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| Dambusters: Pilot Les Munro dies in New Zealand aged 96 | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The last surviving Dambusters pilot, Les Munro, has died at the age of 96, the New Zealand Bomber Command Association has said. | The last surviving Dambusters pilot, Les Munro, has died at the age of 96, the New Zealand Bomber Command Association has said. |
| Sqd Ldr Munro died in hospital in his native New Zealand on Monday following heart problems, the association said. | Sqd Ldr Munro died in hospital in his native New Zealand on Monday following heart problems, the association said. |
| The legendary World War Two Dambusters operation flew from RAF Scampton, near Lincoln, in 1943 and successfully used "bouncing bombs" to attack German dams. | The legendary World War Two Dambusters operation flew from RAF Scampton, near Lincoln, in 1943 and successfully used "bouncing bombs" to attack German dams. |
| Out of 133 crew, only 77 returned. Sqd Ldr Munro's aircraft was hit by flak. | Out of 133 crew, only 77 returned. Sqd Ldr Munro's aircraft was hit by flak. |
| He made it home after the hit had destroyed communications in his Lancaster bomber over the Netherlands. | He made it home after the hit had destroyed communications in his Lancaster bomber over the Netherlands. |
| Dave Homewood, of the association, described Sqd Ldr Munro as a "down to earth man" who was "very modest about what he did during the war". | Dave Homewood, of the association, described Sqd Ldr Munro as a "down to earth man" who was "very modest about what he did during the war". |
| "I think he was pretty proud to have been part of the Dambusters, although he was disappointed he never got to drop his weapon. | "I think he was pretty proud to have been part of the Dambusters, although he was disappointed he never got to drop his weapon. |
| "He went on to be a flight commander and did a lot of very important operations after the dam raid, although these are often forgotten because the Dambusters were world renowned." | "He went on to be a flight commander and did a lot of very important operations after the dam raid, although these are often forgotten because the Dambusters were world renowned." |
| Sqd Ldr Munro, who was patron of the NZ Bomber Command, was still flying at the age of 95 and co-piloted an Avro Anson plane in January, Mr Homewood added. | Sqd Ldr Munro, who was patron of the NZ Bomber Command, was still flying at the age of 95 and co-piloted an Avro Anson plane in January, Mr Homewood added. |
| 'Remarkable life' | 'Remarkable life' |
| New Zealand Prime Minister John Key paid tribute, writing on Twitter: "Really sad to hear of Les Munro's death, New Zealand has lost a remarkable man who led a remarkable life." | New Zealand Prime Minister John Key paid tribute, writing on Twitter: "Really sad to hear of Les Munro's death, New Zealand has lost a remarkable man who led a remarkable life." |
| In a interview with the BBC on the 70th anniversary of the Dambusters raid, the veteran said he had not worried about the dangers of the mission. | In a interview with the BBC on the 70th anniversary of the Dambusters raid, the veteran said he had not worried about the dangers of the mission. |
| "I approached most operations with a thought 'If I'm going to cop it, so be it'," Sqd Ldr Munro said. | "I approached most operations with a thought 'If I'm going to cop it, so be it'," Sqd Ldr Munro said. |
| Earlier this year, he put his medals up for auction to help pay for the upkeep of the Bomber Command Memorial in London. | Earlier this year, he put his medals up for auction to help pay for the upkeep of the Bomber Command Memorial in London. |
| A day before the auction, they were bought by British peer Lord Ashcroft for £75,000, who donated them to the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland. | A day before the auction, they were bought by British peer Lord Ashcroft for £75,000, who donated them to the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland. |
| Dambusters mission | Dambusters mission |