Operation Chastise 69th Anniversary

[Halton Brat]

Tomorrow, 16 May, is the 69th anniversary of Operation Chastise/Dambusters/617 Sqn.

Two weeks ago, I decided to visit the Moehne, Eder & Sorpe dams as my own tribute to the brave men of 617 Sqn. Departing my base on the Moselle river, I mounted my trusty motorcycle and sallied forth, terrifying sundry old ladies along my route.

The end of day 1 saw me with a bum like a Japanese flag, and positioned for an overnight stay in Guetersloh town, my stamping ground for 4yrs in the mid/late 80's. Dear God, the Army have turned the main gate of the camp into a fortress; however, I was able to glimpse the Sgt's Mess from the roadway. I tried to conjure up memories of the bar therein, but gave up.

Day 2 noon & I'm sitting on the parapet of the Moehne dam with my decrepit c.1960 Pan paperback Dambusters book (Brickhill), reading the account of the attack. All very vivid, and the water level was as high as it was in 1943 - very near the top of the dam. I was able to find clear evidence of .303 bullet strikes on the top stones of the parapets - those on the towers seem to have been airbrushed out. 617's gunners had been busy indeed.

So, jumping onto Mr Honda's finest, I tore off south to the Sorpe (30mins ride). The very different construction of this dam is evident; massive earth banking fore & aft of a concrete core. I couldn't really see how they expected to crack this one - the weapon was delivered by flying along the line of the dam, and was not rotated before release. 617 did re-arrange the parapet promenade though.

On the bike again & off to the Eder (great weather all 3 days of the trip). This is a 2hr ride east through lovely country (or c.15mins in a Lancaster, if you are pushed for time.....).

The Eder dam is of a similar construction to the Moehne. Although 617 did not encounter AAA here (the Germans thought its' best defence was the local terrain), the flying required to drop the weapon here was truly breathtaking. Diving steeply to water level via the valley just west of Schloss Waldeck, then turning c.90' left over the spit of land which extends from the south shore, they had 5-6 seconds to establish speed & height before reaching the drop point c.400m from the dam. Beyond the dam, the terrain immediately rises sharply on the left & in front; a very hard climbing turn to the right would be required. Oh, and by the way, it is night-time. The night of the attack was a full moon; staying at the very nice hotel on the north shore, close to the dam, I was able to walk along the dam on the first-quarter moon-lit night of my visit. The night was gin-clear; though 617 had a full moon, I marvelled at the bravery and skill of these very young men on that night 69 years ago.

I salute them all.

HB

[Al R]

:ok: <<likes>>

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

A remarkable feat of arms. I was lucky enough to attend the 50th reception at Scampton and meet some of them.

Best way to visit the Dams by road.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5235/7202968518_7cb86d8b8a_m.jpg

wonder where that ensign came from??

Took a JP over Ladybower (didn't everyone?). Had the pleasure of low flying over the Dams on a Germany det. Host squadron dude said after the flight "Hope you didn't go over the Dams below 1000'";). "Oops, promise we won't do it again".

[Circuit Clear]

Like most of us born in the 50`s, I too read said book over and over again, managed to obtain Enemy Coast Ahead and carried on in my aim to be a pilot in the RAF.
Unfortunately, my medical condition only allowed employment in ground trades.
Many years later I found myself as passenger in a T7 thundering over the dams on a beautiful, if unusually clear sunny spring morning. Thankfully in those days, low flying was still de rigeur and I marvelled at how things flowed by at 250ft and unspeakably fast! Incredibly, I managed to rattle off some photos in spite of being cramped down in 4G turns!!
Having also visited the Mohne and Eder on the ground, its only when you walk out along the parapet that the sheer enormity of the mission and its requirements hit home.
After more than 34 years in the service and now retired, my admiration for this inspirational operation remains. An opportunity to explore the BBMF Lancaster from inside completed my unplanned but welcomed "boys own tour"
Must be something in the Bitburger, as I moved to within 5 miles of the Mosel river!

[Halton Brat]

Circuit Clear, pls check your PM's.

HB

F3WMB

I see lots of those cars in the mirrors of my bike...........that's where they stay.........

[orgASMic]

Halton Brat, I made a point of making the same trip by motorbike on one of my last weekends at Gutersloh before my internment with the Army Air Corps finished. It was an absolutely splendid day out and a great way to conduct such a staff ride.
You are right about what the Army has done to Gutersloh - I nearly wept when I arrived, having previously been there when it was immaculate and bursting with RAF, the air filled with the whine of Harriers and the clatter of Pumas and Chinooks. The trucks and very few Lynx and Gazelle present (Bosnia was popular in those days) did not made quite such an inspiring racket. After catching up with some mates at Laarbruch one Friday night, I was treated to a PD from several Harriers the following Monday. The first phone call was from a very disgruntled Met officer who was upset I had not warned him to get his camera out. The second was from an even more disgruntled garrison colonel who wanted to know what all the noise was and who was going to explain it to the Stadt!

[langleybaston]

THEY ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.

I visited all the dams several times when stationed at EDUO ......... and once at night.

The total concept and execution was awe-inspiring, and the gallantry beyond belief.

RIP

[Dan Gerous]

From the 65th celebration at Derwent. Hoping for more of the same for the 70th

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v382/toom317/Lanc04.jpg

[Circuit Clear]

Here`s hoping they can see this at the top table in Valhalla...

[cazatou]

The UK declared War against Germany on 3/9 1939

Guy Gibson flew on the first Operation against Germany on 3 September 1939.

[MAINJAFAD]

617 did re-arrange the parapet promenade though

9 Squadron did a better job in that respect in Oct 1944 (A lot of people don't know that the Sorpe was attacked twice during the war).

[Tiger_mate]

1000' over the dam, jeez, you need oxygen at that height. So I'm not fessing up to how low I have flown across it :E (mohne). Those were the days, I went down the lake west -east in a Harrier T4 at very low level so the 1000' rule must be a relatively recent ruling. Flying the attack profile from overhead Soest eastbound to the final turn onto attack track is a bloody good way of aquiring respect for the Lancaster boys . The BBMF cab was banned from overflying it on the 50th anniversary so the Red Arrows did it instead.

[500N]

Tiger

Why were the BBMF banned from over flying it ?

Too close to home for the Germans or didn't want to risk the aircraft ?

[STANDTO]

I heard BBMF were actually asked to overfly but declined. From a good source too.

[Dan Gerous]

When I was at Lossie in the late 70's, there was a story going round that 8 Sqn did it in one of their Shacklebombers. Anyone know if this is this true?

[Tankertrashnav]

The total concept and execution was awe-inspiring, and the gallantry beyond belief.


Seconded without reservation.

Once flew from Stansted to Paderborn in a Boeing 737, map reading my way from the Dutch Coast out of the window and mentally transferring myself to a Lanc at low level at night. The next day my son drove my wife and me to the Mohne Dam. As an ex nav I regard those men as the very cream of their profession, and no amount of niggardly "evaluation" of the dams raid will ever take away anything from their achievement in my opinion.

[Downwind.Maddl-Land]

Seconded, third'ed, whatever.

Total respect and admiration for all those involved. Hopgood should have got a VC too :D.

[Tiger_mate]

I think that it must have been the 40th anniversary that the Lanc was banned as I was at EDUO in those days. Not only was the Lanc banned from overflying the dam but it was banned from German airspace terminal. Times have changed and opinions softened but does anyone know if the Lancaster has ever flown over Germany since?

At that time a request was made fm the UK for the dam overflight which was rejected politically so no such request was made for the Reds who coincidently happened to be transiting south to north to EDUO.

[kiwibrit]

9 Squadron did a better job in that respect in Oct 1944

IX did a better job bombing Tirpitz, too :ok:

[Jobza Guddun]

"9 Squadron did a better job in that respect in Oct 1944."

Something IX has been doing ever since! :ok:

[BEagle]

Happened to be at Gut on EX. BOLD GAUNTLET back in 1982. This was a pretty dull exercise which involved us in our F-4s, the French with their Mirages and the Spams with F-15s escorting either a C-130 or C-160 up an imaginary north/south 'passageway' (don't mention corridor!) looking out for the odd F-16 or Hunter T8 bounce.

But there was also the chance of the odd LLOLPIs trip. By a remarkable stroke of fate, I was programmed for one such trip on the 40th anniversary of the Dams raid. The other jet went TU on start, so we went off for a low level navex instead. Then heard that the other jet was now serviceable and would meet us somewhere en route.

After wazzing the Nurgburgring, we carried on around the route and happened upon the Edersee. Around which I'd paddled in a canoe during King Rock in 1969. So it had to be done; round the castle and across the lake, noting that the locals were 'waving' from various vantage points. So much fun that we did it again, then set off to intercept the other jet inbound. After joining up, I asked him if he'd ever 'done' the Eder; when he said he hadn't, we did it as a pair. Then back to Gut.

Chatting about this after landing, we were overheard by the SNavO who looked rather pale. "Don't you know you're not allowed to fly low level over the Eder?", he queried. "Nope", I replied, "anyway we were up at 250 ft!". After a few more "We'll be in the $hit over this" mutterings, he buggered off.....

"Good job we didn't tell him about the Moenhe on the way home", I said to my friendly nav....:hmm:

Funnily enough, no-one ever complained.

Happy times!

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

"anyway we were up at 250 ft!" :D:D:D

I suspect the Dams boys would be proud. I know the BoB boys I've met were that we still 'bent' the rules occasionally.

At the 50th, I was the co-pilot on the BBMF Devon which we'd used to ferry the Chaplain-in-Chief up. As we lined up for the short hop to Coningsby, the Captain said "we'll just wait". It was a perfect evening, and we had a very thoughtful and silent 3 minutes or so, sitting in leather seats with the noise of props and piston engines, thinking about the men who'd left 50 years earlier. We rolled at 28 minutes past, as the first Lancaster had (though 2 hours earlier as we weren't cleared for night flying); a kind of tribute.

[Tiger_mate]

The crew had to release the bomb while flying at exactly 220 mph and at a height of exactly 60 feet above the water.

A Puma couldnt do 220mph sadly :E

[ArthurR]

Kiwibrit & Jobza Guddun:



Both squadrons have always laid claim to sinking the Turpitz, but 617 sqn led the raid:

All three RAF attacks on the Tirpitz were led by WingCommander JB "Willy" Tait, who had succeeded Wing Commander Leonard Cheshire as CO of No. 617 Squadron in July 1944.

[Heathrow Harry]

IIRC the photo evidence wasn't definitive on the Turpitz - but she'd been badly damaged in an earlier raid and probably wasn't fit for sea when she was sunk

[Motleycallsign]

I don't think either venerable Sqn 'sank' the Tirpitz. She capsized as a result of the bombing raid but the hull never went underwater, so technically she couldn't have been 'sunk'. Sinking of the Battleship Tirpitz (http://www.bombercommandmuseum.ca/tirpitz.html) shows her being scrapped after the war.

[Circuit Clear]

The Lancaster most certainly did return to Germany.
When I was at Laarbruch 80-83, there was a birthday celebration for the junior Bucc sqn...XV who at the time claimed to be one of the oldest if not the eldest squadron having roots before 1915.
No-one really cared in those days of multitudes of stations and aircraft. Inter squadron rivalry was important, especially in those heady days twixt XV and The Saints.
For XVs big birthday bash, they had a Victor (which were previously flown) lots of flying from RAFG Buccs, Phantoms and a GR3 which took off on the taxiway outside the sqn site. But the star was the Lancaster ( also previously flown during the war) on the ground and in the air. It came across from UK with a 125, that may have belonged to 32, for navigation purposes and was the first time a Lancaster had been back. Apparently the sound evoked memories from within Holland and Germany!
I do have some grainy colour photos of the occasion which I should really "modernise"

[ArthurR]

To true Motelycallsign, two bombs (Tallboys)went straight through the deck, but the one that did the damage, was a near miss that caused the ship to capsize, but due to the depth of the water, it just lay on its side,

Operation Catechism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Catechism)


For you Jobza Guddun

On 12 November 2009 the attack was re-enacted in a competition between No. 9 and 617 Squadrons at Wainfleet Air Weapons Range, again 617 Squadron proved to be victorious.