Last surviving Dambuster George ‘Johnny’ Johnson dies age 101
Mr Johnson was the last surviving original member of RAF 617 Squadron’s famous raid on the night of 16 May 1943
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Your support makes all the difference.The last surviving Dambuster George “Johnny” Johnson has died at the age of 101.
Mr Johnson was the last surviving original member of RAF 617 Squadron’s famous “Dambusters” raid on the night of 16 May 1943.
He died peacefully at his care home in Westbury on Trym, Bristol, on Wednesday night surrounded by his family, a source told the PA news agency.
Mr Johnson was a bomb aimer during Operation Chastise, which was tasked with attacking German dams using special “bouncing bombs” in an effort to disable Adolf Hitler’s industrial heartland.
The Dambusters raid caused fatal floods in the Ruhr valley and in villages across the Eder valley, as well as destruction to factories and mines during the Second World War.
Around a third of the RAF Bomber Command crew did not survive – 53 were killed and three captured, while eight aircraft were destroyed.
Following the death of his wartime colleague Fred Sutherland in January 2019, Mr Johnson became the last survivor of the original flying members of 617 Squadron.
On 25 November 2022, Johnson, who retired from the RAF as a squadron leader, celebrated his 101st birthday.
Mr Johnson was made an MBE in 2017 and was given an honorary doctorate by the University of Lincoln in the same year.
The Dambuster leaves behind his wife Gwynn Johnson, three children, eight grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Speaking five years ago, Mr Johnson said he still had “strong memories” from the war, adding: “That is something which will live forever, as far as I’m concerned.
“I don’t volunteer, but if people ask, I will talk to their club or their group, that means they are interested, and if they are interested I will talk to them.
“I’ve got to the stage now where I say to the children ‘If I say I don’t want to do this anymore, you can send the box in as soon as you like’.”
Mr Johnson previously said his crew was asked to join a special mission towards the end of his first tour when he was due to get leave. They were not told what the mission was until the night before.
“Anticipating that week’s leave, my fiancee (Gwyn Morgan) and I had arranged to get married on 3 April,” he said.
“(She said in a letter): ‘If you are not there on 3 April, don’t bother.’
“When we got to Scampton, and this was 25 March, first thing we heard was ‘No leave’.
“Joe (McCarthy) took us as a crew up to Gibson’s office ... and said: ‘My bomb aimer is supposed to be getting married and he is going to get married.’
“We got our leave, and I got my wedding.”
Just six weeks later, Mr Johnson and his crewmates successfully dropped their bomb on the Sorpe dam.
They did not destroy it but the Germans had to empty it to repair it, causing major disruption to the war effort.
After 22 years of service in the air force, Mr Johnson worked as a teacher, including at Rampton Secure Hospital, and later at another hospital for people with mental health problems.
He and his wife later moved to Devon, where he became a Conservative councillor.
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