airfield became very widely known to the British nation generally. The squadrons task was to destroy the dams that controlled the reservoirs feeding Germanys war engine. In March 1943, 617 squadron was formed, based at RAF Scampton, to carry out the raid on the dams. In 1993 there was a change in the role of 617 Squadron, in 1994 they are operational from RAF Lossiemouth. The pilot, F/L W.H. No. As a 617 Squadron Royal Air Force. May 5, 2022. No. After the success of the Ruhr dams raid in May 1943, 617 Squadron was retained by RAF Bomber Command for specialist precision bombing operations. Pilot Officer Leslie Knight, who breached the Eder Dam, would be killed just four months after Operation Chastise, on the infamous Dortmund-Ems Canal raid, 16-9-1943. Read More. The 'Dambusters', published 2008, is told throughout by amazing testimony from flight crew, ground crew, RAF C.O. Operation Chastise: the Dambuster Raid. THE IMAGES. Please contact us via the Helpdesk. 1 (F) Squadron 0001. Serial: NF923. the aircrew he flew with, and likely his ground crew as well. 1944 - Now flying from RAF Woodhall Spa, 617 Squadron began dropping the 12,000lb Tallboy and, later, 22,000lb Grand Slam bombs. Answer (1 of 2): The numbers do not really break down by aircraft, because so many personnel, from the WAAFs packing parachutes to the aircraftsmen driving and manning the fuel bowsers were not specific to a particular aircraft, or even squadron. Anyone who knew Roy can e-mail Karen direct tkb@timbarker.freeserve.co.uk LAC Brian Macken 617 Squadron was led by 24-year old Wing Commander Guy Gibson and consisted of aircrew from Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. 'Upkeep' was designed to attack and breach three key dams in the Ruhr valley supplying energy and water to the Nazi war machine. 617 Squadron (including ground crew) shortly after the squadrons formation. He joined the squadron in 1943 following the raids on May 16 and 17 which used bouncing bombs to destroy dams in the Ruhr Valley, Germany, in which 56 RAF air crew died. William Hatton. Operation Chastise was an attack on German dams carried out on the night of 16/17 May 1943 by 617 Squadron RAF Bomber Command, later called the Dam Busters, using special "bouncing bombs" developed by Barnes Wallis.The Mhne and Edersee dams were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of the Ruhr valley and of villages in the Eder valley; the Sorpe Dam 622 Squadron RAuxAF 0622. Ground Training (on station and off station) No. We seek additional information and photographs. Small tear at bottom, else very good; HAROLD MARTIN (1918-1988) Australian Air Marshal of the RAF, Pilot of Lancaster ED909/G AJ-P of 617 Squadron on the Dambusters Raid. Unit: 617 Squadron, 5 Group. It included personnel from the RCAF, the RAAF and RNZAF and was formed specifically to attack three dams, the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe, on the Ruhr (Operation Chastise, 17th may 1943). 617 Squadron "Dambusters". The Squadron Standard was paraded before the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, before Officer Commanding 617 Squadron, Wing Commander John Butcher asked for permission to reform the squadron. The following pages provide details on the personnel that are known to have been on strength of (or attached to) the squadron throughout its history. F/O D.R. Of these, 22 were killed serving in 617 Squadron later in the war and 10 more were killed while serving with other squadrons. A new squadron was formed at Scampton on 21st March 1943, initially known as X Squadron and latterly as 617 Squadron, and the 24 year old Wing Commander Guy Gibson was personally selected to lead it by none other than Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Bomber Harris, the Commander-in-Chief of Bomber Command. The original crew of 617 Squadron who carried drum-shaped bombs that bounced on water and exploded against dam walls. 617 Squadron. Date: 23rd/24th September 1944 (Saturday/Sunday) Unit: 617 Squadron. Apparently, he was the only casualty of the mission and his crew survived the war. Both Royal Air Force and Royal Navy pilots, maintainers and ground crew are currently training on the F-35 in South Carolina ahead of the return of 617 Squadron to RAF Marham in Norfolk next summer. Lancaster JA958K crashed at Bubenreuth, near Erlangen, around 16. David Maltby. On the night of 16-17 May 1943, Wing Commander Guy Gibson led 617 Squadron of the Royal Air Force on an audacious bombing raid to destroy three dams in the Ruhr valley, the industrial heartland of Germany. 617 Sqn Dambusters is designated as the first front line UK F-35B Lightning squadron and will return to RAF Marham next summer. Between them, IX and 617 Squadrons, both employing Tallboys, sank the battleship Tirpitz in November. This item is SOLD OUT direct from W. Britain. He came to 97 Squadron as ground crew in June 1942 and stayed with the Squadron until March 1944 when C Flight of 97 went to make up the new 635 Squadron, and Roy went with them. It has been published as is and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. A 617 Squadron Lancaster releaseing an 'Upkeep' mine in testing. OPERATIONS IN. No. The amazing story has been compiled by Max Arthur for the Oral History series. Hastings begins Chastise by describing the British war effort in 1943. A.L.S. Their task is a tough one, one hand trying to be fair and correct and on the other keeping to the rules bounding the issue of medals. Anticipated flood damage would be a second order bonus. 622 Squadron RAuxAF 0622. Squadron Leader Chip Brunson arrives to tell the crew that they have nine flying hours left before the squadron is disbanded. The bomb had been first used just days before, 14 March, against another railway viaduct. If you re-call my father could you please let me know. Please contact us via the Helpdesk. It should be noted that a small ground crew team, specifically attached to the Lancaster of No. Royal Air Force Wing Commander Guy Gibson (1918 1944) and his wife Eve after his investiture at Buckingham Palace, London, 22nd June 1943. On the six panels of the 617 Squadron memorial at Woodhall Spa (Lincolnshire) are the names engraved of the 204 crew members of 617 Squadron who lost their lives during operations / training and transfer flights during World War II; including the names of the crew members who have served with 617 Squadron and lost their lives in service of another unit. The squadron's chosen motto was " Aprs nous le dluge " ("After me, the flood"), a humorous double entendre on a famous saying of Madame de Pompadour to King Louis XV, made on the loss at the Battle of Rossbach by the French. The original commander of No. 617 Squadron, Wing Commander Guy Gibson,