Guy Gibson - Enemy Coast Ahead

Public Books and Movies
1

This is the most enjoiable book I read this summer.

Guy Gibson, who had a wide experience flying bombers as well as night fighters, was a famous Wing Commander flying bombers in WW2. He was also the C.O. of the No. 617 RAF Bomber Sqn. attacking the Mohne dams with Lancasters.

The book is really good and grippinng, telling Gibson’s firs hand experinces flaying Hampden, Beaufighter, Avro Manchester, Lancaster. Gibson, is describing very well the problems of a Sqn. Commander and after of a Wing Leader. It is also telling the whole story of the creation of No.617 Sqn. for the night bombing of the Rhur dams in 1943, and the different attempts to sink the main German battleships using bombers when those ships where still in their home bases.
The book was written during the war, as Gibson was shot down on the 19th September 1944, and therefore there are not many detail about the bombs, the bomber sight and the techniques used by the Dam Busters. In fact, being in 1943, those things were considered still important secrets.

On the 19th September 1944 during a bombing mission flying a bombing mission as pathfinder with a Mosquito from 627 squadron, having completed the bombing raid Gibson went on to check anti aircraft positions. The mosquito was shot down. Both Gibson and his navigator Squadron Leader J.B Warwick died.

A book that deserves to be read from anyone who is interested in bombers.

For further information you can check the following links

The “Dambusters”:
http://www.dambusters.org.uk/
http://www.thedambusters.org.uk

Guy Gibson:
http://www.dambusters.org.uk/gibson.htm
http://www.thedambusters.org.uk/gibson.html

The book at Amazon:

The movie (1955):

There are rumors about the fact that movie director Peter Jackson wants to produce the remake of the movie, but since more than one year there are not anymore feed-back about the project. Rumors still says the movie is expected in 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5301998.stm

2

Yes, a great book indeed!

Bought it in Britain, 1973 (no Pneumonia Viruses around, those days…;))

I re-read it every 10 years average, to refresh my memory…:smiley:

Funny to read that bombing Milan was considered a relatively comfortable mission (except crossing the Alps) for Lancaster Pilots, as FLAK density was much lower than in German metropolitan areas…

…as Victoria Cross Gibson himself states in the book, “In 1943, we were being ordered to bomb Italy out of the war”

3

For info there’s two versions of this book, the one that was released during the war and an uncensored one published only recently:

Gibson was quite scathing in some sections of the book towards the tactics/conduct of the bombing campaign and his superiors which is now included in the above version.

4

Didn’t realise there was a new version, cheers Keets :slight_smile:

I read, but cannot confirm, that when they unearthed the wreck of his Mossie they found a fault in the fuel system which suggests he may have run out of fuel over the target :frowning:

5

Introduction to the book says:

“Guy died on 19th September 1944 returning from acting as Master Bomber on a raid on Rheyd. he crashed in flames near Steemberg in Holland where is buried in a grave lovingly tended by the Dutch and unforgotten by all who knew him”
(Air marshall Sir harold “MIck” Martin, KCB DSO DFC AFC, who flew on Dams Raid with Guy Gibson)

“He appointed himself as Master Bomberm - the most dangerous and most vital task of all - on his last operation,which was, of course, a complete success. He was heard to give his crews a pat on the back over the radio and start them homeward. He never returned” (Arthur Harris)

6

Thanks for the heads up! Sounds interesting.

I am not normally into bomber accounts but I have heard so much about Guy Gibson that I might give this one a chance. :slight_smile: