Guy Gibson

Wing Commander Guy Penrose Gibson VC, DFC and bar, DSO and bar (12 August 1918 – 19 September 1944), was the first CO of the RAF's 617 Squadron, which he led in the "Dam Busters" raid (Operation Chastise), in 1943, resulting in the destruction of two large dams in the Ruhr area. He was killed later in the war.

Return to Operations

Gibson returned to operational duties in 1944, after pestering Bomber Command, and was killed when his de Havilland Mosquito crashed whilst returning from a bombing raid on Rheydt, near Bergen-op-Zoom, the Netherlands, on 19 September 1944. It was assumed for many years that he had been shot down, but following the discovery of the wreckage of his plane, it was found that a fault with the fuel tank selector had meant that the aircraft had simply run out of fuel.

Related Topics:
De Havilland Mosquito - Rheydt - Bergen-op-Zoom - Netherlands - 19 September - 1944

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