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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Dambusters remembered 65 years on | Dambusters remembered 65 years on |
| (about 19 hours later) | |
| A service and fly-past has been held to mark the 65th anniversary of the World War II Dambusters mission. | A service and fly-past has been held to mark the 65th anniversary of the World War II Dambusters mission. |
| A Lancaster bomber flew three times over Derwent Reservoir in Derbyshire, which was used by the original pilots to train ahead of their famous raid. | A Lancaster bomber flew three times over Derwent Reservoir in Derbyshire, which was used by the original pilots to train ahead of their famous raid. |
| In 1943, the RAF's 617 Squadron set out to destroy three dams in Germany's Ruhr valley. They managed to breach two, giving a boost to Britain's war effort. | In 1943, the RAF's 617 Squadron set out to destroy three dams in Germany's Ruhr valley. They managed to breach two, giving a boost to Britain's war effort. |
| The service remembered the eight aircraft and 53 crew who were lost. | The service remembered the eight aircraft and 53 crew who were lost. |
| A Spitfire, a Hurricane, two Tornadoes and a Dakota transport plane joined the fly-past. | A Spitfire, a Hurricane, two Tornadoes and a Dakota transport plane joined the fly-past. |
| Most of them travelled from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire to take part. | Most of them travelled from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire to take part. |
| Low-level mission | Low-level mission |
| Sqn Ldr Les Munro, the last surviving pilot from the mission which was codenamed Operation Chastise, was a guest of honour. | Sqn Ldr Les Munro, the last surviving pilot from the mission which was codenamed Operation Chastise, was a guest of honour. |
| The New Zealander said: "I feel a certain amount of pride that I've outlasted the other pilots. | The New Zealander said: "I feel a certain amount of pride that I've outlasted the other pilots. |
| "I'm not sure whether that says anything about the way I've lived and that sort of thing, but I think that I've always had a bit of satisfaction in that I've outlasted many of the others." | "I'm not sure whether that says anything about the way I've lived and that sort of thing, but I think that I've always had a bit of satisfaction in that I've outlasted many of the others." |
| Also present was Michael Gibson whose uncle, Wing Cdr Guy Gibson, led the Dambusters. | Also present was Michael Gibson whose uncle, Wing Cdr Guy Gibson, led the Dambusters. |
| WWII Dambusters raid revisited | WWII Dambusters raid revisited |
| During the service, 88-year-old Richard Todd, who played Mr Gibson in the 1954 film The Dambusters, laid poppies on the water of the reservoir. | During the service, 88-year-old Richard Todd, who played Mr Gibson in the 1954 film The Dambusters, laid poppies on the water of the reservoir. |
| The Lancaster is the last left flying in the UK, and there are only two still airworthy in the world. | The Lancaster is the last left flying in the UK, and there are only two still airworthy in the world. |
| It flew 100ft above the water, which compares to the 60ft of the Dambusters on their practice runs. | It flew 100ft above the water, which compares to the 60ft of the Dambusters on their practice runs. |
| On 16 May 1943, 19 aircraft set out to destroy the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams in Germany's industrial heartland. | On 16 May 1943, 19 aircraft set out to destroy the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams in Germany's industrial heartland. |
| They used specially-designed drum-shaped bouncing bombs which skimmed across the water, rolled down the dam wall and exploded at depth. | They used specially-designed drum-shaped bouncing bombs which skimmed across the water, rolled down the dam wall and exploded at depth. |
| Only 11 of the aircraft returned from the perilous low-level mission in which they flew at just 150ft all the way from England before descending for the bombing run to defeat the German radar. | Only 11 of the aircraft returned from the perilous low-level mission in which they flew at just 150ft all the way from England before descending for the bombing run to defeat the German radar. |
| It resulted in the largest awarding of medals at any one time during the war. | It resulted in the largest awarding of medals at any one time during the war. |
| The bouncing bombs were the brainchild of legendary aviation engineer Sir Barnes Wallis, who was knighted in 1968. |