Joining the RAF in 1940, George Johnson had flown 28 operations on Lancasters with 97 Squadron at Woodhall Spa before joining 617 Squadron on 25 March 1943 as Bomb Aimer on American Joe McCarthy’s reserve Lancaster AJ-T, which attacked the Sorpe Dam. Being a reserve aircraft, this Lancaster had not been fitted with the twin spotlights necessary for accurate height keeping, and it was on their tenth attempt that George released their bomb, hitting the Dam successfully but the earth dam survived the blast. For his actions he was awarded the DFM. Commissioned in November 1943, he remained in the RAF after the war and retired in 1962.

Ken Lucas joined the RAF in June 1940, and trained as ground crew for Bomber Command. He was sent first to 49 Squadron at RAF Scampton, before transferring to 617 Squadron upon its formation. Involved in all the major servicing of the aircraft, Ken was heavily involved in carrying out the modifications to the aircraft before the raid, including fitting the motors that drove the belt that spun the bomb, and attaching the crucial lamps to the underside of the aircraft.

As soon as she was old enough to volunteer, Maureen Stevens joined the WAAF, and after her initial training was posted to RAF Scampton. Here she worked as an R/T operator in the control tower. Maureen was duty R/T operator on the night of 16 / 17 May 1943, and it was she who talked home the survivors of the Dambuster Raid, and listened until the last for those who didn’t make it home.