Gibson Close
In honour of : Guy Gibson
Full Real Name : Wing Commander Guy Penrose Gibson, VC, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar
Born in Simia, India on 12th August 1918
Died at Steenbergen, Netherlands on 19th September 1944
Gibson was inspired to fly from a young age and had a picture of the First World War flying Ace, Albert Ball VC, his childhood hero, on the wall of his bedroom at his aunt's home.
Although he wanted to become a civilian test pilot he was advised by Vickers' chief test pilot, Captain Joseph "Mutt" Summers (test pilot of the Spitfire), that he should first learn to fly with the RAF.
Gibson had to apply twice to join the RAF as his first application was rejected due to his legs being too short. He started flying in November 1936 at the Bristol Flying School with No 6 Flying Training Course and his basic training took place at No 24 (Training) Group at RAF Uxbridge.
On 31st January 1937 he received his commission and the rank of Acting Pilot Officer.
Further training took place at No 5 Flying Training School at RAF Netheravon and on 24th May he was awarded his pilot's wings.
That summer he took part in further training at No 3 Armament Training Station in Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire choosing to opt for flying bombers and graduated on 31st August.
His first posting was to No 83 (Bomber) Squadron at RAF Turnhouse, nr Edinburgh flying Hawker Hinds and was promoted to Pilot Officer on 16th November.
The Squadron was relocated to No 5 Group at RAF Scampton in March 1938 and after training in armaments at RAF Leuchers they converted to Handley Page Hampdens.
After further armament training at RAF Evanton nr Invergordon in the Spring of 1939 Gibson was then sent to Hamble, Southampton to attend a navigation course. After this he had been due to leave the RAF but was retained and in June was promoted to Flying Officer.
On August 31st Gibson received a telegram cutting short his leave to return to RAF Scampton.
Two days after the start of WWII he was part of a proposed attack on the German fleet near Wilhelmshaven but bad weather caused this plan to be aborted.
The squadron was moved to Ringway nr Manchester and did not take part in any operation until December.
On 27th February 1940, having been seconded to Coastal Command at RAF Lossiemouth the squadron dropped their bombs on a Royal Navy submarine instead of a U-Boat. The senior officers were brought to task over this incident and the whole squadron were sent for intensive training.
Between April and September that year Gibson completed 34 operations - 10 of these in June alone - from attacking capital ships and military/economic targets to laying mines in harbour entrances and seaways.
It was during this time that he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on 9th July.
Having been promoted to Flight Lieutenant on 3rd September 1940 he flew his last operation with this squadron on 23rd September to Berlin.
He was posted to No 14 and then No 16 Operational Training Units for customary operational rest and then volunteered for night flying reporting to No 29 Squadron at RAF Digby as 'A' Flight Commander on Bristol Blenheims on 13th November 1940.
However these airplanes were not suitable as night fighters so the squadron converted to Bristol Beaufighters. Gibson's first flight in one of these was on 1st December. In April 1941 these airplanes, earning themselves the nickname of "Whispering Death", were reportedly responsible for destroying 65 percent of enemy aircraft when they had been carrying out only 21 percent of the sorties.
Having undergone some intensive AI procedure training Gibson found flying a night fighter very different from flying bombers. His first operational flight was on 10th December but he was only able to fly a further 3 ops in January due to bad weather.
In April 1941 the squadron were moved to 11 Group to RAF West Malling, Kent and the following June Gibson was promoted to Acting Squadron Leader. He flew his last patrol with the squadron on 15th December and was awarded a Bar to his DFC.
Posted to No 51 OTU at RAF Cranfield as Chief Flying Instructor Gibson requested a transfer back to Bomber Command and in April he was promoted to Wing Commander and given command of No 106 Squadron at RAF Coningsby. The unreliable Avro Manchesters of No 106 Squadron were replaced with Avro Lancasters and his first operational flight in one of these airplanes was on 8th July.
At the end of September the squadron was moved once again - this time to RAF Syerston in Nottinghamshire and in October they started to conduct low-level training exercises gain experience in this form by attacking targets in Italy and in November 1942 Gibson was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).
His final flight with this squadron was to Stuttgart on 12th March 1943 flying with only three engines. He was recommended for a Bar to his DSO but No 5 Group HQ reduced this to a second Bar to his DFC. However AOC-in-C Arthur (Bomber) Harris commented:
"any Captain who completes 172 sorties in outstanding manner is worth two DSOs if not a VC. Bar to DSC approved."
Gibson was invited to an interview at HQ No 5 Group on 18th March to discuss whether he would be willing to fly just one more op. He agreed that he would and the following day was given command of a new squadron which was to be based at RAF Scampton. This squadron would be required to fly low level altitudes at night and by 19th May and would eventually be encapsulated in the film 'The Dambusters'.
Gibson had meetings with Barnes Wallis over his new weapon 'Upkeep' (which became known as 'the bouncing bomb') and he had several discussions over the design and approval of various technical problems that arose.
Eventually the Lancasters, with specially adapted bomb-bays and turrets, started arriving at RAF Scampton on 8th April 1943. New ways of pinpointing their target and flying at the correct altitude (60 feet!) were invented.
His squadron practiced flying low and targeting over lakes and reservoirs in the Midlands and North Wales including Eyebrook, Abberton, Derwent and The Wash and by the end of April they had completed more than 1,000 flying hours.
The night of the 16/17th May was designated as the night of the raid on the Mohne, Eder See and Sorpe Dams - Operation 'Chastise'.
After the briefings on the 16th Gibson discovered that his dog, and the squadron's mascot, Nigger, had died in a road accident.
It took 4 bombing runs for the Mohne to be successfully breached and 4 runs for the Eder See to breach. The Sorpe was damaged but not breached. The code word for a successful breach was N I G G E R . Out of 19 Lancaster crews that took off that night only 11 returned - 8 Lancasters comprising 56 officers failed to return from this operation - 53 died and 3 were captured and held as prisoners of war.
Ten days later the King and Queen visited RAF Scampton and the King gave No 617 Squadron their motto 'Apres Moi Le Deluge'.
Whilst on leave in Penarth Harris telephoned Gibson to inform him that he had been awarded the Victoria Cross. Gibson's subdued response was "It all seems so unfair" as he felt responsible for all those that had not returned.
Gibson attended an investiture at Buckingham Palace to receive his VC and the Bar to his DSO and became the most highly decorated serviceman in the country at the time. At a dinner afterwards Thomas Sopwith, A V Roe's Chairman, presented him with a model silver Lancaster.
On 3rd August Gibson left the UK to attend a tour of the Canada and the US accompanying, amongst others, Winston Churchill and Lord Louis Mountbatten.
This was an exhausting tour and he visited many cities in both countries giving talks, interviews and broadcasts and he didn't return to England until 1st December.
During his visit to Washington DC he was invested with the Commander's Insignia to the Legion of Merit, an exception award presented by General Henry H Arnold at Bolling Field.
References:
Gibson was inspired to fly from a young age and had a picture of the First World War flying Ace, Albert Ball VC, his childhood hero, on the wall of his bedroom at his aunt's home.
Although he wanted to become a civilian test pilot he was advised by Vickers' chief test pilot, Captain Joseph "Mutt" Summers (test pilot of the Spitfire), that he should first learn to fly with the RAF.
Gibson had to apply twice to join the RAF as his first application was rejected due to his legs being too short. He started flying in November 1936 at the Bristol Flying School with No 6 Flying Training Course and his basic training took place at No 24 (Training) Group at RAF Uxbridge.
On 31st January 1937 he received his commission and the rank of Acting Pilot Officer.
Further training took place at No 5 Flying Training School at RAF Netheravon and on 24th May he was awarded his pilot's wings.
That summer he took part in further training at No 3 Armament Training Station in Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire choosing to opt for flying bombers and graduated on 31st August.
His first posting was to No 83 (Bomber) Squadron at RAF Turnhouse, nr Edinburgh flying Hawker Hinds and was promoted to Pilot Officer on 16th November.
The Squadron was relocated to No 5 Group at RAF Scampton in March 1938 and after training in armaments at RAF Leuchers they converted to Handley Page Hampdens.
After further armament training at RAF Evanton nr Invergordon in the Spring of 1939 Gibson was then sent to Hamble, Southampton to attend a navigation course. After this he had been due to leave the RAF but was retained and in June was promoted to Flying Officer.
On August 31st Gibson received a telegram cutting short his leave to return to RAF Scampton.
Two days after the start of WWII he was part of a proposed attack on the German fleet near Wilhelmshaven but bad weather caused this plan to be aborted.
The squadron was moved to Ringway nr Manchester and did not take part in any operation until December.
On 27th February 1940, having been seconded to Coastal Command at RAF Lossiemouth the squadron dropped their bombs on a Royal Navy submarine instead of a U-Boat. The senior officers were brought to task over this incident and the whole squadron were sent for intensive training.
Between April and September that year Gibson completed 34 operations - 10 of these in June alone - from attacking capital ships and military/economic targets to laying mines in harbour entrances and seaways.
It was during this time that he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on 9th July.
Having been promoted to Flight Lieutenant on 3rd September 1940 he flew his last operation with this squadron on 23rd September to Berlin.
He was posted to No 14 and then No 16 Operational Training Units for customary operational rest and then volunteered for night flying reporting to No 29 Squadron at RAF Digby as 'A' Flight Commander on Bristol Blenheims on 13th November 1940.
However these airplanes were not suitable as night fighters so the squadron converted to Bristol Beaufighters. Gibson's first flight in one of these was on 1st December. In April 1941 these airplanes, earning themselves the nickname of "Whispering Death", were reportedly responsible for destroying 65 percent of enemy aircraft when they had been carrying out only 21 percent of the sorties.
Having undergone some intensive AI procedure training Gibson found flying a night fighter very different from flying bombers. His first operational flight was on 10th December but he was only able to fly a further 3 ops in January due to bad weather.
In April 1941 the squadron were moved to 11 Group to RAF West Malling, Kent and the following June Gibson was promoted to Acting Squadron Leader. He flew his last patrol with the squadron on 15th December and was awarded a Bar to his DFC.
Posted to No 51 OTU at RAF Cranfield as Chief Flying Instructor Gibson requested a transfer back to Bomber Command and in April he was promoted to Wing Commander and given command of No 106 Squadron at RAF Coningsby. The unreliable Avro Manchesters of No 106 Squadron were replaced with Avro Lancasters and his first operational flight in one of these airplanes was on 8th July.
At the end of September the squadron was moved once again - this time to RAF Syerston in Nottinghamshire and in October they started to conduct low-level training exercises gain experience in this form by attacking targets in Italy and in November 1942 Gibson was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).
His final flight with this squadron was to Stuttgart on 12th March 1943 flying with only three engines. He was recommended for a Bar to his DSO but No 5 Group HQ reduced this to a second Bar to his DFC. However AOC-in-C Arthur (Bomber) Harris commented:
"any Captain who completes 172 sorties in outstanding manner is worth two DSOs if not a VC. Bar to DSC approved."
Gibson was invited to an interview at HQ No 5 Group on 18th March to discuss whether he would be willing to fly just one more op. He agreed that he would and the following day was given command of a new squadron which was to be based at RAF Scampton. This squadron would be required to fly low level altitudes at night and by 19th May and would eventually be encapsulated in the film 'The Dambusters'.
Gibson had meetings with Barnes Wallis over his new weapon 'Upkeep' (which became known as 'the bouncing bomb') and he had several discussions over the design and approval of various technical problems that arose.
Eventually the Lancasters, with specially adapted bomb-bays and turrets, started arriving at RAF Scampton on 8th April 1943. New ways of pinpointing their target and flying at the correct altitude (60 feet!) were invented.
His squadron practiced flying low and targeting over lakes and reservoirs in the Midlands and North Wales including Eyebrook, Abberton, Derwent and The Wash and by the end of April they had completed more than 1,000 flying hours.
The night of the 16/17th May was designated as the night of the raid on the Mohne, Eder See and Sorpe Dams - Operation 'Chastise'.
After the briefings on the 16th Gibson discovered that his dog, and the squadron's mascot, Nigger, had died in a road accident.
It took 4 bombing runs for the Mohne to be successfully breached and 4 runs for the Eder See to breach. The Sorpe was damaged but not breached. The code word for a successful breach was N I G G E R . Out of 19 Lancaster crews that took off that night only 11 returned - 8 Lancasters comprising 56 officers failed to return from this operation - 53 died and 3 were captured and held as prisoners of war.
Guy Gibson and his Crew
Theory behind the destruction of the Dams
The Mohne Dam after it had been breached
Ten days later the King and Queen visited RAF Scampton and the King gave No 617 Squadron their motto 'Apres Moi Le Deluge'.
Whilst on leave in Penarth Harris telephoned Gibson to inform him that he had been awarded the Victoria Cross. Gibson's subdued response was "It all seems so unfair" as he felt responsible for all those that had not returned.
Gibson attended an investiture at Buckingham Palace to receive his VC and the Bar to his DSO and became the most highly decorated serviceman in the country at the time. At a dinner afterwards Thomas Sopwith, A V Roe's Chairman, presented him with a model silver Lancaster.
On 3rd August Gibson left the UK to attend a tour of the Canada and the US accompanying, amongst others, Winston Churchill and Lord Louis Mountbatten.
This was an exhausting tour and he visited many cities in both countries giving talks, interviews and broadcasts and he didn't return to England until 1st December.
During his visit to Washington DC he was invested with the Commander's Insignia to the Legion of Merit, an exception award presented by General Henry H Arnold at Bolling Field.
On 19 December 1944 Churchill wrote to Eve Gibson:
In his introduction to Enemy Coast Ahead, Sir Arthur Harris described Gibson as:
Barnes Wallis said of Gibson:
References:
https://www.ingeniumcanada.org/artifact/hawker-hind
https://tonycalvertphoto.com/portfolios/bristol-blenheim/
https://blenheimsociety.com
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/whispering-death-bristol-beaufighter-was-britains-secret-wwii-weapon-123121
http://www.aviation-history.com/bristol/beaufite.html
https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-incredible-story-of-the-dambusters-raid
https://blenheimsociety.com
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/whispering-death-bristol-beaufighter-was-britains-secret-wwii-weapon-123121
http://www.aviation-history.com/bristol/beaufite.html
https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-incredible-story-of-the-dambusters-raid
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