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| PERSONALIA |
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| Name: |
Gibson, Guy Penrose |
| Date of birth: | August 12th, 1918 (Simla, India)
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| Date of death: |
September 19th, 1944 (Steenbergen, the Netherlands)
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| Buried on: |
Commonwealth War Graves Steenbergen |
| Nationality: |
British |
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BIOGRAPHY:
Guy Gibson died on September 19, 1944 during an action, with his de Havilland Mosquito KB 267, with Squadron Leader James Warwick, near Steenbergen. His grave is on the cemetery of Steenbergen and Kruisland, the Netherlands.
In Steenbergen streets were named to commemorate the crash (the Gibsonstraat, Warwickstraat and Mosquitostraat). Also a memorial Plaque was erected at the crash site.
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VICTORIA CROSS (VC)
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Rank:
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Wing Commander
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Unit:
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617 Squadron, Royal Air Force
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Awarded on:
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June 22nd, 1943
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Action:
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In the night of May 16 on 17, 1943 Wing-Commander Gibson led a raid on the Mohne Dam in Germany. He decreased with his plane up to only some meters above the water and this all under the devastating fire of the German defenders. After he had thrown off its cargo with large accuracy, he circled still at small altitude above the hostile anti-aircraft guns to aim so the attention on himself. Now the next plane could follow his example. After this action they went to the Eder Dam, where they would throw their supplies according to the same tactic.
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Details:
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Wing Commander Gibson’s Victoria Cross is publicly displayed at the Royal Air Force Museum in Hendon, Great Britain.
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