The last of the Dambusters
Squadron Leader George Johnson MBE DFM
Squadron Leader George “Johnny” Johnson MBE DFM died on 7 December 2022 at the age of 101. He was the last of the aircrew of 617 Squadron who, under the leadership of Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC DSO and bar DFC and bar, attacked the Ruhr dams on the night of 16-17 May 1943. The attack, by Lancaster bombers of 617 Squadron RAF, was known as Operation Chastise.
The operation involved 19 Lancasters flying in three waves from RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire with the objective of breaching three dams: the Möhne, Edersee, and the Sorpe. RAF losses from the raid were 53 aircrew killed from a total of 133 who departed Scampton. 8 aeroplanes were lost. 3 aircrew became prisoners of war.
The Möhne and Edersee dams were breached, causing extensive flooding of the Ruhr valley and the loss of some 1600 lives on the ground. The Sorpe Dam sustained only minor damage. Lives lost on the ground included over 1,000 foreign forced labourers.
At the time, Johnson held the rank of Sergeant and was bomb aimer in the crew of Canadian Flight Lieutenant Joseph Charles McCarthy DSO DFC and bar. He flew in the second wave of 5 Lancasters detailed to attack the Sorpe dam. His bomb reached the target but the dam was not breached.
For his part in the raid, Johnson received the Distinguished Flying Medal. Along with other members of the squadron, he received his medal at an investiture held at Buckingham Palace. In 2017, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to Second World War remembrance and the community in Bristol.
Although Gibson’s citation for the Victoria Cross speaks of his leadership and courage, the view of one who served under his command counts for much.
Some years ago, Johnson gave an interview in which he discussed his former Commanding Officer and offered a fair and honest view.
The interview is particularly striking when Johnson describes how Gibson not only attacked the Möhne dam but then flew along aside some of the others when their turn came to attack. In Johnson’s words - here was “The True Essence of Good Leadership”
Gibson’s citation includes - “Descending to within a few feet of the water and taking the full brunt of the anti-aircraft defences, he delivered his attack with great accuracy. Afterwards he circled very low for 30 minutes, drawing the enemy fire on himself in order to leave as free a run as possible to the following aircraft which were attacking the dam in turn. Wing Commander Gibson then led the remainder of his force to the Eder dam where, with complete disregard for his own safety, he repeated his tactics and once more drew on himself the enemy fire so that the attack could be successfully developed.”
A documentary about 617 Squadron and Operation Chastise is available and is well worth watching in full - The Dam Busters Dan Snow Full Documentary - YouTube
The history of the raid is published by the Imperial War Museums - Incredible Story Of The Dambusters Raid 1943 | (iwm.org.uk).
Bomber Command operations during World War 2 cost the lives of 55,573 - more than those who serve in the entire Royal Air Force today - Bomber Command Memorial.
Notes:
A website containing considerable detail - The Dambusters
Bomber Command’s Losses – Bomber Command Museum of Canada
Runnymede Memorial Database (aircrewremembered.com) and Runnymede Memorial (bomber-command.de)
Bomber Command Memorial Green Park - opened 2012 - About the Memorial | Bomber Command Memorial (rafbf.org)
The High Peak Dambuster - Pen & Sword Blog (pen-and-sword.co.uk) - gives details of a book by Frank Pleszak about another “Dambuster” - Sergeant Jack Marriott DFM.
Today, 617 Squadron flies the F-35B Lightning - a multi-role, stealth aircraft containing cutting-edge technologies which is flown by both the Royal Navy and the RAF.
Image: HM King George VI at RAF Scampton - 27 May 1943. Gibson to the right of the picture.