Dambusters AJ-G Pilot Guy Gibson's Lancaster On Operation Chastise

I thought that it might be of interest to follow the crew of AJ-G, Guy Gibsons Lancaster on Operation Chastise, the leader of the most remembered bombing raid of World War Two on the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe Dams on the night of the 16th/17th May 1943.

The pilot, Guy Gibson, had already flown over 172 sorties before he was requested to form 617 Squadron with its main purpose being to carry out Operation Chastise. He was not an easy man to please and seemed to make little attempt to be liked, especially by the non-commissioned ranks. However, he proved to had dropped his bomb he kept returning as others dropped theirs to draw the enemy fire away from the attacker. His attacks led to the award of the VC. He died on the night of the 19th September 1944 whilst piloting a Mosquito of 627 Squadron. There is a mystery of the reason for the crash, some say that ‘friendly fire’ from a Lancaster was the cause, others enemy fire and possibly they just ran out of fuel. He is buried near where he crashed at Steenbergen.

The Navigator was Harlo Taerum, commonly known as Terry by the crew of Norwegian descent. He had emigrated to Canada when younger and joined the RCAF. He was awarded the DFC after the Raid. He was killed on the 16th September 1943 whilst on the infamous Dortmund-Ems Canal attack and is buried at Reichswald Cemetery.

Operation Chastise The Wireless Operator was Robert Hutchinson who had flown with Gibson before in 106 Squadron. Before the Dambusters Raid, he had been awarded the DFC and received a bar to that decoration for Chastise. He was also shot down on the Dortmund-Ems Canal Raid on the 16th September 1943 and is also buried at Reichswald Cemetery.

The Flight Engineer was Flight Sergeant John Pulford who joined the RAF just before the war started, becoming a Flight Engineer in 1942. He was awarded the DFM for his part in the operation. He was killed on the 13th February 1944 while returning to Woodhall Spa in an accident and was buried in Hull Northern Cemetery.

The Bomb Aimer was Frederick Spafford who had previously flown with Terry Taerum in 50 Squadron and was awarded the DFM after Chastise. As Gibson led the attack Spafford pressed the button that dropped the first bomb. He was also killed on the 16th September 1943 Dortmund-Ems attack and is buried at Reichswald Cemetery.

The Front Gunner was Flight Sergeant George Deering who joined the RCAF in 1940 and was awarded the DFC after the raid as his commission had come through just before the raid. He was killed on the 16th September 1943 on the Dortmund-Ems Canal attack and is buried at Reichswald Cemetery.

The Rear Gunner was Richard Trevor-Roper who was 617 Squadrons Gunnery Officer. He was awarded the DFC for his part in Chastise. He was killed on 30/31st March 1944 attacking Nuremberg and is buried in Durnbach War Cemetery.

So not one of the crew survived the war with 4 of the 7 being killed in one night on the Dortmund-Ems Canal attack

For more information on AJ-G and all the other aircrew involved in Operation Chastise treat yourself to Charles Fosters excellent book The Complete Dambusters.