Final Briefing by Anthony Saunders

Everyone at Scampton suspected that something big was about to happen. The crews of the recently formed 617 Squadron, hand-picked by their CO Wing Commander Guy Gibson, had been training hard for weeks and the rumor on the grapevine suggested it might be the Tirpitz they were after. But then, late in the afternoon of 16 May 1943 came the call over the station tannoy that they had all been waiting for: “All crews of 617 Squadron to report to the briefing room – immediately.”

The buzz of excited conversation dropped into silence as Gibson addressed them, and the secret was shared: their small force was about to attack the major dams of western Germany. It was what they had been waiting for and they would go that night.

After a quiet supper of bacon and eggs, the crews quietly headed off to change into their flying kit and wait for transport to carry them out to the Lancasters ready and waiting at dispersal points around the perimeter track.

Final Briefing is the first in Anthony Saunders new pair of prints to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Dambuster Raid and depicts the moment at dispersal as Guy Gibson readies his crew to climb inside their waiting Lancaster – AJ-G ‘George’. A red Very Light will soon curl skywards, burning brightly against the sun’s fast-fading rays; it is the signal to start engines, and at 21.39 G-George will get airborne leading the first wave of three aircraft. For the crews of 617 Squadron the weeks of intensive training were now over - Operation Chastise was underway.

This print is available as a portfolio pair with The Breach by Anthony Saunders.

Signature:

Corporal Maureen STEVENS WAAF - As soon as she was old enough to volunteer, Maureen Stevens joined the WAAF where she completed her training to become an R/T (Radio Telephone) Operator. Posted to RAF Scampton, home of 617 Squadron, she was the duty operator in the main control tower right through the Dambuster Raid that took place on the night of 16 / 17 May 1943.

Throughout the operation she relayed information from the air crews to the senior commanders and talked the surviving Lancaster crews back to Scampton. She also had the sad task of listening out till the last for those who didn’t make it home.