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.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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