Guest post by Michael Richter
[Michael Richter, a German reader of this blog living near the Sorpe Dam, has written to me about recent work carried out in Germany. This is at the crash site of the 617 Squadron Dams Raid crew of AJ-M, piloted by Flt Lt John Hopgood, near the RAF’s primary target, the Möhne Dam. I noticed that the work has been done by local people from the town of Soest, and I therefore suggested that Michael write an article himself, from the local perspective of the 1943 events. He suggested that he also write about a second memorial nearby, that at Himmelpforten, which concerns a local pastor who, on the night of the bombing, tried to warn the community of the forthcoming disaster. CF.]
Recently I visited the AJ-M crash site. I was pleased to see that there had been some renovation work and the visual impression was much better than in the photos of the route description shown in this blog. There is now a small, paved pedestal and the slab bears an engraved plaque.
Doing some research, I found out that the significant improvement was carried out by construction workers of the city of Soest, but the initiative came from a nearby school. Unfortunately, the employee of the city of Soest could not tell me which school this was. I will keep up my research, but I am thankful for the information given by a very friendly person at the Soest municipality.
Looking at the crash site you get a good feeling how the situation in that very night was, especially if you visited the Möhne Dam before. The distance airline is only a bit more than 4 miles. Given a speed of 230 mph it takes just a minute to get there. Unbelievable that three persons managed to bail out! In addition, between dam and crash site there is a height ridge that had to be crossed.
In some publications I have read that Hopgood had flown his Lancaster into a hill. That does not seem true to me, after crossing the ridge he was flying downhill and the area around the crash site is relatively flat.
If somebody is planning to visit the crash site, some additional information may be helpful. The unpaved road leading to the memorial is named “Frankweg” in 59494 Soest. It should be sufficient for a navigation system to lead you there. Please be aware that there is a “Frankenweg” in Soest as well. Make sure that you choose the correct road!
If you drive a regular car, you should park it shortly after leaving the tarmac road. I have a 4WD car and drove it directly to the monument, but I would not dare to do this with a sportscar! Besides it is only a walk of about 300 yards. The picture shows the surroundings and the proximity to the motorway and the arrow points to the monument.
Driving from the Möhne Dam to the crash site leads along the Möhne river. After 3 miles on the left side is another monument related to the Dam’s Raid – the Himmelpforten monastery memorial. Himmelpforten means “Heaven’s gate”. The monastery was literally washed away by the flood wave caused by the breach of the dam. If somebody is planning a road trip along the Dams Raid sites, it is worth a stop. Central part of the monument are the foundation walls of the monastery´s church. Except for a small wall, the church was destroyed. It is said that the flood wave at this place was 13 yards high. Pastor Joseph Berkenkopf heard the explosions of the upkeep mines and the roar of the wave. To him it was clear that the dam has been breached. Attempting to warn his little community he rushed up the church tower and rang the bells until the flood reached Himmelpforten and he was washed away together with his church. His gravestone is today part of the monument.
Currently, several events are planned to commemorate the eightieth anniversary of the raid which in Germany is always called “The Möhne Catastrophe”. Unfortunately, I cannot report on them because I will not be in Germany at that time.
I am planning to visit the other German crash sites this year. If there is anything interesting to report from there, I will write something about it.
Driving from the Möhne Dam to the crash site leads along the Möhne river. After 3 miles down river on the left side is another monument related to the Dams Raid – the Himmelpforten monastery memorial. Himmelpforten means “Heaven’s gate”. The monastery was literally washed away by the flood wave caused by the breach of the dam. If somebody is planning a road trip along the Dams Raid sites, it is worth a stop. Central part of the monument are the foundation walls of the monastery´s church. Except for a small wall, the church was destroyed. It is said that the flood wave at this place was 13 yards high. Pastor Joseph Berkenkopf heard the explosions of the upkeep mines and the roar of the wave. To him it was clear that the dam had been breached. Attempting to warn his little community he rushed up the church tower and rang the bells until the flood reached Himmelpforten and he was washed away together with his church. His gravestone is today part of the monument.
Currently, several events are planned to commemorate the eightieth anniversary of the raid which in Germany is always called “The Möhne Catastrophe”. Unfortunately, I cannot report on them because I will not be in Germany at that time.
I am planning to visit the other German crash sites this year. If there is anything interesting to report from there, I will write something about it.
Thanks to Michael for this article and the photographs. If you wish to contact him directly, please send an email to me and I will pass it on to him. CF.
Dambusters Blog 
This is a very interesting article so Danke Michael.
It would be great to get similar reports and current photos of the other crash sites in Germany and beyond.
Charles and I have compiled The Dambuster Crash Sites: Drivers’ Guide which gives detailed routes to the crash sites as well as the dams and the cemeteries. You will find the Guide at SEPTEMBER 2022 in the Archives list to the right.
Great read thank you
Thankyou for the photos and the explanatory comments, it was good to hear some of the German peoples side of the event that is so well remembered. My uncle Thomas William Maynard was in the plane that had to turn back after hitting the water just before reaching the coast; unfortunately he was killed when his plane was shot down after a raid on Liege 30/12/1943. he and his crew mates are buried in Gosselies Belgium, only the pilot survived.
Charles: Thanks again for providing this great information that we can enjoy and heighten our rememberance of the Dambusters -Best wishes -Alan
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Thanks Michael for this update. Having seen both memorials myself in 1983 (40th Anniversary), it puts the whole raid in perspective: the amazing derring-do and inventiveness of the raid against the huge human tragedy it caused. Jenny Elmes (niece of John Hopgood pilot M-Mother)
Hello Charles
I am involved With the Work on the plinth.
My Name ist John Davies, and myself, Mike Lübcke
a neighbour and Jochen Peters have created this Plinth Not the town of Soest. I am currently the Secretary of the Royal British Legion Here im Sauerland. If you would Like to contact me my E Mail address is hobbit4658@web.de
Hello John,
Thank you for the correction. So it turns out the information from the employee of the city of Soest was wrong. Apologies for that!
John Hopgood should have been awarded a medal for this attack, when you consider that he was shot up on the way to the target, he was wounded and possibly a dead crewman onboard, and also with an engine shot out. What amazes me about the man is the fact that he knew he would not be coming back and confided this to Dave Shannon. Also I have read that the man in the nose turret was also very upset after the briefing and was convinced that he was going to die, which he did. Brave men indeed, good quality men. So sad the whole thing.
I’ve said for years and often on battlefield tours to the Dams that Hoppy should have been awarded a posthumous VC for his courage that night.
Hear Hear Tony – Can’t we get some weight behind an application to our new King to do this ?
Yes Tony, agree.
Awards to Bomber Command were few and far between considering the amazing and dangerous work they did.
Pleased to hear that work has been done to improve the Hopgood crash site — I plan to visit the site next week and shall be including an update to the Crash Sites Drivers Notes that Charles and I produced — see September 2022 article https://dambustersblog.com/2022/09/26/dambuster-crash-sites-revised-drivers-guide/ — when I get home.
What a beautiful and humane post, thank you.
Thank you very much for sharing. Good news is always welcome!
I will be at the IBCC on the 14th. and thereafter wil travel via Gilze-Rijen (AJ-S) on the 15th, the Arnhem region, to the Mohne & Sorpe dams on the 16th. to be present at this years commemoration in the good company -as in recent years- of the Dambusters MCC. Looking forward to that, will share pictures and story in due time. Looking after the wooden cross of AJ-C at Hamm is on our list.
Regards, Roelof V.
Interested to read that more work is to be done at Hamm.
You may already know this but there is talk of moving the memorial to a more accessible site — it may not take place for a while but at least it is being considered.
It is a shame that the memorial is in such a remote place as it is the only one of the eight that is exactly where the crash occurred.
This is brilliant – many thanks – Rod
I visited the Mohne Dam when I was stationed in Germany during the cold war. I am planning to visit all three soon.
Looking back on the raid and the part played by all the crews, John Hopgood should have received a posthumous VC. To continue the attack with engines on fire knowing the chances of survival were nil certainly deserved that.
When/if you visit the dams, you may like to use the Driver’s Notes which Charles and I compiled in 2018 and updated last year.
These can be found by clicking on SEPTEMBER 2022 in the Archive to the right or using the link in my post above.
You will find the GPS coordinates to the dams as well as detailed instructions for each crash site and links to information on the cemeteries.
We are considering another complete update later in the year but the instructions in the current version are, to the best of my knowledge, still accurate.
It’s nice to see the locals erecting a memorial. The breaching was a brave act that will no doubt remain contentious for many.
It was a very brave and daring act, by so many humble and determined men and women, if you include the ground crews and WAAF’s working so hard to support the mission back at Scampton, UK.
But modern analysis proves it was of limited effect and therefore value, against the loss of so many men and planes, plus civilian casualties in Germany itself, including many slave labourers.
The raid certainly raised morale very well back in the UK and at a particularly difficult time, and would disrupt the Ruhr war effort for some months, but if the RAF had the presence of mind to return a few months later to destroy the fragile repairs and scaffolding, then the overall effect would have been so much greater.
A very good point Martin. Somehow I think at the time though, it was seen as a total Success and worthy of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. I’m sure if asked, they do it all again. Hindsight, is as they say, a wonderful thing.
I agree wholeheartedly – Hindsight is a perfect science, and most people fighting for freedom in WW2 did their very best at the time, with limited intelligence. RIP to them All.
Absolutely.