The Dambusters raid: How effective was it?

  • '12

    Seventy years ago an RAF bomber raid destroyed important German dams. At the time many argued it was only a propaganda victory. It was much more than that, writes historian Dan Snow.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22510300


  • Two additional effects of the raid which the article didn’t mention:

    • The RAF unit formed to drop the bombs, 617 Squadron, was retained in service during the war as an elite unit which specialized in precision drops of unusual bombs (like the Tallboy and the Grand Slam) on exceptionally tough and high-value targets.  It took a few cracks at the Tirpitz, ultimately capsizing it, and it also attacked some of Germany’s massively constructed concrete U-boat pens in France.  It can be viewed as a British cousin of the USAAF’s 509th Composite Group, which was established and trained to drop with great precision a single very heavy bomb of a special type (which its members ultimately learned was the A-bomb).

    • The Dambusters Raid inspired a classic movie whose theme march became quite popular in Britain, and whose climactic attack sequence directly inspired the Death Star trench run sequences at the end of the original Star Wars film.  Required viewing for any Star Wars fan who hasn’t seen it yet.


  • I think propaganda value would have sufficed and been an end in itself.
    That said, it sounds like the clean up demanded enormous resources and some time, so I would agree it was more than just that.
    Thank you for the article Malachi.


  • It was more effective in the movie at least every time i watch it.


  • The flood waters drowned a decent amount of livestock, but no lasting war winning effects. Great story.


  • Have just seen on Teletext how a Lancaster has done a fly past over Derwent reservoir, Derbyshire, celebrating the 70th anniversary.
    Is about 100 miles from me.
    I could have gone if I had known, even though I have seen a Lancaster fly by before.
    Said on text that more than a third of the men from the raids never returned.

    Good catch Malachi.

  • '12

    My mom’s uncle flew Lancasters.  He had volunteered to be a tail gunner.  He was young and I guess wasn’t showing the brilliance that later in life allowed him to establish a civil engineering consulting firm and chum around with the premier of our province.  Being an only child his mother was able to convince the recruiter he would be more valuable as a pilot….or so the story was passed down to us that way anyways!

  • Liaison TripleA '11 '10

    Moms Parent  -  Parents Brother (Uncle)
    |
    MOM
    |
    Malachai

    uhh… how is your Mom’s Uncle an only child?  Unless… he was an only child at the time?


  • Al’s grandfather, who passed away 10 years ago, was a mechanic on one and his brother disappeared over France in 44 when his Halifax was shot down.
    MyEnglish  grandad was a Desk Sergeant at Various Fighter bases.

  • '12

    Garg, good catch.  Technically he was her cousin but with a great age difference she called him ‘uncle’, I had forgot how the actual blood connection occurred.  His wife is still alive and my mom visits with her at least once per year.  I really ought to go spend some time with her while I still can.

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