In early 1943 the Allies needed a hero and something to celebrate. Britain, Canada, and other members of the Commonwealth had been at war for three and a half long years and although the tide seemed to be slowly turning, Bomber Command was still the only offensive punch that was capable of making itself felt within Hitler’s European fortress.

The story of the raid on the dams of the Ruhr Valley is well known. The creation of the specialized bouncing bomb by the brilliant Barnes Wallis, the special squadron—617 Squadron—whose aircrew was hand-picked by Guy Gibson to deliver it, and the successful low level attack by 19 specially modified Lancasters that breached the dams has been thoroughly documented in books and the highly acclaimed 1950s movie. It is an enduring tale and few stories of the Second World War stand out so prominently as that of the Dambusters.

Continue reading the story.