It's the 70th anniversary of the Dambusters raid today. Was it's effect overestimated or underestimated? Could more have been made of it. Documentary on UK TV tonight
My belief is that the raid on Ruhr dams was the way the bomber war should have been fought, depriving Germany of its power and fuel would have caused Germany's collapse far sooner and with far less casualties than it did historically.
I read yesterday that the last surviving pilot of the raid was at the memorial, amazing to think that it wasn't all that long ago that we had WW1 veterans to talk with and now we are running out of WW2 veterans, almost makes me feel old.
Kiwi Dambuster to the fore at anniversary
08:31 Fri May 17 2013
AAP
When New Zealander Les Munro was ordered to fly a Lancaster aircraft just metres above German dams and drop bouncing bombs on the water below during World War II, the dangers of the mission didn't cross his mind.
Despite knowing the difficultly, the risks and the gravity of successfully destroying German dam walls, the former Royal New Zealand Air Force pilot says he only focused on following instructions.
"It didn't concern me," he told BBC.
"I had no particular feelings of worry that we weren't going to carry out the operation."
The 94-year-old is the last surviving pilot from Operation Chastise, known as the Dambusters Raid - an attack on the Ruhr Valley dams carried out on May 17, 1943.
More than a third of the 133 Royal Air Force aircrew involved didn't return home.
The squadron used specially developed bombs by Barnes Wallis which bounced on the water before hitting the wall and sinking before detonating - destroying the dam's walls.
The attack breached the Mohne and Edersee Dams causing severe flooding, while several factories and mines were also damaged.
About 1600 Germans drowned.
On the 70th anniversary of the Dambusters Raid, Munro was flown from New Zealand to attend a flypast over the dam on Derwent Reservoir in Derbyshire which featured a Lancaster bomber, two Spitfires and two Tornado jets.
Of the 19 Lancasters which took part in the operation only 11 bombers returned.
He said despite the mission falling short of its goals, and the loss of 53 men, it was a boost to morale.
"I believe from an operational point of view it was very successful," he said.
"The general feeling was the effect on the British morale was really significant and from that point alone it was justified and can be categorised as successful."
Mr Munro, along with 91-year-old crewman George Johnson, attended a service in Lincoln Cathedral to mark the anniversary. Only three of the squadron are still alive.
http://news.msn.co.nz/nationalnews/8660162/kiwi-dambuster-to-the-fore-at-anniversary