100 happy returns for Dambuster
BRITAIN’S last surviving Dambuster shows he’s still up for a slice of the action – as he tucks into a cake made to celebrate his 100th birthday today.
Squadron Leader George “Johnny” Johnson was presented with the trio of chocolate and vanilla sponges by the RAF Benevolent Fund charity.
And the birthday boy has another reason to celebrate. The Dambusters Ride – a 100-mile bike ride, launched by the charity to mark the hero’s centenary – raised more than £150,000.
Johnny will be celebrating his big day with a party at his Bristol care home, surrounded by loved ones. He and his late wife Gwyn had three children, eight grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. But the flying ace admits his birthday will be tinged with sadness as none of his former comrades will be there to share it.
Johnny became the last Dambuster in 2019, when Canadian air gunner Fred Sutherland died at the age of 95.
They were members of the elite 617 Squadron, who carried out Operation Chastise – a daring Second World War mission to destroy German dams with bouncing bombs launched from legendary Lancasters.
Johnny, who served with the Royal Air Force for 22 years and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal before becoming a teacher, says there is one birthday present he would truly like – an official medal for veterans of Bomber Command, 55,573 of whom were killed during the conflict.
Insult
Despite their sacrifice, official reticence over the bombing of German cities means the crews were never granted a devoted campaign medal.
David Cameron commissioned a Bomber Command clasp in 2013, but many deemed it an insult. Johnny, who was made an MBE in 2017, said he has never taken his out of its box and added: “Getting the medal would be the highlight of my life.”
The hero said he would like the Dambusters to be remembered for “the tremendous loss and also the collective effort”.