Search This Blog

Monday, 21 July 2014

RAF Bomber Command's Dam Busters - 'let all that water loose'

F/O Douglas Hackett DFC RCAF was b/a in F/Lt Warren Roberts' 405 Squadron crew, lost on the 30th January 1944 Berlin raid. I have been preparing notes for Doug Hackett for some time now, hopefully I'll be posting his page very soon.

In mid-May 1943 P/O D Hackett was with 424 Squadron who were making preparations at RAF Topcliffe in Yorkshire for their imminent detachment to No. 205 Group in the Middle-East. Having been employed on operations against the Ruhr, Hackett and his crew (pilot Sgt Donald F G Parker RCAF) would complete their tour in Tunisia during the bombing campaign against Sicily and Italy.

The Dams raid has been researched to the nth degree, but I am able to add a contemporary view of the legend. Doug wrote a letter home 'to Mother & Dad' in Kingston, Ontario the day after the night of 617 Squadron's 'Operation Chastise' saying:-

'I've just read about the dams that were smashed open last night, that was really quite a good job. One of the fellows put a piece in the 'Line Book' about it. He asks “What's the good of our starting fires in the Ruhr if they go and let all that water loose.”'

No comments:

Post a Comment