THE DAM BUSTERS, WARTIME SURVIVORS OF NO 617 SQUADRINE ROYAL AIR force in Stoke Gifford, Gloucestershire for sale
VALUATION. Mirror, 50cm x 34cm, depicting a color image of a modified Avro Lancaster bomber, with the Dambuster Squadron Crest in the upper center containing its chosen motto "Après moi le Deluge" ("After me, the Flood"), a humorous double entendre on the supposed last words of King Louis XV of France. Signed by approximately 17 members of the Dambuster Squadron, including: (Geoffrey) Leonard Cheshire (1917-1992) Awarded the VC; James Brian “Willie” Tait (1916-2007) He succeeded Leonard Cheshire as commander of the 617 Squadron; Sir Arthur T. “Bomber” Harris (1892-1984); Bertie Towner “Toby” Foxlee (1920-1985); Douglas Webb (1922-1996) awarded the distinguished flying medal; Basil Feneron (1920-1993) flight engineer; David John “Dave” Shannon (1922-1993) Awarded the Distinguished Service Order; Geoff Rice (d. 1981); William Reid (1921-2001) VC recipient [In 2009 Reid’s VC was sold at Spink auction for a record £384,000]; Harold Hobday (1912-2000); and A.J. Harrison, Wing Commander, 1983, of the new 617 Squadron (now reformed with Tornados), with approximately six other signers. No. 617 Squadron was a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. It is commonly known as the "Dambusters", for its actions during Operation Chastise against German dams during WWII. The squadron had to develop the tactics to deploy Barnes Wallis's "Bouncing bomb". The Dambusters have been immortalized in WWII folklore as a result of their attack on the dams of the Ruhr. As part of the Allies bombing campaign against Germany during the war, the Dambusters were an elite bomber unit and the raid was led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC. How much impact the Dambusters raid had is still debated but what cannot be denied is the bravery of the men involved in the raid and the unique contribution made by Dr. Barnes Wallis who developed the unique bouncing bomb that was used on the raid. If the raid did not have a long-term impact, it did have enormous propaganda value for the Allies. Probably unique and now impossible to duplicate. Estimate: 750,- Euro
