Dambuster hero’s tragic letter for sale
A TOUCHING letter from RAF hero Guy Gibson to the mother of an RAF comrade killed in the Dambusters mission is on sale after more than 70 years.
In it Wing Commander Gibson tells of his sorrow at the likely death of Sergeant Thomas Jaye during the high- risk operation in 1943.
Wg Cdr Gibson led 133 men to destroy a series of German dams. Of the 19 Lancaster Bombers that flew out on the famous sortie eight were shot down, resulting in the loss of 53 crew.
Sgt Jaye, 20, was a navigator in the third wave of planes sent to attack the Mohne Dam in Germany’s Ruhr Valley. But his aircraft was hit by flak over Holland and crashed, causing its huge bomb load to explode. Days later Wg Cdr Gibson, who won the Victoria Cross in the operation, wrote to Helena Jaye of Crook, Co Durham.
His typed letter told of his “deep regret” that her son’s plane had been “subjected to intense fire” and was seen to crash. Though there had been no word from any of the crew, Gibson attempted to reassure her that the pilot would have done everything possible to ensure the safety of his men.
Wg Cdr Gibson’s signed letter was kept in the archive of the 617 ( Dambusters) Squadron. When it was disbanded in 2008 the letter was bought by the present owner, who is now selling it.
Lydia Wilkinson, of London auctioneers Dreweatts & Bloomsbury, said: “It is a touching letter through which Gibson is trying to offer his personal condolences.”
Wg Cdr Gibson was killed in another raid.
The letter is due to be sold today for around £ 5,000.