Chaucer Auctions
Lot 1
WW2 Dambuster relic, Large piece of the gear box from the Lancaster of John Vere Hopgood, DFC & Bar, which was shot down in the Dambuster Raid. Fixed to a wooden plinth and given to our vendor Jim Shortland 617 Sqn historian by Bill Townsend. Gibson selected Hopgood as his deputy for the attack against the Mohne Dam. While awaiting take off Hopgood spoke with Dave Shannon, telling him that he had had a premonition that he would not survive the mission. Gibson responded to the premonition with, Hoppy, tonights the night; tomorrow we will get drunk. Hopgood took off in the first group alongside Gibson and Mick Martin. It was on the journey to the Mohne that Hopgoods aircraft AJ M (M Mother) was hit by flak while passing the airfield at Dulmen. Hopgood along with gunners George Gregory and Tony Burcher were injured but they continued the attack. There is a possibility that Gregory was killed by flak at this point. The damaged aircraft reached the dam where they attacked at 00:32, ten minutes after Gibson. However, they were struck again by anti-aircraft fire and their bomb was released too late. It bounced over the dam and exploded on a power station on the other side. The aircraft was fatally damaged at this point and Hopgood remained at the controls, gaining height to allow his crew to bail out. Rear gunner, Pilot Officer Tony Burcher, remembered hearing Hopgood say; Get out you damn fool. If only I could get another 300 ft. I can't get any more height. John Fraser, John Minchin and Tony Burcher jumped, but the already injured Minchin did not survive. However, Fraser and Burcher survived and were made prisoners of war. AJ M crashed in a field near Ostonnen, 6 kilometres (3. 72 miles) from the dam. The bodies of Hopgood, Brennan, Navigator Kenneth (Ken) Earnshaw from Bridlington and Gregory were found inside.
