Dambusters on channel 5

[alfred]

Wonder if anyone has been watching this and what they thought of it.I must say i have enjoyed the programme.
Learnt a few things, cannot remember hearing about the live bomb being dropped in the hangar for instance.

[davidallum]

Hi Alfred,yes I watched all three and enjoyed them,they were certainly very brave & talented young men.One of the things I learnt was that just one year after the event the Germans had repaired the dams so in hindsight you have to think was it all worthwhile?

I would say yes because it must have slowed down the German production lines and surely brought the end of the war a little bit closer.

I have visited the Monhe dam,it certainly is an impressive sight.

[billsamuels]

I thought it was an excellent portrayal of the Dambuster’s raid. Dan Snow has a great technique.

I may have mentioned this on a previous thread but I, along with John (Jargon) met David Maltby’s son last year. He gave us a guided tour around the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight hangar at Coningsby, which he does most Friday’s. His story is quite sad, some might say even tragic, as he never met his father who, as Dan Snow reminded us last night, was sadly killed 4 months after the Dam’s raid whilst returning from another mission... But as Maltby’s upkeep was the one that broke the Mohne’s back, just makes the story even more tragic.

I must say that these three programmes just reinforced my belief that these guys were part of Britain’s finest generation.

Bill

[alfred]

Bill, as you say. Britains finest generation.
Years ago, 1970/1 i had cause to visit the local British Rail parcel room at the local station a few times a week.The gentleman in charge was literally a gentleman.I can picture him now stood with his back to a log fire, pipe on the go, in his immaculate BR uniform.
I was 16 at the time and was told this mild mannered man had done over 20 flights on Lancasters in the war, at the time it meant nothing to me.
Yet again i can recall his modesty.At the end of the day he would get on his bicycle and ride home.No one would have guessed he was a hero.