Today is the 70th anniversary of the Dambusters' raid on the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams that were vital to the Nazi military industrial complex.
Seventy years ago 617 Squadron left RAF Scampton on its mission to destroy the dams.
To mark the anniversary there will be a sunset ceremony at Scampton attended by members of Guy Gibson’s (the squadron leader who led the raid) family, along with two veterans of the raid and the daughter of Barnes Wallis who invented the bouncing bombs that were used in the raid.
As well as events at Scampton, there will be various fly-pasts by the RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and Friday’s international service at Lincoln Cathedral. Today the last operational Lancaster will fly down the Derwent Valley and strafe the Derwent Dam (which was used by the squadron as a practice target in their training for the raid).
Unfortunately many people who would like to watch this will be unable to.
For why?
Health and safety!
Severn Trent Water, which owns the dam, and other public sector ‘stakeholders’ have decreed that heavy traffic on country lanes would pose an unacceptable threat to the emergency services. So there can be no official event at the Derwent Dam.
The Mail quotes Mary Stopes-Roe, daughter of Barnes Wallis:
"It’s absolutely ridiculous. Do they think we’re all going to fall into the water?"Where would we be now, if this absurd attitude to health and safety been prevalent during the war?
Visit The Orifice of Government Commerce and buy a collector's item.
Visit The Joy of Lard and indulge your lard fantasies.
Show your contempt for Nanny by buying a T shirt or thong from Nanny's Store.
www.nannyknowsbest.com is brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Visit Oh So Swedish Swedish arts and handicrafts
Why not really indulge yourself, by doing all the things that Nanny really hates? Click on the relevant link to indulge yourselves; Food, Bonking, Gifts and Flowers, Groceries
Truly pathetic Ken: in answer to your question; we would all be speaking German.
ReplyDeleteHi-Viz, Hi-Viz every where and not a drop of commonsense.
Unfortunately we are reaping the "benefit" of privatisng the water industry, now we have corporate monopolies who see the public as their serfs. Twats.
ReplyDeleteAnd the latest news is that Severn Trent shares rocketed a couple of days ago, with the news that a foreign consortium have made a bid to take over the company. Is it just me that thinks this is NOT good news, and that our public services should be controlled by this country, not foreign companies? Public services should be just that, and any profits should be ploughed back in order to make improvements, not used to line the pockets of wealthy shareholders!
ReplyDelete"Where would we be now, if this absurd attitude to health and safety been prevalent during the war?"
Hitler would have won, and the people of this country would be ruled by a fascist dictatorship.
My Lord, I find, and not for the first time, agreeing with you completely.
DeleteIt is crazy that foreign companies control our utilities which are, after all, essential for life. I especially dislike the electic supply company that is owned by the state of France and changed our flag during the run up to the London Olympics.(made the Union Flag green)
I also felt concerned when, the day before yesterday, it was reported that "The EU Commission has raided companies in the UK." How can a foreign organisation raid anyone on UK soil? I could understand it if the immigration department, the Inland Revenue, The police or even Enviromental Health raided a business but, how does the EU Commission have these powers? Do they need a warrant from a British Court?
It is just as daft as our politicians allowing a foreign organisation (The EU) to charge us £150 per ton to bury our own rubbish in our own lands.....Crazy!
Nitpicking here:
ReplyDeleteIt is not the last operational Lancaster. There is one in Canada which incidentally I saw flying on Tuesday afternoon.
I seem to recall reading that there is another one being restored in England which will fly sometime.
You missed the funniest bit. Did you see the code word which Gibson used to announce that the Mohne dam had been breached has been erased by political correctness?
ReplyDeleteIt's in between code words Dinghy and Gilbert here. If you know about the raid, you'll see that a dog's name has been erased.
Too shocking for modern eyes to see, obviously. Can you imagine how unsuccessful Gibson's mission would have been if they were as sensitive as we are today?
Its not really about sensitivity - its about the fact that the world has moved on and there isnt a place for out and out racism surely?
DeleteI wouldn't want to be near the dam if it was being 'straffed'. The flyers in the dambusters were all very experienced with many hours flying time.
ReplyDeleteAny flyer today would probably not have the same experience needed to undertake low level flying.