Cane Creek

CC40 WW2 WWII DAMBUSTERS 617 squadron RAF cover signed LES MUNRO DSO DFC

Description: Dambusters No 617 squadron signed by Squadron Leader Les Munro CNZM DSO QSO DFC who took part in the Dams Raid on 16/17 May 1943 No 617 Squadron cover depicting Guy Gibson's Lancaster AJ-G of 617 Squadron on the Dams Raid for which he won the Victoria Cross. The Dams raid on the 16/17 May 1943 was to target the Eder, Mohne and Sorpe Dams which used Barnes Wallis invention the 'Bouncing Bomb.' the cove also features the post war aircraft of 617 Squadron whcih was the Avro Vulcan. The Vulcan were capable of carrying Nuclear bombs and are shown in their distinctive white livery Cover bears UK Definitive stamp cancelled with 150th Anniversary of the Victoria Cross postmark for the 12th October 2004. The cover has been personally signed by Squadron Leader J.L. Munro CNZM DSO QSO DFC who was the pilot of AJ-W which was badly damaged by flak and forced to return to base. Only 66 of these covers were signed by Munro. Numbered and certified on reverse. Squadron Leader J L Munro CNZM DSO QSO DFC WWII Bomber Command Pilot 617 Dambuster Squadron Flight Lieutenant Les Munro RNZAF took part in 'Operation Chastise' as the pilot of Lancaster ED921, 'AJ-W', which sustained heavy flak damage, and with the Wireless and Intercom rendered unserviceable was forced to return back to base. Munro was awarded his DFC whilst serving with 97 Squadron prior to his tour with 617 Squadron. He was awarded the DSO whilst with 617 Squadron. Flight Lieutenant John Leslie Munro born 1919 New Zealand. Awarded DFC 11th June 1943, DSO 28th April 1944. He was a Flight Commander of 617 Squadron under Leonard Cheshire & James Tait with David Shannon and Joe McCarthy. Operation Chastise The Lancasters were organised into three groups. Formation 1 was to attack the Moehne and after that aircraft still with bombs would attack the Eder. Formation 2 was to attack the Sorpe. The third group was a mobile reserve, it would take off two hours later and bomb as directed, either attacking the main dams or bombing smaller dams at Schwelm, Ennerpe and Dieml. The operations room for the mission was at 5 Group headquarters in Grantham the codes transmitted in morse, for the mission were agreed on as Goner for bomb dropped, Nigger for the Moehne breached, Dinghy for the Eder breached and for the Sorpe breached. The Nigger code was after Gibson's black dog that had been run-over and killed on the morning of the 17th. The aircraft flew two routes, carefully skirting known flak hot-spots, and no more than 75 feet off the ground. Formation 1 entered continental Europe between Walcheren and Schouwen, crossed Holland, skirting the airbases at Eindhoven and Gilze-Rijen, curved round the Ruhr defences and turned north to avoid Hamm before turning to head south to the Moehne. Formation 2 flew further northwards, cutting over Vieland and crossing the Zuyder Zee before joining the first route near Wesel and then flying south beyond the Moehne to the Sorpe. Formation 1 was of nine aircraft in three groups - Gibson, Hopgood, Martin; Young, Astell, Maltby; and Maudslay, Knight, Shannon. Formation 2 was of five aircraft, those of McCarthy, Byers, Barlow, Rice and Munro. Formation 3 consisted of the aircraft of Townsend, Brown, Ottley and Burpee. Two crews were unable to make the mission because of illness. The first aircraft, those of Formation 2 and heading for the longer northern route, took off at 21.10, McCarthy's aircraft had a hydraulics fault and he took off in a reserve craft twenty minutes late. Formation 1 took off from 21.25. The first casualties were soon after the craft reached the Dutch coast, Formation 2 was very badly attrited - Munro's aircraft lost his radio to flak and turned back over the Zuyder Zee, Rice flew too low and lost his bomb in the Zuyder Zee but recovered the aircraft to return to base. The aircraft of both Barlow and Byers crossed over the coast around Harderwijk and were soon shot down. Only the tardy aircraft of McCarthy survived across Holland. Formation 1 lost only Astell, somewhere over Rosendaal. Formation 1 arrived over Moehne Lake and Gibson's aircraft (G for George) bombed first. Hopgood (M for Mother) attacked second, the aircraft was hit by flak as it made its 60 feet run and then caught in the blast of it's own bomb and destroyed. Martin (P for Peter) bombed third, his aircraft was hit but made a successful attack. Then Young (A for Apple) made a successful run and after him Maltby (J for Johnny) and then finally the dam was breached. Gibson then led Young, Shannon, Maudslay and Knight to the Eder. The Eder valley was heavily fogged but not defended. The tricky topology of the surrounding hills made the approach difficult and the first aircraft, that of Shannon, made six runs before taking a break. Maudslay (Z for Zebra) then attempted a run, the bomb struck the top of the dam and the aircraft was caught in the blast. Shannon made another run and successfully dropped his bomb and the final bomb of the formation, on Knight's aircraft, breached the dam. McCarthy (T for Tom) reached the Sorpe alone. It was the least likely to be breached - a vast earth dam rather than the two concrete structures successfully attacked. Despite the mist and ill-placed hills McCarthy's aircraft successfully dropped its bomb but did not breach the dam. Three of the reserve aircraft were directed to the Sorpe, Burpee (S for Sugar) never reached the dam, Brown (F for Freddy) reached the dam and in increasingly dense mist finally dropped his bomb without breaking the dam. Anderson (Y for Yorker) arrived last and the mist was too dense for him to even attempt the run. The remaining two aircraft were sent to subsidiary targets, Ottley (C for Charlie) was shot down en route while Townsend (O for Orange) successfully dropped his bomb on the Ennerpe. On the way back only one further aircraft was lost, that of Young was hit by flak and crashed into the sea just off the cost of Holland. In all, of 133 aircrew 53 had been killed and three bailed out to be made POWs. We usually have lots of other items up for sale so why not have a look

Price: 30 GBP

Location: Littlehampton

End Time: 2025-01-28T19:29:08.000Z

Shipping Cost: 12.34 GBP

Product Images

CC40 WW2 WWII DAMBUSTERS 617 squadron RAF cover signed LES MUNRO DSO DFC

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Type: Military

Surname Initial: M

Signed: Yes

Object: Signed commemorative cover

Certification: Certified: Private Signings

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