Chastise: The Dambusters Story 1943

Letter from Gibson to Tees’s mother, informing her that her son is missing in action. (Tees family)

Flooding in Neheim after the raid. (Werner Buehner)

Victims of the flood in Fröndenberg.

Women attempting to salvage household goods after the Möhnekatastrophe.

Albert Speer assessing the damage at the Möhne. (akg-images/Alamy)

Reconstruction work on the Möhne. (Werner Buehner)

Harris with his wife and daughter after the war. (Imperial War Museum)

Barnes Wallis at Teddington during the filming of The Dam Busters. (SWNS)

Wallis with Michael Redgrave, who played him in The Dam Busters. (Pictorial Press Ltd/Alamy)

Epigraph (#u227bd7fb-6808-565f-925f-55fb5fdc5d0e)

Boffin/bofin/n.chiefly Br. informal, a scientific expert; esp. one involved in technological research [origin unknown]

Longman’s Dictionary of the English Language

‘It is proposed to use this weapon … against a large dam in Germany which, if breached, will have serious consequences in the neighbouring industrial area … The operation … will not, it is thought, prove particularly dangerous, but it will undoubtedly require skilled crews … Some training will no doubt be necessary.’

Air Vice-Marshal Robert Oxland, Bomber Command HQ, to Air Vice-Marshal Ralph Cochrane, AOC 5 Group, on 17 March 1943

‘One thing,’ said Dim, ‘if we do go and attack … one of us might possibly get a posthumous VC.’

‘Who wants that?’ said Taffy.

‘Not me,’ said one of the boys. ‘All I want is a Peace and Victory Medal.’

Most of us agreed.

Guy Gibson, Enemy Coast Ahead

After Hollywood mogul Daryl Zanuck was shown the movie The Dam Busters in 1955, he demanded disbelievingly, ‘Is that a true story?’ Yes, he was told. ‘Then why doesn’t it say so?’

RAF Ranks and Army Equivalents (#u227bd7fb-6808-565f-925f-55fb5fdc5d0e)

Marshal of the RAF – Field-Marshal

Air Chief Marshal (ACM) – General

Air Marshal (AM) – Lieutenant-General

Air Vice-Marshal (AVM) – Major-General

Air Commodore (A/C) – Brigadier

Group-Captain (Gp. Capt.) – Colonel

Wing-Commander (W/Cdr.) – Lieutenant-Colonel

Squadron-Leader (S/Ldr.) – Major

Flight-Lieutenant (F/Lt.) – Captain

Flying Officer (F/O) – Lieutenant

Pilot Officer (P/O) – Subaltern

Flight-Sergeant (F/Sgt.) – Warrant Officer

Sergeant (Sgt.) – Sergeant

Corporal (Cpl.) – Corporal

Leading Aircraftman (LAC) – Lance-Corporal

Aircraftman (AC) – Private

Air Officer Commanding (AOC)

Ranks attributed to personnel mentioned in the text are those held at the time of incidents or conversations described.

Abbreviations Used in the Text (#litres_trial_promo)

AOC – Air Officer Commanding

ATS – Auxiliary Territorial Service; women’s branch of the army

CAS – Chief of the Air Staff; head of the RAF

C-in-C – Commander-in-Chief

CO – Squadron commanding officer

Gee – Electronic navigation aid, detecting a grid of radio signals transmitted from the UK, fitted to all Bomber Command aircraft but jammed by the Germans over continental Europe

HCU – Heavy Conversion Unit

IFF – Identification Friend or Foe: electronic radar-pulse identification device fitted to all British aircraft

MAP – Ministry of Aircraft Production

MEW – Ministry of Economic Warfare