Living With Heroes: The Dam Busters - Harry Humphries

COLLECTABLE EDITION

In March 1943 at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, the 617 Squadron was formed specifically for the operations planned against the Ruhr dams. Wing Commander Guy Gibson was chosen to lead the Squadron.

On the evening of 16 May the famous dam raids took place and though the mission was an outstanding success there was a heavy price to pay. Of the nineteen Lancasters that took off, eight planes and fifty-five men did not return. Guy Gibson was awarded the Victoria Cross and thirty-three other airmen were decorated.

Harry Humphries was selected by Gibson to be adjutant to the 617 Squadron and he served as such from its inception until 1945 when he was posted to the Far East. This is a story of the men of 617 Squadron and the leaders under whom Harry served - men such as Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC, DSO, DFC; Wing Commander Leonard Cheshire VC, DSC, DFC and Wing Commander Willie Tait, a quadruple DSO. It covers the famous Dam Raid, the disastrous Dortmund Ems Canal raid with its appalling casualty rate and the daily life at the Squadron s bases at Scampton, Coningsby and Woodhall Spa.

Included are many pictures of the men of 617, copies of the original battle orders for the Dam Raid, letters from Gibson, Cheshire and Tait and correspondence from Paul Brickhill. Many stories have been written about the Dam Busters and the 617 Squadron but this is the only account written by one who was there throughout those turbulent days.