British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

Recent Books by Forum Members

   

Go Back   British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum > Everything Else > Other Militaria

 Other Pages: Galleries, Links etc.
Glossary  Books by Forum Members     Canadian Pre 1914    CEF    CEF Badge Inscriptions   Canadian post 1920     Canadian post 1953     British Cavalry Badges     Makers' Marks    Pipers' Badges  Canadian Cloth Titles  Books  SEARCH
 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 17-12-20, 07:54 PM
Wooffy's Avatar
Wooffy Wooffy is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: North West Of England
Posts: 616
Default Fragment of Prototype Barnes Wallis Bouncing Bomb

In 1984 members of the Royal Observer Corps retrieved one of the prototype bouncing bombs from the bombing range at Ashley Walk, Godshill used by 617 SQN in the very famous dambusters raids. This was cut into 617 fragments and mounted in wooden blocks by apprentices from RAF Halton and sold at the time to raise funds for the ROC. I am fortunate enough to own a piece already (which was purchased by father at the time when he was a C/Obs). Currently there is a piece for sale on eBay and in all my years collecting to the ROC this is only the second piece I have seen for sale - the other being on a dealers website.

Whilst it is not insignia, it is an interesting piece of military history which stretches across many different areas of collecting so I thought it was worth highlighting.

Listed here on eBay and already at a healthy £237 - and with the last 8 bids from the same bidder even though (s)he is already the highest bidder - so someone really wants it I guess!
__________________
__________________________________________________ ______
Always looking for Observer Corps & Royal Observer Corps Items.
My Current 'Wants List' can be found here
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 18-12-20, 11:28 AM
Hawthorn Hawthorn is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 998
Default

Very interesting thanks for posting this, Barnes Wallis is buried close to me here in Surrey with quite an understated headstone considering his achievements.

Will watch with interest to see what price this reaches.

Simon.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 20-12-20, 05:04 PM
Beaker123 Beaker123 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 164
Default

It's at £430 now with three hours to go.

S
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 25-01-22, 10:06 PM
Wooffy's Avatar
Wooffy Wooffy is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: North West Of England
Posts: 616
Default

Another fragment is currently up for sale: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334305037...torefresh=true
__________________
__________________________________________________ ______
Always looking for Observer Corps & Royal Observer Corps Items.
My Current 'Wants List' can be found here
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 27-01-22, 11:59 PM
Padre's Avatar
Padre Padre is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 381
Default

Quote:
In 1984 members of the Royal Observer Corps retrieved one of the prototype bouncing bombs from the bombing range at Ashley Walk, Godshill used by 617 SQN in the very famous dambusters raids.
The members of No.14 Group Royal Observer Corps actually recovered seven end plates, all in 1975, with Observer Officer Sid Deedman being behind the project. Two were mated with a new skin to create a complete mine, which was presented to 617 Squadron, with two more mated with a new skin to make a second complete mine, which was kept for many years by Sid Deedman, before going to the Boscombe Down collection. A fifth end plate went to the Warnham War Museum (run by Joe Lyndhurst, father of Nicholas 'Rodney' Lyndhurst) and when that folded was sold to the Grantham Museum and the sixth, a half end plate ended up at the ROC Museum in Winchester. The seventh went to RAF Halton where Apprentices cut it into 617 pieces to raise funds for the RAF Museum's new Battle of Britain Hall in 1976/77. All were numbered and sold with matching certificates, with No. 1 going to the RAF Museum and No. 617 going to the Squadron. £3500 was raised.

Many of the pieces offered for sale now are fakes, just rough bits of metal put in a wood block.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 04-06-23, 09:22 PM
Wooffy's Avatar
Wooffy Wooffy is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: North West Of England
Posts: 616
Default

Another piece (piece #325) has come up on eBay - Link here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155590625483 with a starting price of £299
__________________
__________________________________________________ ______
Always looking for Observer Corps & Royal Observer Corps Items.
My Current 'Wants List' can be found here
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

mhs link

All times are GMT. The time now is 09:25 PM.


Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.