pank100@yahoo.co.uk

Initially i would like to say that i am a Radio presenter(part-time) for an internet radio station who also broadcasts to hospitals & care homes in the Warminster area. Secondly. I am a WW2 anorak-ie i have an unhealthy interest in all matters of the second world war- but especially Bomber Command. Dear George, I know that it may not have seemed like that at the time, but in retrospect to be in 617 squadron must have been a honour, especially as you have completed 40 missions. Some crew were unlucky enough to witness just one! Upon reading the dialog that is printed on this site I wonder if you initially thought the target was the Tirpitz? I know later it was a target for 617, & succesful it was using the 'Tallboy' bomb as designed by Barnes Wallis. It must have been such a thrill to fly at such low level. To see the ground rushing by at, say 200mph, must have been exhilarating. But what astounds me most is that you found the dams! I appreciate that you had direction finding equipment such as H2S(I think that what it was called!), but it must have been a nightmare for your navigator, especially as this mission was such an important one for i) Bomber Command & Harris, & ii) the moral & King of the country. I have thought that if you had taken the first Lanc, would you have been so lucky? Do you think that maybe this was an omen? And although the tyre blew during the sortie, it should have been the plane to use? Finally, how much dedication does it require for a bomber to make 9 runs on the target beefore making the drop, considering you were dropping the bomb unconventially at a transverse angle? At this juncture I would like to say that it is an honour to type this E-mail to one as yourself. 617 did many very important missions & I don't know how many of these sorties you were involved in, but I know that despite what some people say regarding the dams raids to my knowledge it a) lifted the moral of the British people & the amount of people that were taken from important work to rebuild the dams was very significant, & these people could have been building arms or taken part at the Russian front. People knock the dams raids as being of little importance but like my feelings about the Dresden raid, it was very, very important & people are always quick to critisize before thinking of the bigger picture. If you wish to reply. Please contact me at pank100@yahoo.co.uk.