Pic: Jim Heather
Great picture of the Lancaster at the Bomber Command Museum of Canada in Nanton, Alberta, which organised an event to salute the Canadian Dambusters this weekend. The Lancaster’s code letters have been changed to AJ-M, to match that carried by John Hopgood’s aircraft on the Dams Raid and it carries a full size replica of the Upkeep mine which was dropped by Hopgood at the Mohne Dam.
The picture was taken by Jim Heather, the nephew of Ken Earnshaw, Hopgood’s navigator. He also appears in this CBC news report.
Other relatives of Dams Raid participants also attended the event, and it saw the launch of a new book, The Dambusters: Canadian Airmen and the Secret Raid Against
Nazi Germany, by Ted Barris, about the men who took part. More details on the BCMA website here.
Dambusters Blog 
How good would it be if the last two surviving Dambuster crew members could meet up – but being separated by a vast expanse of water and that eternal chestnut of old age it is unlikely to happen.
I am a relative of Fred Sutherland and all I will say is that he prefers not to travel very far from home anymore. I would kindly suggest that people stop holding onto hope that he will make the trip to the UK, given his age.
Dear Sir, My information is the codeletter is changed in AJ-B now and I received a nice picture from this. AJ-B was the aircraft piloted by William Astell and struck a hightension pylon near Marbeck in Germany Greetings, Peter
I was there yesterday and it is definitely marked as AJ-M
I recently saw a photo of the Lancaster (VeRA) at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Ontario, that one is temporarily marked as AJ-B on one side.
I think many would be surprised at the high proportion of Canadian and Australian flying personnel on the raid.
McCarthy,I think a lone American joined up I think through Canada.
I believe Fauquier who was 617 commander towards end of the war was also Canadian.I do not know what happened to him.
Tim Parry
It might be appropriate for Bomber Command Museum of Canada in Nanton, Alberta to have copies to sell in their bookshop, of ‘M-Mother, Dambuster Flight Lieutenant John Hoppy Hopgood’ by Jenny Elmes published by The History Press ISBN 978 0 7509 6184 4.
Two of M-Mothers crew being Canadian!
Reblogged this on tesseractorion.
Hi Charles,
I hope all is well by you.
Thank you for the heads-up mention below of the event at Nanton this weekend.
Attached is a group picture of part of the families that took part. Unfortunately there isnât a complete picture because if there was another taken, I wasnât there for it.
Iâll send to you a drop-box link to the spinning Upkeep that was attached to the Lancaster. The file is too large to send here. Small small-sized pictures of it are also attached.
Ted Barris gave a spirited and well-produced presentation of the raid. I have it on tape and must present it to him to view first before sharing.