The Dam Busters The night of May 16th marks exactly 70 years since one of the most famous episodes of the Second World War; the bombing of three German dams, by the ‘Dam Busters’. Barnes Wallis, an eccentric scientist and inventor, who had designed the Wellington Bomber, (one of the most important aeroplanes during the first half of the war) designed a bomb which bounced across water. The bomb would also be designed to bounce over the protective torpedo nets and hit the sides of the dams, causing maximum damage to the walls. An incredibly dangerous mission, of which details can be found in our latest set of Comprehension worksheets. Arranged in four sets we look at the planning, preparation and carrying out of this audacious raid. We also take a look at ‘The Bomber Boys’, many of whom lost their lives but were shunned by Churchill at the end of the war. Bomber Command was formed in 1936 as part of the RAF and during WW2 it was responsible for the night time bombing of military targets across occupied Europe, not only in retaliation for the Blitz, but also to disrupt the German war industry. The Bomber Boys flew in some of the most well-known aeroplanes of the Second World War: Lancasters, Wellingtons, Blenheims, Halifax’s and Mosquitos. The average age of the men flying in these aeroplanes was just 22, whilst many were still teenagers and they all had a life expectancy of just a few weeks. Finally, these brave men have been recognised with a magnificent memorial in Green Park, London, over 67 years later. Go to Dam Busters worksheets