Dambusters remembered as 80th anniversary approaches

Local historian and Dambusters specialist Frank Pleszak says the production line where the iconic dambusters were built at Woodford in Cheshire, is now home to the Avro Heritage Museum where the Dambuster commemoration will open on May 12.

The new exhibition, which will run until June, will be opened by the niece of Flight Engineer Jack Marriott from Chinley, who lost his life on May, 16 back in 1943.

Frank said: “The Dambusters are the most significant piece of action during World War Two.

“Although there bravery is known the world over it is important that the anniversary is marked because as people get older we are losing the people who remember the raid so we need to make sure that moment in history is never forgotten for the younger generations.”

During the war the British military came up with a new plan to target and destroy three dams in the Ruhr valley in the industrial heartland of Germany.

In 1942 British engineer Barnes Wallis began working on plans for a bomb that could skip across water.

The RAF carried out extensive tests at sites around the country. These revealed that the drum-shaped bomb needed to be dropped from a height of 60 feet, and at a ground speed of 232mph.

The bomb would spin backwards across the surface of the water before reaching the dam. Its residual spin would then drive the bomb down the wall of the dam before exploding at its base.

Frank who studied zoology and then agriculture and aviation was a pilot for almost 20 years.

He said: “If you are flying at 20,000ft you have time to correct an error.

“Stunt teams fly at 3,000ft so if there is an error there is still time to sort it out.

“But to be flying so fast and so close to the ground there was no margin of error at all for these pilots; they had to get it right the first time.”

In late March 1943, a new squadron was formed to carry out the raid on the German dams.

Frank says the crew was made up of airmen from Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the USA but also several from the High Peak.

Flight Engineer Jack Marriott came from Chinley, Pilot Bill Astell was from Combs, and Navigator John Nugent from Stoney Middleton.

In the run up to the raid the team practised at Derwent Reservoir practising flying low through the valleys.

Franks said: “They didn’t just train at Derwent but I think it is the most famous of the practice grounds as it appeared in the Hollywood film.

“And while the film did tell the story it was made only years after the war ended, coming out in 1955 when some elements were still under the Official Secrets Act so not all parts were known and of course they added a touch of Hollywood glamour too.

“But the story of these brave men really is a remarkable one.”Frank says on the night of May, 16 19 Lancaster bombers left Britain and flew all the way to Germany at 100ft, only dropping to 60 when they reached the dam.

He said: “They had to watch out for pylons and church towers. The amount of skill and concentration required for a mission like this was enormous.”

The first dam to be attacked was Möhne which collapsed at 12.28am but five aircraft had to drop their bombs before it was breached.

The remaining aircraft dropped their bombs on Eder, which finally gave way at 1.52am.

Aircraft from the two other waves bombed the Sorpe but it remained intact.

Fifteen of the 133 airmen that took part that night came from around the northwest and sadly nine of them lost their lives during the raid.

A total of 53 men were killed and three became prisoners of war.

Back on the ground, almost 1,300 people were killed in the resulting flooding.

The surviving aircrew of 617 Squadron were lauded as heroes, and Guy Gibson, who led the mission, was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during the raid and Franks says he became an international celebrity.

The raid also established 617 Squadron as a specialist precision bombing unit.

Frank said: “The bravery and dedication they had was truly amazing and I’m pleased the exhibition will tell their stories.”Opening the exhibition will be Jack niece, Norma Bagshaw, who actually has a piece of the Lancaster bomber her uncle was shot down from.

Frank said: “Norma, my neighbour, has a fascinating archive of documents and in 2019 when a memorial was finally unveiled in Germany for Jack and his six crewmates she was presented with a fragment of the actual Avro Lancaster Dambuster bomber in which Jack sadly lost his life.

“I am assisting with the 80th anniversary commemoration at the Avro Heritage Museum, in Stockport, and Norma will be loaning some of her unique documents together with the Lancaster fragment.

“This fragment is quite possibly the only bit of any of the 23 special Lancasters that were made to return to its place of birth.”

To find out more about the exhibition which will run until June 30 visit avroheritagemuseum.co.uk

The opening event is on Friday, May 12 at 11:30am. Frank who is the author of the “High Peak Dambuster” about Sgt Marriot will be giving a short presentation about the raid.

The Dambuster display will be available until the end of June.

"In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together." – Phil Bramley, editor.