GB617SQN

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GB617SQN will always be held with high esteem in the hearts of those members who took part in the event. From it's initial conception through to it's ultimate execution was one long roller coaster. The idea, having been born, then took a back seat as the whole logistics of undertaking such a project kicked in. It soon became evident at committee meetings that this was going to be a big one and some serious planning started to take place. The purpose of the event was to commemorate the 50th anniversary of 617 Squadrons epic night over Germany which, resulted in them being known thereafter as the 'Dambusters'. The Derwent Dam in the Peak district of Derbyshire had been used by 617 Sqn in their training before carrying out the real thing on the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams during the evening of 16/17 May 1943.

A fly past over the Derwent Dam by Britain's only remaining airworthy Lancaster was being planned and it was into this scheme that we fitted our idea. Securing the call sign - GB617SQN - in itself was no easy feat, but, secure it we did and the planning gathered apace. It was decided very early on that we should issue a QSL card worthy of the event and in our endeavours to do this we ran into some copyright laws. The picture we had initially chosen to front our cards was not available to use. However, an eleventh hour meeting with the notable painter, John Larder, resulted in permission being given for use of one of his other fine paintings. Our printer then ran into technical problems and software had to be flown in from America. But, against the odds and with a big thanks to both aforementioned gentlemen, we were able to issue a very fine QSL card, which we believe, did the event proud. Initial talks and meetings with the organisors of the event had us down to occupy the East tower of the Dam, across from the main viewing platform. Rumour at the time had it that there was the possibility of Royalty being present on the day and this saw us review our plans. However, rumours and indeed promises were unfounded and some days prior to arriving we got news that we were to be accommodated in the East tower of the Howden Dam, which, lay up the valley from the main Derwent Dam. Disappointed we were, and probably more so when we discovered that the Press Corp were to occupy our original promised site.

The plan (there was a plan), was to operate a station for a period of five days and be on the whole, totally self supported. Food, water, fuel for the generators, beds, radios and antenna had all to be thought of, provided and transported to site. As an aside, the chemical toilet probably lasted a day and then it was fairly common to see a HAM whistling his way off into the woods with a shovel close to hand (were they digging for gold?).

The day we arrived on site, we nearly lost a caravan into the reservoir; encountered all extremities of weather as we toiled to set up the station and had to fill in a hole at the tower door before we could enter. The height of the tower was approximately 70ft above the Dam wall. A network of ladders had to be negotiated in order to get the rope and pulleys up onto the roof and then haul up the Antenna from the outside. Feeder cables then had to be dragged up into the roof. The generators had to be man-handled (by 6 men) to a position close enough as not to cause us deafness and the envisaged public burns as they walked past. Suffice to say that every problem we encountered, we overcame. Sometimes with a few expletives but always with a laugh and genuine camaraderie. Some of the 'laughs' were the kind where you had to be there but reproduced at the end of this page is a sanitised Diary of Events.

The event itself was a tremendous success and the sight of the Lancaster lining up on and approaching the Howden Dam was truly a thought provoking and a somewhat eerie sight. Standing on top of the tower one was more or less looking straight across and into the cockpit of the 'Lanc' as she flew past. Thoughts of just how vulnerable the aircraft was and how brave the aircrew that night were became evident amongst those club members watching.

Diary of Events (as recorded on the Endex report to the Stn Cdr, RAF Finningley)

15 May 1993
1. Having loaded the Landrover the previous day the convoy assembled and departed Doncaster at 06.30 hrs. Members were able to keep in touch during the transit by means of 2 metre radio. This proved to be invaluable when negotiating Sheffield's traffic lights when the convoy was often fragmented. The convoy arrived at the access road to the dam on time at 08.00 hrs and were duly met by a member of Severn Trent Water, who opened the gate and acted as a guide up to the site.
2. It took half an hour before unloading of the trailer could begin after nearly losing one of the caravans into the reservoir. The allocated parking proved totally inadequate for the vehicle. The situation was recovered by our guide overturning his Boss's earlier decision in our favour and allowing all vehicles to park on the track next to the tower.
3. Despite having to 'man handle' all equipment and stores from the vehicles into the tower and, in the case of the antennas, up on to the roof of the tower, in between and during spells of sunshine, driving rain and hail we managed to get our first HF contact logged at 13.00 hrs. This was (UV3WF) in the CIS and was achieved by George Boothroyd using the old reliable morse code.
4. After one hour of operation the generator decided to cough, splutter and then die all together. However, Flt Lt John Fennell identified the problem as being too rich a mixture fouling the plug. This was quickly rectified and at 15.15 hrs (G4BZI) became the first voice contact on HF.
5. It was not for the want of trying, but the problems with getting the VHF station on the air, particularly the antennas, were becoming apparent and as the weather and light were against him, Walt Stainforth decided to call it a day after he'd "been up them steps more times than Quasimodo".
6. 21.45 hrs and the last contact was made for the day. 92 in total over 21 countries from New York in the USA, throughout Europe, China and down to Melbourne, Australia. After the generator had been switched off, peace had been returned to the valley and due to the lack of heat, members had quickly jumped into sleeping bags, it was discovered that "someone" had left the trapdoor off on the roof!

16 May 1993
7. 05.30 hrs and Brian Spittlehouse arises to be followed slowly but surely by the rest of the team. No sooner had he had breakfast than George was away again on the morse key and straight into France.
8. Stations are piling up trying to work us and it's a case of pulling part of a call sign out of the noise and requesting quiet from everyone else, whilst the station picked gives his full call. This procedure works very well with the majority of callers as Ernie Knight makes a list before starting it all over again. During one of these list taking sessions we are able to put two ex members of 617 Sqn (G2AJV) and (G3AZW) in touch with each other and pleasantries were exchanged for a few minutes before another list began.
9. The problems with VHF persisted, however, contact was made at 11.21 hrs with (G3XBE) on 2 metre FM.
10. Sgt Brian Fisher (an Ex Chairman of the Society and recently posted) arrived to boost the Service contingent and was no sooner in the door than he was away operating on HF.
11. The weather had closed right in again by 15.00 hrs and when Walt gave Vic Lowe a rollicking for allegedly entering Local instead of Zulu time in the log, the rest of the members decided that Walt had a severe case of water on the brain.
12. 21.40 hrs and the last contact in the log for the day, well, nearly the last as Adie Harrison gives in to (G0SRY), who pleads that he has been calling us all day and has not been able to get through the pile up until now.

17 May 1993
13. 04.00 hrs. Vic Lowe falls down a hole whilst "inspecting the regions fauna" (the promised toilet facilities had not and would not appear). 05.30 hrs and Sgt Fisher is received at 5/9 + 40db and is only cut off when Dave Morris throws a Wellington boot in his general direction!
14. Sgt Brian McInnes asked if anyone had heard footsteps on the stairs last night and, now that the question had been asked...it seems everyone had.
15. 09.20 hrs and the 70 Cm and 2 M beam has now been put up. This is followed shortly afterwards with (G4VVR) becoming the first contact on 2 mtrs SSB and (2E1BRV) the first contact on 70 cms.
16. A visit to the site by a member of Severn Trent reveals that a 'break-in' had occurred last night on the other side of the dam. The question posed with this information was. Had those been the footsteps heard and had Sgt Fisher's snoring scared them off?
17. Contact is made with German operator (DF8WZ), who is located in the shadow of the Eder Dam.
18. 19.45 hrs sees the 1,000th contact and the station is closed down for the day at 21.45 hrs.

18 May 1993
19. Those members sleeping in the tower awake with stories of things going bump in the night again.
20. 0825 hrs. George Boothroyd manages to pick out another exotic contact, this time with (FO5BI) in Tahiti.
21. HC5AI from Ecuador marks the first contact in South America and results in all 5 continents having now been worked.
22. Dave Morris gets diverted from heating up his lunch (out of a tin) on a primus stove, to speak with a member of the general public who is interested in RAFARS. This results in the man, who is "roughing it" pulling out his briefcase which is full of application forms!
23. Walt Stainforth spots vehicles on top of Birching Lea Meadows. "They weren't there an hour ago" claims Walter and speculation rises that they might be SAS (we were under the impression that Royalty were to be present). Closer investigation through Bruce Smith's binoculars however, reveals the "vehicles" to be a broken stone dyke wall that had probably been there for centuries!
24. 22.50 hrs and Adie Harrison is told in no uncertain term to close the station and go to bed.

19 May 1993
25. 05.30 hrs. The peace and tranquility of the tower, not to mention the valley, is rudely and abruptly shattered by Dave Morris and his interpretation of how Reveille should sound as he gives an impromptu rendition on a bugle.
26. Flt Lt Fennell arrives back relatively free from hassle considering the car pass promised weeks ago is now in the tower but, he is at the entrance to the valley with a big burly policeman, who wants to know where his pass is! We offer to read the pass serial number over the air to the policeman, who is listening in on the 2M mobile and this expidites his entrance at last.
27. From 10.00 to 17.00 hrs the station is very busy with visitors and during the periods of flying we close down. Those members that can manage to climb the network of ladders do so and assembled on the roof of the tower, watch a most impressive and thought provoking flypast from the Lancaster.
28. 22.00 hrs sees the last contact for GB617SQN with EA5GRC in Spain.

20 May 1993
29. 05.50 hrs. The previously loyal generators that have been "mothered" by Bruce Smith throughout the period of operation just don't want to know this morning. However, after another clean of the plugs and a few expletives they finally start and we can get the kettle on.
30. With the site left spotless, everything has been packed away and the convoy is ready to depart at 10.00 hrs.
31. A relatively uneventfull trip back to RAF Finningley and by 14.00 hrs all borrowed items of equipment have been handed back to the sections concerned.

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