The Dam Busters Trivia Quiz

Answer: Operation Chastise

The Allies during World War II were continuously finding new ways to disrupt and paralyse enemy targets and one of those was Operation Chastise. Targeting dams in the industrial area of Germany would greatly reduce hydro-electric power vital to their steel industry and also the canal transport system used for shipping coal and oil. It was hoped that destroying supplies to munitions factories would reduce the length of the war.

Answer: Barnes Wallis

Sir Barnes Neville Wallis invented the bouncing bomb used in the attacking of German dams. The British scientist and engineer had already written a paper called "A Note on a Method of Attacking the Axis Powers" and he went on to design large bombs used for specific targets. As well as the bouncing bomb, he also designed the much larger Tallboy (six tonnes) and Grand Slam (10 tonnes) bombs which were used to destroy bridges and aqueducts. The Tallboy was used to destroy the German battleship, Tirpitz, in 1944.

Answer: Upkeep

Upkeep resembled a large oil drum, very much like a depth charge, and weighed approximately five tonnes. This included the explosive filling called Torpex, initially designed to use in torpedoes, and more effective than TNT. Rather like spinning a pebble across the surface of water, the bouncing bomb was released from an aeroplane at 60 feet above water, with the bomb rotating at 500 r.p.m. It would bounce across the surface, thereby evading the protective torpedo nets, before sinking and exploding underwater next to the wall of the dam.

Answer: Avro Lancaster

Due to the weight of the bouncing bombs, the Lancaster was adapted to make it lighter by removing internal fittings not needed for the raid. Trials were carried out at locations beforehand including Chesil Beach in Dorset and off the coast of Kent. A total of 19 Lancaster bombers were used in the raid, all of them fitted with one bomb apiece. Out of those, only 11 completed their mission. The remaining aeroplanes either crashed or were shot down.

Answer: Ruhr Valley

The Ruhr, situated in western Germany, includes the industrial cities of Essen and Dortmund. As Germany's leading industrial and mining region the area was a key bombing target during World War II with the aim of reducing the capacity of enemy production and source of fuel.

A tributary of the Rhine (which it joins in Duisburg), the Ruhr River rises to the east of these cities. Most of the dams targeted in Operation Chastise are located on southern tributaries of the Ruhr River: they generated electric power.

The Möhne and Eder dams were beached during the attack. The Sorpe dam remained intact and the Ennepe dam could not be located.

Answer: 617 Squadron

Initially called X Squadron, it was later given the number 617 Squadron. The group was formed under great secrecy in 1943 and was based at RAF Scampton in the eastern county of Lincolnshire, one of the English counties closest to Germany. Not only did the squadron feature British pilots, but also personnel from Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Answer: Guy Gibson

Wing Commander Guy Gibson was only 25 years old when he took command of 617 Squadron and led his men to raid several dams in Germany. Already a distinguished pilot who had completed 99 operations, he selected his crews carefully and began initial training on how to handle the adapted Lancaster bomber and release the specially fitted bouncing bomb. Gibson was awarded the Victoria Cross medal after the raids.

He died a year later although the reason for his death is shrouded in mystery. Some say his plane simply ran out of fuel and crashed in Holland on the return trip from another raid, while more recent findings suggest he was shot down by friendly fire.

Answer: 16/17 May 1943

The month of May was considered the best time for bombing the dams as this was when the water would be at its highest, and therefore, cause more damage and destruction to German industry. The squadron hit their targets in three waves, two travelling from the south and the third travelling from the north. It was estimated that the Mohne Dam was designed to hold back 140 million tonnes of water, and the Eder Dam to hold back 200 million tonnes of water. Both Mohne and Eder dams were breached by the bombs.

Answer: Forced labourers and POWs

It is estimated that 1,600 people lost their lives due to the bombing of the dams. The western Ruhr river was flooded as well as nearby farmland because of the huge displacement of water. Approximately 1,000 killed were prisoners and forced labourers from the Soviet Union and other European countries such as Poland and France. Eight Lancaster bombers and 56 RAF pilots did not make it home.

At the end of June, and a matter of weeks after the raids, engineers from Germany had fully restored the production of hydro-electric power.

Although not a great success, the operation was a morale boost for the Allies.

Answer: Après moi le déluge

Après moi le déluge in English is translated as "after me, the flood". This is shown on the crest of No. 617 Squadron along with a picture of a dam being struck and breached by three strikes of lightning. The same quote is believed to have been used by King Louis XV of France as the French Revolution took place 15 years after his death which saw the end of the French monarchy.

617 Squadron was also involved at the Invasion of Normandy in 1944 and a year later with the bombing of the German battleship, Tirpitz. Since the war, the squadron relocated to RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. They were involved in the Gulf War (1990-91) and the invasion of Iraq in 2003.