大象传媒

This story has been added by Matlock Library staff on behalf of Gwen Thompson.

I was a WAAF stationed at Scampton as a telephone wireless operator. One day we heard that a special squadron called 617 was coming to Scampton.
Their operations were extremely covert and we knew little of their activities or planned missions.
When on the night of May 16th, 1943 the switchboard was swapped with calls. Many senior figures had arrived at the air base, sporting gold braid on their hats. We knew then that something significant was happening.
The Dam Busters had bombed the Moehoe, Eder and Sorpe dams over Germany, causing wide spread havoc and great loss of lives on both sides.
We had to send out 56 telegrams to the next of kin. For those families, it was a pyrrhic victory.
Wing Commander Guy Gibson, who led the raid was awarded the VC and 23 of his men were also decorated.
His black Labrador was run over outside the camp gates just before the raid, which code named their attack in his honour.

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