Description
This book is a collection of accounts written by those who served with 106 Squadron, at RAF Coningsby for 6 months in 1942. Not just the words of the well-known names though, such as Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC DSO & Bar DFC & Bar, Wing Commander John Wooldridge DSO, DFC & Bar, DFM and Wing Commander Richard Wellington DSO OBE DFC, but also of the lesser known 380 officers and airmen who flew. The men who bravely flew and fought over the skies of Germany, frequented the pubs of Lincolnshire and fleetingly spent time at home on leave. It also documents some of the sad stories of the 130 young men who never came back, and whose parents, wives, girlfriends and family were left to mourn their loss.
Gibson took over command of 106 Squadron in March 1942 and until the end of September 1942 saw the squadron participate in the 1,000 Bomber Raids, take part in numerous mining operations and convert from the unreliable Manchesters to the vastly superior Lancasters. It was during this time that Gibson began to shape his command by promoting the squadron in newspapers and magazines, trialling new weapons, taking photographs of the targets and moving up the bombing ladder to become one of the best squadrons in No. 5 Group. On completion of his tour, his successful command of 106 Squadron, along with his vast operational experience, made him the obvious choice to lead the Dambusters operation.
