International Bomber Command Centre

13/10/2026

The owner of a farm in Lincolnshire is looking for relatives of the crew of 61 Sqn Lancaster W4830. The aircraft crashed on the farm on the 26th June 1943 and a cairn memorial has been built at the site. The farmer is keen to invite as many of the descendants and family of the crew as he can.

Two of the crew were killed:

Herbert William Beasley https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/101421/
Kenneth Lloyd
https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/114120/

The other 5 survived:

Sgt David Henry Pearce (who later published his memoires, Dark Skies and Dead Reckoning)
Sgt R Everett
Sgt J Robson
Sgt J Penswick
Sgt Arthur Bradley Woodvine, who was killed in April 1944 aboard Lancaster JA695.

If you can help, please DM or email [email protected]

08/10/2026

After Me, The Flood invites visitors to explore the impact of Operation Chastise through a new lens.

This exhibition brings together rare photographs, personal accounts, and the often‑overlooked human stories from the communities affected by the Möhne Dam raid — revealing the devastation that followed and the forced labour it took to rebuild the Dam.

Through destruction, rebuilding, and reconciliation, After Me, The Flood encourages us to reflect on the legacy of conflict and the responsibility we carry today.

It reminds us that history is not only something we inherit — it’s something we choose to learn from.

Stand where history once broke, and choose friendship instead of division.
A powerful reminder that reconciliation is not a moment, but a commitment.

https://internationalbcc.co.uk/history/after-me-the-flood/

07/10/2026

Our new Dambusters exhibition After Me, The Flood officially opened on Monday, bringing together guests from Lincolnshire and Germany to mark the unveiling of a remarkable collection of rare film footage, photographs and documents telling the story of the raid from a different perspective.

They reveal the devastation caused by the floods, the impact on local communities and the extraordinary reconstruction of the dam - much of it carried out using forced labour under the N**i regime.

The exhibition also tells the story of the friendship that has grown between Scampton and Möhnesee, demonstrating how confronting a difficult shared history can help create understanding, friendship and reconciliation.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make yesterday’s opening such a memorable occasion - particularly the children and young people from both communities.

After Me The Flood is now open to the public at IBCC and runs until 28th February 2027.

We hope you’ll come and see this hugely important and previously untold story for yourself.

As Möhnesee archivist Dr Lena Lewald said during her speech, "It would be a delusion to believe that the work of remembrance undertaken since 1945 has shaped our society and proofed it against war and hatred.

"Very clear signals from within our society show that we cannot afford to rest. We must make certain that memory stays awake, that history is not retold to suit other ends, and that young people do not turn away and stop listening."

01/10/2026

The last photograph of the Möhne Dam before the Dambusters raid. Just hours later, everything changed.

Opening this Tuesday, 6 October, at the International Bomber Command Centre, Lincoln.

For the first time in the UK, After Me, The Flood brings together photographs never before displayed in this country, revealing the devastation caused by the raid, the rebuilding that followed, and the beginnings of reconciliation.

30/09/2026

21/09/2026

Remembering Flt Sgt Roy Ault

Lincolnshire-born Roy Ault was just 22 when he lost his life during the raid on Kassel on the night of 22/23 October 1943. A young bomb‑aimer, Roy had first flown with 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds before joining the crew of Flt Lt Charles Hammond when they transferred to RAF Kirmington and 166 Squadron in September 1943.

On 22 October, the crew took off from Kirmington at 18.12 in Lancaster EE196 AS‑Z, one of 12 aircraft from the station joining a major force of 569 bombers. The raid proved devastating, with 43 aircraft lost — including two from 166 Squadron. EE196 was intercepted by a night‑fighter around 50 miles from the target and crashed near the village of Brakelsiek, close to Schwalenberger Wald. Only the flight engineer, Sgt Arthur Pilbean, survived.

Roy was the son of Reuben and Olive Ault, the family later moving from Stamford to Sidcup in Kent.
Those who died with him were:
• Flt Lt Charles Hammond DFC (pilot)
• Master Sgt John Walton DFM USAAF (navigator)
• PO Edward Jones (wireless operator)
• Sgt Ivan Doncaster (mid‑upper gunner)
• Sgt Victor Deacon (rear gunner)

All are buried in Hanover War Cemetery. Roy’s name is commemorated on Panel 004 at the IBCC Memorial.

Their service and sacrifice are remembered.

https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/100716/

Please consider uploading any Bomber Command photos you hold to the IBCC Losses Database — every image helps us give another name a face.

17/09/2026

History doesn’t fade if we keep telling it.

This photo depicts eight men in RAF uniform standing outside a dugout hut — air crew and ground crew together, captured in a quiet moment between everything they were facing. One man holds a small mascot, the kind of personal token many carried with them, not for luck, but for comfort and connection to home.

Identifier: PHodgesGW18010010 / PHodgesGW18010011
Collection: George William Hodges

You can search the IBCC Digital Archive here and find thousands of stories just like theirs — names, faces, letters, and moments preserved so they’re never lost.

https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/

13/09/2026

What happens when the inventor of the bouncing bomb writes to the historian who documented its aftermath?

In 1975, Sir Barnes Wallis wrote to German historian Dr Helmuth Euler, thanking him for a book that explored the Dambusters Raid from the German perspective. In the correspondence, Wallis praised Euler's work and reflected on aspects of the raid that had not been widely understood in Britain for many years.

The exchange offers a fascinating insight into how the story of Operation Chastise continued to evolve long after the war. Wallis, whose innovative design made the raid possible, and Euler, who spent decades researching its consequences, found themselves connected by a shared desire to understand and document one of the most famous operations of the Second World War.

These letters form part of After Me, The Flood, a unique exhibition at the International Bomber Command Centre featuring hundreds of photographs, films and documents, many never before seen in the UK. Drawn from archives and collections around the Möhne region, the exhibition explores not only the raid itself, but also the devastation, reconstruction and enduring legacy that followed.

📍 Visit After Me, The Flood and discover a side of the Dambusters story rarely seen before.

https://internationalbcc.co.uk/history/after-me-the-flood/

11/09/2026

Enjoy Sunday lunch at the International Bomber Command Centre.

Join us at The Hub Café every Sunday from 12–3pm for a traditional roast lunch, with all the trimmings and a choice of homemade desserts.

With beautiful views across Lincoln and our Peace Gardens just outside, it’s a lovely setting to enjoy a relaxed Sunday with family and friends.

Why not make a day of your visit? Explore our exhibitions and Peace Gardens before sitting down to a delicious Sunday lunch.

Sunday lunches must be pre-ordered in advance — we are unable to accommodate walk-ins.

📍 International Bomber Command Centre, Lincoln
🍽️ Sundays | 12–3pm
📞 To pre-order: 01522 514755

We look forward to welcoming you.