Dambuster diver’s day of success

Dundee enthusiast plays her part to help recover Highball bouncing bomb

A Dundee diver has helped raise a pair of bouncing bombs from the floor of a Scottish loch.

Lindsay Brown of Dundee Sub-Aqua Club helped with the recovery of two Dambuster devices.

The Highball bombs, made famous by the wartime Dambusters raid, were recovered from the bottom of Loch Striven, in Argyll.

They had lain at the bottom of the loch for 75 years after they were planted by the Royal Navy for use against enemy ships during the Second World War.

However, they have now been recovered in “perfect condition” by Lindsay and a group of divers from throughout the UK.

Lindsay said: “It was thrilling to be back. On the first dive we found the anchor from the ship that would have been the test target the Highballs would have been aimed at and for me that was the highlight.

“The anchor chain is about 60 metres long and we could see a lot of the Highballs strewn along it.

“I love old technology and it was absolutely stunning to see one brought to the surface. I feel that other people should be able to see them, not just divers, so it’s amazing to know that will happen because of this project.”

The bombs will be donated to two museums so they can be put on display in time for the 75th anniversary next year of the Dam Busters raid.

More than 200 of the bombs, codenamed Highball by the military, were tested at Loch Striven.

They never became operational and until now lay scattered on the floor of the loch.

Pictures: Getty. From far left: the Highball bouncing bomb recovered from Loch Striven; divers get kitted up; and Lindsay Brown taking part.