Do you know your Dambusters | Comments

My dad flew a practice bombing run with Big Joe McCarthy & crew in 1944. Ross Stanford arranged the flight after my dad met him while they were hospitalized together. He talked about the flight until the day he died. The most exhilarating thing he did during his four years with the British 6th Airborne. I heard about it so much I got 53% on the test and I've never seen the movie. Hope they do make a new one. My grandsons loved the clip of the old one we watched.

My Mum's 1st cousin was one of two New Zealanders on the dams raid. His Name was Len Chambers and he was the wireless operator on Micky Martins P for Popsie. He survived the war and lived in Karamea on the West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand which is where I grew up. Mum and I visited the Moehne and Eder dams last year on a Bus trip through Europe called The Dambusters, Colditz and the Great Escape.

12 RAAF men took part in operation Chastise, AJZ crashed near Emmerich & not at the Eder, Freddy Tees (rear gunner) survived from AJC, and Frazer & Burcher escaped from AJM.

Minchin got out from AJM but did not survive. Plt Off BT Foxlee RAAF front gunner AJP (Micky Martin's aircraft).

It was as a 9 year old whilst watching the film "Dam Busters" that I found myself taking part.

More please! eg 60ft, 240 mph. Toby Foxlee's role. Barnes Wallis wept. Which bombardier got Tirpitz. Cheshire's mustang - the maiden flight. Maltby's nightmares. Who really came up with the searchlights. Was there a mid upper etc etc etc. Holden's spire. How many bombs took out the Belfield viaduct... Such a rich and tragic story. Lest we forget.

i suck, 18%