Squadron 617

1
Squadron 617The Dambusters16-17 May 1943
Water levels are the highest and would cause the
most destruction
2
(No Transcript)
3
(No Transcript)
4
(No Transcript)
5
The Mohne Dam
6
(No Transcript)
7
The Eder Dam
8
(No Transcript)
9
(No Transcript)
10
Bomb had to be dropped at an exact speed, exact
height of 60 feet, and an exact distance from the
dam.
11
(No Transcript)
12
(No Transcript)
13
(No Transcript)
14
(No Transcript)
15
(No Transcript)
16
(No Transcript)
17
(No Transcript)
18
53 of the 133 aircrew who participated in the
attack were killed, a casualty rate of almost 40
percent. Thirteen of those killed were members of
the Royal Canadian Air Force, while two belonged
to the Royal Australian Air Force.
The loss of hydro-electric power from the dams
was the greatest impact on the Ruhr armaments
production. Two powerplants (producing 5,100
kilowatts) associated with the dam were destroyed
and seven others were damaged. The end result was
a loss of electrical power in the factories and
many households in the region for two weeks.
The Dams Raid was, like many British air raids,
undertaken with a view to the need to keep
drawing German defensive effort back into Germany
and away from actual and potential theatres of
ground war, a policy which culminated in the
Berlin raids of the winter of 19431944. In May
1943 this meant keeping the Luftwaffe and
anti-aircraft defence forces' effort away from
the Soviet Union in early 1944, it meant
clearing the way for the aerial side of the
forthcoming Operation Overlord. The pictures of
the broken dams proved to be a propaganda and
morale boost to the Allies, especially to the
British, still suffering under German bombing.
19
Of the survivors, 34 were decorated at Buckingham
Palace on 22 June, with Gibson awarded the
Victoria Cross. There were five Distinguished
Service Orders, 10 Distinguished Flying Crosses
and four bars, two Conspicuous Gallantry Medals,
and eleven Distinguished Flying Medals and one
bar.