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Dambusters - Breaching the Eder Dam by Robert Taylor.
Mist and fog swirled eerily over the Eder Lake on the night of 16/17 May 1943 as
four specially modified Lancasters of 617 Squadron, under the leadership of Wing
Commander Guy Gibson, circled overhead. Their target, the mighty Eder Dam, was
barely visible in the valley below. Immediately following the successful breach
of the Mohne Dam, Gibson had led his remaining aircraft 50 miles to the
south-east to hit their second target, the Eder Dam. Surrounded by high ground
with thousand feet ridges, the Eder was altogether a more testing target. The
Lancaster pilots would need to dive steeply into the gorge that formed the Eder
lake before undertaking a steep turn towards the Dam itself. As if this were not
demanding enough in the darkness of night, they then had to fly towards the
target at precisely 60ft above the lake at the exact speed of 230mph, before
releasing their Barnes Wallace designed hydrostatic bouncing bombs. Pilots
Shannon and Maudsley tried time and again to position their laden bombers
correctly before managing to release their weapons – but the dam still held. Now
success depended solely on Knight carrying the last bomb! With time and fuel now
a concern, Knights first effort to position, like Shannon and Maudsley before
him, failed, but his second run favoured the brave. Knight released his bomb
with absolute precision, striking the wall at precisely the crucial point. With
a tremendous explosion the Eder Dam collapsed before their eyes. Robert Taylors
sensational new painting vividly shows the dramatic moment of impact. In the
cockpit Knight and flight engineer Ray Grayston fight the controls to clear the
dam, combining their physical strength to haul the lumbering Lancaster up and
over the dam and to clear the high ground that lies ahead. Below and behind
them, the second of Germanys mighty western dams lies finally breached. |
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Dambusters - Breaching the Eder Dam by Robert Taylor.
Mist and fog swirled eerily over the Eder Lake on the night of 16/17 May 1943 as four specially modified Lancasters of 617 Squadron, under the leadership of Wing Commander Guy Gibson, circled overhead. Their target, the mighty Eder Dam, was barely visible in the valley below. Immediately following the successful breach of the Mohne Dam, Gibson had led his remaining aircraft 50 miles to the south-east to hit their second target, the Eder Dam. Surrounded by high ground with thousand feet ridges, the Eder was altogether a more testing target. The Lancaster pilots would need to dive steeply into the gorge that formed the Eder lake before undertaking a steep turn towards the Dam itself. As if this were not demanding enough in the darkness of night, they then had to fly towards the target at precisely 60ft above the lake at the exact speed of 230mph, before releasing their Barnes Wallace designed hydrostatic bouncing bombs. Pilots Shannon and Maudsley tried time and again to position their laden bombers correctly before managing to release their weapons – but the dam still held. Now success depended solely on Knight carrying the last bomb! With time and fuel now a concern, Knights first effort to position, like Shannon and Maudsley before him, failed, but his second run favoured the brave. Knight released his bomb with absolute precision, striking the wall at precisely the crucial point. With a tremendous explosion the Eder Dam collapsed before their eyes. Robert Taylors sensational new painting vividly shows the dramatic moment of impact. In the cockpit Knight and flight engineer Ray Grayston fight the controls to clear the dam, combining their physical strength to haul the lumbering Lancaster up and over the dam and to clear the high ground that lies ahead. Below and behind them, the second of Germanys mighty western dams lies finally breached.
Signed limited edition of 400 prints. Paper size 36.5 inches x 22 inches (92cm x 56cm) Image size 30 inches x 14 inches (76cm x 36cm). Price £200.00 Signed by Sergeant Raymond E. Grayston (deceased) and Squadron Leader George L. Johnson DFM.
Limited edition of 25 Collectors Edition artist proofs. Paper size 36.5 inches x 22 inches (92cm x 56cm) Image size 30 inches x 14 inches (76cm x 36cm). Price £395.00 Signed by Sergeant Raymond E. Grayston (deceased), Squadron Leader George L. Johnson DFM, Squadron Leader Les Munro DSO DFC RNZAF, Sergeant Frederick E. Sutherland RCAF, Flight Sergeant Grant S McDonald RCAF and Corporal Kenneth Lucas.
Collectors edition of 350 prints. Paper size 36.5 inches x 22 inches (92cm x 56cm) Image size 30 inches x 14 inches (76cm x 36cm). Price £275.00 Signed by Sergeant Raymond E. Grayston (deceased), Squadron Leader George L. Johnson DFM, Squadron Leader Les Munro DSO DFC RNZAF, Sergeant Frederick E. Sutherland RCAF, Flight Sergeant Grant S McDonald RCAF and Corporal Kenneth Lucas.
Tribute edition of 19 prints. Paper size 36.5 inches x 22 inches (92cm x 56cm) Image size 30 inches x 14 inches (76cm x 36cm). Price £ Signed by Sergeant Raymond E. Grayston (deceased), Squadron Leader George L. Johnson DFM, Squadron Leader Les Munro DSO DFC RNZAF, Sergeant Frederick E. Sutherland RCAF, Flight Sergeant Grant S McDonald RCAF, Corporal Kenneth Lucas, Air Marshal Sir Harold (Mick) Martin KCB CB DSO* AFC RAAF (deceased), Squadron Leader David J Shannon DSO* DFC* RAAF (deceased) and Flight Lieutenant George Chalmers DFC DFM.
Limited edition of 25 Giclee Canvas Proofs Size 30.5 inches x 17 inches (77cm x 43cm). Price £995.00 Signed by Sergeant Raymond E. Grayston (deceased), Squadron Leader George L. Johnson DFM, Squadron Leader Les Munro DSO DFC RNZAF, Sergeant Frederick E. Sutherland RCAF, Flight Sergeant Grant S McDonald RCAF and Corporal Kenneth Lucas.
ITEM CODE DHM2708
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Dambusters - Breaching the Eder Dam by Robert Taylor
- The Signatures
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 | Sergeant Raymond E. Grayston (deceased)
Ray Grayston had been serving in 50 Squadron when he was posted to 617 Squadron in March 1943. The flight engineer of Les Knight’s Lancaster AJ-N, they attacked and successfully breached the Eder Dam, Ray was shot down on 16th September 1943, and was taken to Stalag Luft III as a POW. Sadly, we have learned that Ray Grayston passed away on 15th April 2010.
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 | Squadron Leader George L. Johnson DFM
Joining the RAF in 1940, George Johnson served with 97 Squadron before joining 617 Squadron. Bomb aimer on American Joe McCarthy’s Lancaster AJ-T, they attacked the Sorpe Dam, for which he was awarded the DFM. Commissioned a few months later, George retired from the RAF in 1962.
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 | Squadron Leader Les Munro DSO DFC RNZAF
New Zealander Les Munro was the Captain and pilot of Lancaster AJ-W assigned to attack the Sorpe Dam, but was forced to turn back en-route to the target after heavy flak damage over Holland had rendered his aircraft unable to carry on with the operation.
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 | Sergeant Frederick E. Sutherland RCAF
‘Doc’ Sutherland was the front gunner on Les Knight’s Lancaster AJ-N that went to the Mohne Dam, and then successfully attacked and breached the Eder Dam. Shot down four months later, he managed to evade capture and escape back to England with the help of the Resistance movements, returning through Holland, France and Spain.
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 | Flight Sergeant Grant S McDonald RCAF
Grant McDonald was the rear gunner on Lancaster AJ-F flown by Ken Brown. On the way to the Ruhr, the gunners shot up and damaged three trains in an eventful trip before reaching the Sorpe Dam.
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Corporal Kenneth Lucas
Ken Lucas joined the RAF in June 1940, and trained as ground crew for bomber Command. He was sent first to 49 Squadron at RAF Scampton, before transferring to 617 Squadron upon its formation, Involved in all the major servicing of the aircraft before the raid including fitting the motors that drove the belt that spun the bomb, and attaching the critical lamps to the underside of the aircraft.
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 | Air Marshal Sir Harold (Mick) Martin KCB CB DSO* AFC RAAF (deceased)
Born 27th February 1918, Australian Mick Martin joined the RAF in 1940 and had flown tours with 455 Squadron RAAF and 50 Squadron RAF before joining Guy Gibson at 617 Squadron. Pilot of AJ-P, Mick Martin was Deputy Leader of the Dams Raid and flew in Gibsons lead group. Third aircraft to attack the Mohne Dam, he was awarded the DSO for his part in the raid. Mick Martin later served with Leonard Cheshire, and went on to a distinguished career after the war. ADC to the Queen in 1963, he eventually retired from the RAF as an Air Marshal in 1974. Mick Martin died 3rd November 1988.
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 | Squadron Leader David J Shannon DSO* DFC* RAAF (deceased)
Born 27th May 1922 in Australia, Dave Shannon joined the RAAF in 1941, and trained as a pilot. He flew an extended tour of 36 operations with 106 Squadron RAF before being chosen for 617 Squadron. Pilot of Lancaster AJ-L in Gibsons group, he was called off as he began his run on the Mohne Dam after the breach became apparent; but flew on and was the first pilot to attack the Eder Dam. Awarded a DSO for the Dams operation, he later served as Deputy to Leonard Cheshire, flying Mosquitos on what was by then his third tour. He later served with 511 and 246 Squadrons, and returned to Australia after the war. David Shannon died in 1993.
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Flight Lieutenant George Chalmers DFC DFM
Joining the RAF in 1938, he served with 10 Squadron on Whitleys and also 35 and 7 Squadrons. When he joined 617 Squadron he was a Flight Sergeant and served as wireless operator on Lancaster AJ-O during the Dambusters raid which was piloted by Bill Townsend. Awarded the DFM for his part in the attack on the Ennepe Dam he was commissioned a few months later and awarded the DFC after 65 operations.
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