The only survivor of the mission is George 'Johnny' Johnson, who was the bomb aimer on Joe McCarthy's Lancaster, 'T-Tommy': in the crew photo below he is on the left. It took ten attempts to position the aircraft for a bomb run on the Sorpe Dam, having to avoid power lines, church steeples and high ground before the 'Upkeep' bomb was successfully dropped. Tragically T-Tommy was the only aircraft to reach the dam, so the structure - though weakened - was not destroyed.
Linda and I have had the privilege of meeting Johnny on a number of occasions, once enjoying dinner and breakfast with him on the same day! This quiet, dignified man is a true hero, who deserves greater recognition than he receives.
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