A heroic aircrew that lost their lives during the Dambuster raids have been honoured at a memorial service in Netherlands.
The seven men of Lancaster AJ-A under command of Sqn Ldr Melvin ‘Dinghy’ Young were killed while crossing the Dutch coastline at Castricum aan Zee bearing course for England.
Geoffrey Sturr, 63, from Phoenix, Arizona travelled 5,000 miles alongside his son, Charlie, to remember his pilot uncle.
“It’s tremendously moving,” he said. “The best part about this is the living memory of the contribution of the crew and its sacrifice.”
Members of the Royal Air Force joined family members and locals on May 16 to mark the 81st anniversary of the Dambuster raids
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The crew were shot down near the picturesque beach in North Holland by the last German gun position. Days later their bodies washed ashore and were buried at Bergen cemetery.
Members of the Royal Air Force joined family members and locals on May 16 to mark the 81st anniversary of the Dambuster raids.
53 men from 617 Squadron died during the daring night attack in which 19 low-flying Lancasters from RAF Scampton targeted three German dams with the bouncing bomb.
Dinghy, who was only 27 when he died, was born in Belgravia, London, to an English father and American mother.
After studying at the University of Oxford, he joined the Royal Air Force where he earned his nickname in sorties with the Luftwaffe.
“During his career he ditched a plane, not once but twice, in the channel," he said.
“One time he was in a raft for 24 hours with his crew and they happened to be rescued by a Destroyer coming over from the US under the lend lease programme.”
The rescue brought fame to the young pilot.
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Geoffrey Sturr, from Phoenix, Arizona travelled 5,000 miles alongside his son, Charlie, to remember his pilot uncle
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“There was a Life magazine team on board and they captured that story, so he was known as ‘Dinghy’ Young thereafter," said Geoffrey.
Dinghy and his crew: Flt Sgt Charles Walpole, Sgt David Horsfall, Sgt Wilfred Ibbotson, Flt Off Vincent MacCausland, Sgt Lawrence Nichols, Sgt Gordon Yeo, were the first to successfully breach the Mohne Dam.
Other relatives of the aircrew had travelled from Yorkshire in England for the service.
More than 16m Americans served in the armed forces during the Second World War, yet Geoffrey says the U.S has a “great interest” in the Dambusters story because of the “novelty of what was attempted, the bravery and raid.”
“There’s interest generally in how Britain defended itself during the war. It’s part of what we know about Britain during the war years.”
Despite travelling across continents, Geoffrey never knew his uncle, who died two decades before he was born.
“He’s been part of my life since I grew up. I’ve always known of the story. He was an inspiration to my mother who was the youngest of three.”
Geoffrey first visted Castricum aan Zee with his late wife and daugter for the unveiling of the memorial to the aircrew in 2018.
A memorial has been erected on the Dutch coastline at Castricum aan Zee
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For the 81st anniversary this year he attended with his son, Charlie, who undeniably “bears a resemblance” to his uncle.
“The sacrifice they made, and everyone else in Bomber Command, it’s important to remember, they were young, dedicated, fearless and endured tremendous sacrifice defending Britain.”
“It’s important to remember the cost of war on both sides and the consequences," he said.
A team of RAF cyclists rode 300 miles from the International Bomber Command Centre in Lincoln to raise funds for the charity.
A metallic art installation featuring the likeness of the deceased aircrew will be auctioned upon its return to Lincoln, England.
“I’m grateful and honoured by their sacrifice," Geoffrey said. "The ride from Digby was a wonderful way to remember.”
While studying at Oxford, Dinghy was part of the 1938 Cambridge-beating boat race team.
“It’s an act of athletic prowess to endure the ride they did, which is exactly what that raid involved to ride at night for 6 hours piloting an Avro Lancaster.”
