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Operation Chastise

In 1937 a list of thirteen plans was drawn up known as the Western Air (WA) Plan, WA 5 was designed to “attack the German War industry including the supply of oil with priority to that in the Rhur, Rhineland and Saar”. It was argued, with misplaced optimism, that this would require about 3,500 sorties with the loss of 175 aircraft. (Bomber Command was to loose 8,500 aircraft and 55,000 officers and NCOs.) The Air Targets sub-committee proposed as an alternative the destruction of the Mohne and Sorpe Dams. The Ministry of Economic Warfare concurred, emphasising that both the Mohne and Sorpe dams must be breached at the same time.

Operation Chastise was launched on the night of the 16 - 17th May 1943 by a force of 19 Lancasters split into three formations. The first formation led by Gibson himself was to attack the Mohne Dam and then if they had any bombs left to go on to attack the Eder Dam. There were three waves of three aircraft taking off with ten minutes between each wave. The first wave consisted of Gibson, Hopgood and Martin. The second wave comprised of Young Astell and Maltby and the third wave Maudslay, Knight and Shannon.

Formation two comprised of a single wave of five aircraft in loose formation. The captains were: McCarthy, Byers, Barlow, Rice and Munro. This wave was to attack the Sorpe Dam. McCarthy found his own aircraft unserviceable was obliged to transfer to the reserve aircraft.

The breached Eder dam in full flood The third and final formation of five aircraft were to act as a mobile reserve. The captains were: Townsend, Brown, Anderson, Ottley and Burpee.

Over the Mohne Dam Gibson made the first attack, but his bomb exploded short. He send in Hopgood to attack. Hopgood's aircraft was hit and his bomb was dropped late and went right over the dam destroying the power station by the compensating basin. Hopgood tried to keep the aircraft in the air long enough for his crew to bale out. His bomb aimer F/Sgt JW Fraser and his Rear Gunner P/O AF Burcher both managed to bail out and survived as POWs Sgt V Minchen also got out of the aircraft but was badly injured and did not survive the parachute drop. Hopgood and the rest of the crew died when the aircraft exploded in the air. Martin was the next man in. To help draw the flack Gibson flew in beside Martin. Even so Martin's aircraft was hit in the starboard wind fuel tank, which was fortunately empty. Martin's bomb veered off and was not accurate. Next in was Melvyn Young with Gibson and Martin flying in with him in an attempt to draw the flack.. He dropped his bomb accurately and caused a small breach in the dam. Next in was David Maltby, who dropped his bomb accurately and enlarged the breach made by Young's bomb to 100 yards.

Gibson sent Martin and Young home and led the rest of the formation Maudlsay, Knight and Shannon on to the Eder dam. The Eder Dam was in a valley that made it so difficult to attack that the Germans had left it undefended.

Maudslay's bomb hit the parapet of the dam and exploded under the aircraft. Gibson called Maudslay to ask if he was OK. Everybody heard a faint voice say "I think so ,,, stand by" but Maudslay didn't make it back. Dave Shannon dropped his bomb but the dam held. Les Knight had the last bomb, which he dropped accurately and the dam burst.

Only McCarthy and Brown made it to the Sorpe Dam, which they bombed accurately but didn't break it. Townsend attacked the Ennepe Dam but didn't break it.

Of the other crews Geof Rice flew too close to the water and the bomb was ripped from the aircraft. He was able to return to base. Les Munro was hit by flack and returned to base with a faulty radio. Ottley, Byers, Astell, Burpee and Barlow were shot down as was Melvyn Young on his way home. Anderson failed to find his target and brought his bomb home.

In all eight aircraft were lost with the loss of 54 lives.

Number 617 Squadron

The Men Who Breached the Ruhr Dams