op.chastise

Operation Chastise

Operation Chastise​

Operation Chastise was an attack on German dams carried out on 16–17 May 1943 by Royal Air Force No. 617 Squadron, later called the Dam Busters, using a purpose-built "bouncing bomb" developed by Barnes Wallis. The Möhne and Edersee dams were breached, causing catastrophic flooding of the Ruhr valley and of villages in the Eder valley; the Sorpe Dam sustained only minor damage. Two hydroelectric power stations were destroyed and several more damaged. Factories and mines were also damaged and destroyed. An estimated 1,600 civilians – about 600 Germans and 1,000 forced labourers, mainly Soviet – died. Despite rapid repairs by the Germans, production did not return to normal until September.
  1. DAMBUSTERS Garshowitz, Abram

    SURNAME Garshowitz FORENAME Abram UNIT 617 Squadron,R.C.A.F. RANK Warrant Officer Second Class NUMBER R/84377 DATE OF DEATH 17th May 1943 AGE 21 GRAVESITE Reichswald Forest War Cemetery,Germany Coll.grave 21.D.16-18 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Hamilton,Ontario,Canada...
  2. DAMBUSTERS Wile, Floyd Alvin

    SURNAME Wile FORENAME Floyd Alvin UNIT 617 Squadron,R.C.A.F. RANK Pilot Officer NUMBER J/16872 DATE OF DEATH 17th May 1943 AGE 24 GRAVESITE Reichswald Forest War Cemetery,Germany 21.D.15 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Scotch Village,Hants County,Nova Scotia,Canada born 1919...
  3. DAMBUSTERS Kinnear, John

    SURNAME Kinnear FORENAME John UNIT 617 Squadron,R.A.F. RANK Sergeant NUMBER 635123 DATE OF DEATH 17th May 1943 AGE 21 GRAVESITE Reichswald Forest War Cemetery,Germany 21.D.14 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 1922 Fife son of William and Helen Kinnear,East Newport,Fife garage...
  4. DAMBUSTERS Astell, William (Bill)

    SURNAME Astell FORENAME William (Bill) UNIT 617 Squadron,R.A.F.V.R. RANK Flight Lieutenant NUMBER 60283 DATE OF DEATH 17th May 1943 AGE 23 GRAVESITE Reichswald Forest War Cemetery,Germany 21.D.13 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 1920 Manchester son of Godfrey Grant and...
  5. DAMBUSTERS Ibbotson, Wilfred

    SURNAME Ibbotson FORENAME Wilfred UNIT 617 Squadron,R.A.F.V.R. RANK Sergeant NUMBER 655431 DATE OF DEATH 17th May 1943 AGE 29 GRAVESITE Bergen General Cemetery,Netherlands Plot 2 Row D Grave 6 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 1914 West Bretton, Yorkshire son of Herbert and...
  6. DAMBUSTERS Yeo, Gordon Arthur

    SURNAME Yeo FORENAME Gordon Arthur UNIT 617 Squadron,R.A.F.V.R. RANK Sergeant NUMBER 1317656 DATE OF DEATH 17th May 1943 AGE 20 GRAVESITE Bergen General Cemetery,Netherlands Plot 2 Row D Grave 2 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 1923 South Wales son of Arthur and Ada Yeo,Barry...
  7. DAMBUSTERS MacCausland, Vincent Sandford

    SURNAME MacCausland FORENAME Vincent Sandford UNIT 617 Squadron,R.C.A.F. RANK Flying Officer NUMBER J/15309 DATE OF DEATH 17th May 1943 AGE 30 GRAVESITE Bergen General Cemetery,Netherlands Plot 2 Row D Grave 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 1913 son of John Henry Burns and...
  8. DAMBUSTERS Nichols, Lawrence William

    SURNAME Nichols FORENAME Lawrence William UNIT 617 Squadron,R.A.F.V.R. RANK Sergeant NUMBER 1377941 DATE OF DEATH 17th May 1943 AGE 33 GRAVESITE Bergen General Cemetery,Netherlands Plot 2 Row E Grave 28 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 1910 Kent son of Edward and Mrs Nichols...
  9. DAMBUSTERS Roberts, Charles Walpole

    SURNAME Roberts FORENAME Charles Walpole UNIT 617 Squadron,R.A.F.V.R. RANK Flight Sergeant NUMBER 1269945 DATE OF DEATH 17th May 1943 AGE GRAVESITE Bergen General Cemetery,Netherlands Plot 2 Row E Grave 17 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born Cromer,Norfolk trainee accountant in...
  10. DAMBUSTERS Horsfall, David Taylor

    SURNAME Horsfall FORENAME David Taylor UNIT 617 Squadron,R.A.F. RANK Sergeant NUMBER 568924 DATE OF DEATH 17th May 1943 AGE 23 GRAVESITE Bergen General Cemetery,Netherlands Plot 2 Row D Grave 5 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 1920 Hove,Sussex son of Robinson and Emma...
  11. DAMBUSTERS Young, Henry Melvin (Dinghy)

    SURNAME Young FORENAME Henry Melvin (Dinghy) UNIT 617 Squadron,R.A.F.V.R. RANK Squadron Leader NUMBER 72478 DATE OF DEATH 17th May 1943 AGE 27 GRAVESITE Bergen General Cemetery,Netherlands Plot 2 Row D Grave 4 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 1916 Pasadena,California,U.S.A...
  12. DAMBUSTERS Gregory, George Henry Ford Goodwin

    SURNAME Gregory FORENAME George Henry Ford Goodwin UNIT 617 Squadron,R.A.F.V.R. RANK Flying Officer NUMBER 141285 DATE OF DEATH 17th May 1943 AGE GRAVESITE Rheinberg War Cemetery,Germany Coll.grave 17.E.2-6 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Glasgow printer in civilian life RAF...
  13. DAMBUSTERS Minchin, John William

    SURNAME Minchin FORENAME John William UNIT 617 Squadron,R.A.F.V.R. RANK Sergeant NUMBER 1181097 DATE OF DEATH 17th May 1943 AGE 27 GRAVESITE Rheinberg War Cemetery,Germany Coll.grave 17.E.2-6 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 1916 son of Bertram and Eliza Minchin husband of...
  14. DAMBUSTERS Earnshaw, Kenneth

    SURNAME Earnshaw FORENAME Kenneth UNIT 617 Squadron,R.C.A.F. RANK Flying Officer NUMBER J/10891 DATE OF DEATH 17th May 1943 AGE 21 GRAVESITE Rheinberg War Cemetery,Germany Coll.grave 17.E.2-6 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION from Bashaw,Alberta,Canada born 23.6.1918...
  15. DAMBUSTERS Brennan, Charles

    SURNAME Brennan FORENAME Charles UNIT 617 Squadron,R.A.F.V.R. RANK Sergeant NUMBER 942037 DATE OF DEATH 17th May 1943 AGE GRAVESITE Rheinberg War Cemetery,Germany Coll.grave 17.E.2-6 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RAF 1939 2 RC 29.11.1939 8 RT Pool 12.12.1939 RAF Locking...
  16. DAMBUSTERS Hopgood, John Vere

    SURNAME Hopgood FORENAME John Vere UNIT 617 Squadron,R.A.F.V.R. RANK Flight Lieutenant NUMBER 61281 DATE OF DEATH 17th May 1943 AGE 21 GRAVESITE Rheinberg War Cemetery,Germany Coll.grave 17.E.2-6 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Harold Burn and Grace Hopgood,Seaford,Sussex...
Top