by John Nichol
Rodger, Dave 18
Rohwedder, Klaus 208, 213–14, 257, 260, 265, 269
Rooke, Flight Sergeant Leonard 134–5
Roosevelt, Theodore ‘Teddy’ 68
Rosenbloom, ‘Slapsie Maxie’ (light-heavyweight boxer) 228
Rosher, Flight Engineer Jim 162, 179, 180, 191
Ross, Flying Officer Ian 200–1, 290
Roy, Harry 273
Royal Air Force
5 Group 20, 58, 64, 88, 102–3, 104, 106, 110, 159, 301, 309
8 Group 64
9 Squadron 164, 176, 195, 197, 201, 209, 234, 253, 261, 272, 285
49 Squadron 19, 45, 245
61 Squadron 164, 225, 287
83 Squadron 116
97 Squadron 17, 18, 39
101 Squadron 116
102 Squadron 92–3, 94, 321
106 Squadron 19, 89, 90–1, 237, 240, 247
139 Squadron 38
149 Squadron 27
158 Squadron 27
166 Squadron 116–17, 119
207 Squadron 88
218 Squadron 125
317 Squadron 313
405 Squadron 198
463 Squadron 157, 195
616 Squadron 145
619 Squadron 65, 67, 80–1, 88, 213
627 Squadron 108, 229
630 Squadron 88
(Royal Air Force cont.)
635 Squadron 313
see also 617 Squadron
Royal Air Force bases
Bardney 195
Carnaby 297
Coltishall 145
Coningsby 35, 69, 70
Cranwell 136
Driffield 115
Ford 87
Hemswell 6
Kinloss 234
Lossiemouth 214, 234, 235, 251, 255, 270
Ludford Magna 278, 279, 282
Manston 108, 109
Milltown 234, 255–6
Northolt 190–1
Scampton 6, 7, 16, 19–20, 34, 69, 70, 103
Sumburgh 251
Waddington 250–1
Woodhall Spa 65, 66, 68–72, 80–1, 87, 100, 103, 110–11, 120, 129, 141, 158, 187–8, 205, 212, 229, 253, 255, 270, 273, 285, 292, 297
Yatesbury 254
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 27, 144
Royal Aircraft Establishment Farnborough 114
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) 195–6
Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) 18, 37, 65, 88, 324
Royal Flying Corps 87
Royal Navy 195, 198, 211, 237, 305
Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) 245
Ruhr dams 2, 4, 45, 220, 322
Eder 4, 12–13, 15, 324
Ennepe 15
Möhne 4, 8–11, 15, 37, 38
Sorpe 4, 13–15, 19
Ruhr valley (‘Happy Valley’) 2, 18, 35, 247, 292, 316
Rukkedalen Mountains 212
Russia, Russians 197–213
Russo-Finnish War (1940) 198
Ryall, Ken 147, 197
Ryeng, Thordis 264
St Andrew’s church, Wickhambreaux (Canterbury) 38
St Botolph’s church, Boston (Lincolnshire) 22, 35
Sainte-Marie 52
SAS (Special Air Service) 125
Saumur 127–30
Sayers, Jack ‘Slapsie’ 227–8, 250, 269
Scapa Flow 195
Schamp, André 154–6
Scharnhorst 27, 68
Schultze, Kurt 268, 269
Shannon, David
circles over Maltby’s crashed aircraft 38
compulsorily retired from 617 Squadron 143
drops parachute flares 99
takes part in Dortmund–Ems Canal op 45, 46
takes part in Munich op 109
unsuccessful part in Dams raid 12
Sicily 35
Simpson, Tom ‘Tammy’ 58–9, 86
Sinclair, Sir Archibald 273, 319
Siracourt 141, 170
Slapton Sands 112
slave labour 62, 307, 310
Soviet Union 142, 207, 319
Spain 53–4
Spalding 28
Spoden, Peter 47–8
St-Brieuc 189
St-Cyr 247
St-Nazaire 5
St-Omer 154
Stabilised Automatic Bomb Sight (SABS) 47, 61, 62, 63, 147, 151
Stalin, Joseph 68
Stalingrad, Battle of 203
Stanford, Ross 141
Stauffenberg, Colonel Claus von 171
Steenbergen 217
Stone, Antony 55
Suggitt, Bill 87, 92
Sumpter, Len 109
superstitions 38, 39, 76, 177
Sutherland, Fred
bales out of stricken aircraft 42–4
background 37
comment on denigration of Bomber Command 320
doubts concerning Dortmund–Ems canal op 36
low-level flying 40
marathon escape back to UK 48, 51–4
pleased with gap in ops 27
superstitions 39
visits Eder dam after the war 324
volunteers for RCAF 37
witnesses death of Holden and his crew 40–1
T-Tare (Tilley’s plane) 276, 279–80
T-Thumper (Knights’ plane) 81
tail gunners 28
Tait, Wing Commander James ‘Willie’ 317
character and description 156–7
gives interviews in London 271
informed of ‘special job’ 193
recommended for a VC 273
reveals model of the Tirpitz 194
safely returns to England 212
sends letter of condolence to Hosie’s mother 230
survives more than one hundred ops 157, 273
takes over as OC of 617 Squadron 144
takes part in Brest op 178, 185
takes part in destruction of V-weapons sites 157, 159
takes part in Kembs barrage op 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 232
takes part in Tirpitz op 197, 203–4, 209, 210, 214, 250, 254, 256, 258, 259
visits Tromsø Fjord after the War 273
as worthy successor to Leonard Cheshire 157
Tallboy bombs 61, 103, 127–30, 132, 133, 136, 140, 149, 150–1, 160, 164, 172, 173, 178, 194, 196, 201, 209, 210, 226, 229, 235, 250, 251–2, 260, 285, 286, 297, 298, 300, 309, 313, 316
target indicators (TIs) 63, 105, 117
Tattershall Castle 35
Tees, Fred 15
Tehran Conference (1943) 68
Telecommunications Research Establishment (Swanage) 114
Texel island 13
Thompson, Flight Sergeant Jim 281
Thompson, Tommy 71
Tilley, Frank
celebrates sinking of the Tirpitz 273
character and description 218
comment on flying with excess fuel 234
comment on recognition of Bomber Command 320
joins Joplin’s crew 219
posted to 617 Squadron 220
proud of his time in 617 Squadron 325
survives plane crash 279–82, 283
takes part in Dortmund–Ems Canal op 217–18, 220–2
takes part in Politz op 275–6
takes part in Tirpitz op 235, 246–7, 248, 250–1, 251, 257–8, 261
volunteers for the RAF 218–19
Tirpitz
617 Squadron’s journey to 198–208
aftermath 269–74
broken up for scrap 268
casualties 260, 261–7
description of 194–5
early attacks on 195
fuelling of planes 233–4
hits and near-misses 208–11, 212–14
logistics of attack on 195–8
second attack on 233–6, 246–68
Todt, Fritz 52
Todt Organisation 52
Toulon 193
Toulouse 103–6
Townsend, Bill 15
Training Command 100
&n
bsp; Trinder, Tommy 273
Tromsø 208, 215, 257, 259, 267, 268
Tromsø Fjord 214, 233, 253, 254, 263
U-boats 35, 132, 171, 173, 185, 218, 285, 307–8, 309, 311
Ullrich, Johannes 263, 264
United States 20, 121
United States Army Air Force (USAAF) 65, 81, 87, 141, 142, 149, 173, 190, 291
Shipdam base (Norfolk) 166
Upkeep ‘bouncing bomb’ 2–3, 8–13, 14–15, 19, 59, 61
US Army Air Corps 18
US Navy 142
V-weapons (vengeance weapons) 62–4, 73, 138–43, 170, 171, 172
V-1 (flying bombs) 62, 135, 137–9, 141, 148
V-2 (Fire Devil) rocket 62, 129, 138, 141, 148–9, 149–50, 159–60
V-3 (Supergun) 62, 138–43, 143
Vagnolini, Murray
comment on wartime death and destruction 297–8
evacuated during the Blitz 253–4
visits Bremen site after the War 311
Valentin U-boat factory (Bremen) 307–12
VE Day 314–15
Vickers Armstrong 127
Vlieland 13
WAAF see Women’s Auxiliary Airforce
Wainfleet 62, 184, 254
Wait, Noel 179, 184
Walker, Arthur 279, 281, 283
Wallis, Barnes 11, 210
career path 60
character and description 60
convinced V-weapon sites could be destroyed 150, 159
designs aircraft 60
devastated at loss of life 22
develops Upkeep, Tallboy and Grand Slam bombs 2–3, 59, 60–1, 127, 129, 294–6, 299, 316–17
enjoys using machine guns on firing range 58–9
inextricably linked with 617 Squadron 317
inspects bomb damage at Bielefeld 316
reaction to apparent failure of Dams raid 10
stands alongside a Tallboy 194
Wallis, Mary 22, 60
War Cabinet 25
Ward, Arthur 156, 270
Ware, David 313
Warsaw 291
Warwick, Squadron Leader Jim 217
Watten 141, 148, 150–1, 161, 170
Watts, Freddie 290
Waughman, Flight Lieutenant Russell ‘Rusty’ 116, 117–18
Weber, Captain Robert 257, 262
Wehrmacht Nebel Kompanie (Smoke Company) 298
Welch, Roy 179, 184
Wesel 316
Weser River 307
West Wall 52
West, W.E. 196
White Horse Inn, Boston 176
Whitworth, Station Commander Group Captain Charles 23
‘Whoa Bessie’ (photography plane) 195
Wilson, Flight Lieutenant Harold ‘Jerry’ 42, 176
Window (chaff) 65, 81, 114–16, 123, 124, 134
Witherick, Gerry 198, 248
Wizernes 141, 150–60, 170
Woippy aero-engine factory 92, 95, 99
Wolfsschanze (Wolf’s Lair) 171
Women’s Auxiliary Airforce (WAAF) 16, 66, 68, 100, 110, 112, 136, 163, 234–5, 252
Woollard, Les 39, 43
Wyness, Squadron Leader Drew ‘Duke’
executed by Grüner 230–1
takes part in Dortmund–Ems Canal op 221, 222
takes part in Kembs barrage op 226–7
takes part in Tirpitz op 212, 217
wrecks plane on landing 201
Yagodnik 200–1, 203–4, 205–6, 210, 211, 212
Yates, Bob 281, 283
Young, Melvin ‘Dinghy’ 10, 15–16
Zuba, Alfred 257, 261–2, 265–7
Acknowledgements
Many people willingly gave their valuable time and considerable expertise whilst I researched and wrote this book. Without their input, my task would have been almost impossible. It is difficult to mention every person individually but I am eternally grateful to them all. My sincere thanks also go to:
Rob Owen, the 617 Squadron official historian, who introduced me to many of the veterans, provided countless personal accounts and pictures, and, most importantly, read and corrected the draft manuscript. Rob’s input was invaluable.
Charles Thompson and the team from TVT Productions (especially Willard, Matt, Thea and Victoria) – it was Charles who invited me to help make and present the TV documentary What the Dambusters Did Next, which was the inspiration for this book.
Chris Ward, the author of Dambusters: The Forging of a Legend, which was a unique reference source for 617 Squadron’s day-to-day operations. Chris also helped me locate a number of the veterans’ surviving relatives.
Charles Foster, author of Breaking the Dams, who accompanied me on a trip to the Dortmund–Ems canal and provided a number of deceased veterans’ personal accounts.
Gordon Leith and Peter Elliot at the RAF Museum Hendon who guided me through their archives.
My editor Arabella Pike and the truly excellent team at William Collins for their expertise and patience. And Neil Hanson for his dedication to the cause.
My friend and agent Mark Lucas, who has always been there to offer guidance, advice and encouragement.
I am indebted to countless other historians, authors and researchers who offered invaluable advice and sources. It is impossible to name them all, but the following provided important leads, accounts and background information: Tom Allett, Alex Bateman, Malcolm Brooke, Werner Bühner, Peter Carlyle-Gordge, Jan Cheney, Axel Frick, Derek Gill, John Gumbley, Bruce Hebbard, Martin Mace, Dr Marcus Meyer, Richard Morris, Valérie Noël, Joe O’Connor, Alan Parr, Mark Postlethwaite, Peter Rice, John Saunders, Mary Stopes-Roe, Bruce Vigar and Terry Wiltshire.
To my wife Suzannah and daughter Sophie for their ever-present love and support.
Finally, to the countess veterans and their relatives who told me their stories, some long supressed, I am truly grateful – I could use only a fraction of the incredible accounts I heard, but I hope I have done you all justice.
About the Author
John Nichol is a former RAF flight lieutenant whose Tornado bomber was shot down on a mission over Iraq during the first Gulf War in 1991. He was captured and held as a prisoner of war. He is the bestselling co-author of Tornado Down, and the author of many books including Tail-End Charlies and The Red Line.
www.johnnichol.com
Also by John Nichol
NON-FICTION
The Red Line
Arnhem
Medic
Home Run
Tail-End Charlies
The Last Escape
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Tornado Down
Team Tornado
FICTION
Point of Impact
Vanishing Point
Exclusion Zone
Stinger
Decisive Measures
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