Last Dambuster asks to dedicate MBE to fallen war comrades
BRITAIN’S last surviving Dambuster has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours, modestly saying he is “very grateful” to all those who had campaigned to win him a knighthood.
George “Johnny” Johnson, 95, will be honoured by the Queen for services to Second World War remembrance and in his local community, more than 70 years after his heroics with Royal Air Force 617 Squadron.
Mr Johnson said he was “honoured” to be recognised, and hoped to ask the Queen’s permission to dedicate the award to the 59,000 Bomber Command personnel who gave their lives for their country.
Supporters of Mr Johnson had campaigned for him to be knighted after he was snubbed in previous honour lists. They argued that his achievements were greater than those of knighted celebrities or businessmen.
Among more than 1,000 others to receive honours this year were Andy Mcnab, who receives a CBE, not for his service with the SAS but for his work for literacy charities. Mr Mcnab – the name is a pseudonym – who rose to fame in 1993 with his controversial book about the SAS, Bravo Two Zero – said he was “delighted” to have been recognised, but did not know how the committees decide who receives which level of honour.
Mr Johnson said it was “amazing” that so many people had invested time in campaigning for him to be honoured, adding he is “very grateful to all those people that signed the petitions and made it possible”.
Asked about not receiving a knighthood, he added: “I think the MBE is as much honour as I could really expect and I thought if a knighthood comes up, I’m going to have difficulty not only in accepting it but pointing out to all and sundry that it’s not me. I’m the lucky one. I’m still alive. I’m representing the squadron and it is the squadron that is being honoured with this, not me.
“In fact, I got to the stage where I felt that I would have to ask – probably the Queen, if necessary – if I might be permitted to dedicate it to the memory of the 59,000 Bomber Command personnel that gave their lives during World War Two and have got little or no respect for that.”
John Nichol, the RAF Gulf War veteran who headed the campaign for the Dambuster’s knighthood, said: “It’s Johnny’s reaction which is the most important. I know that he’s going to be delighted to be honoured so if he’s happy, I’m happy.”