{"product_id":"pathway-to-the-ruhr-by-anthony-saunders-rm","title":"Pathway to the Ruhr by Anthony Saunders. (RM)","description":"DHM6430RM. Pathway to the Ruhr by Anthony Saunders. \u003cp\u003e The words from Air Vice-Marshal the Hon. Ralph Cochrane., newly appointed as AOC of No.5 Group, to the young Wing Commander were simple enough.  \u003ci\u003eI can't tell you the target\u003c\/i\u003e he continued \u003ci\u003ebut you've got to fly low-level, on the deck, and at night.  As far as aircrews are concerned, I want the best - you choose them.  And by the way... I want to see your aircraft flying on four days\u003c\/i\u003e.  Guy Gibson, the highly decorated Wing Commander concerned, had 173 operations behind him and was due to be rested when the unexpected call to see Cochrane had come.  \u003ci\u003e Would you like to do one more trip?\u003c\/i\u003e he'd been asked.  \u003ci\u003eWhat kind of trip?\u003c\/i\u003e he replied.  \u003ci\u003eAn important one\u003c\/i\u003e was all Cochrane would say and now, two days later, he was being asked to form a squadron.  What the special target might be Gibson could only speculate but, whatever it was, he realised it would be dangerous.  Cochrane had given him four days.  Within an hour he'd selected the aircrew; he knew most of them personally and had flown with several before.  There was no doubt they were the very best in Bomber Command.  Exactly four days later Squadron X - soon to become 617 Squadron - was ready at RAF Scampton.  Many familiar faces were there to meet him : amongst the pilots he spotted Hoppy Hopgood, Dave Shannon from Australia, and Canadian Lewis Burpee from his own 106 Squadron. together with Dinghy Young whom he'd chosen as a flight commander.  The tall, lugubrious figure of New Zealander Les Munro was there along with two other pilots from 97 Squadron, David Maltby and the big, beefy, American pilot Joe McCarthy with his Bomb-Aimer George Johnny Johnson.  His B flight commander, Henry Maudsley was there, as was Australian Mick Martin, the expert in low-level flying.  Every one of the nineteen crews who would fly the mission was there and seven weeks of intensive low-level flying lay ahead before, on the afternoon of 16th May 1943, Gibson finally revealed the target - that night they were to attack the mighty dams of the Ruhr valley. \u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSigned by :\u003cbr\u003eSquadron Leader Les Munro DSO DFC RNZAF,\u003cbr\u003eSquadron Leader George L. Johnson DFM,\u003cbr\u003eCorporal Maureen Stevens\u003cbr\u003eand\u003cbr\u003eDr Mary Stopes-Roe. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLimited edition of 25 remarques.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e  Paper size 31.5 inches x 24 inches (81cm x 61cm)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Military Aviation Art Prints","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54136197808461,"sku":null,"price":300.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0810\/5449\/9149\/files\/2026NEWdhm6430.jpg?v=1781872261","url":"https:\/\/militaryaviationartprints.com\/products\/pathway-to-the-ruhr-by-anthony-saunders-rm","provider":"Military Aviation Art Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}