April 2019 Issue 01 VM1904C

This is the first time we have had such a fantastic selection of signed Dambuster covers. I have included each crew member, even though some may not have signed. I am sure many of you will not be able to resist!! On the night of 16-17 May 1943, Wing Commander led 617 Squadron, later called the Dambusters, of the Royal Air Force on a bombing raid to destroy three dams in the Ruhr valley, the industrial heartland of Germany. The mission was codenamed Operation ‘Chastise’. The dams were fiercely protected. Torpedo nets in the water stopped underwater attacks and anti-aircraft guns defended them against enemy bombers. But 617 Squadron had a secret weapon: the ‘bouncing bomb’, which was developed by Barnes Wallis.

The surviving aircrew of 617 Squadron were lauded as heroes, and Guy Gibson was awarded the for his actions during the raid. The raid also established 617 Squadron as a specialist precision bombing unit, experimenting with new bomb sights, target marking techniques and colossal new ‘earthquake’ bombs developed by Barnes Wallis. AJ-F (for Freddie) RYD617FN £75 Our choice of Crew Members: cover, signed by Dudley P Heal. F/Sgt Kenneth Brown CGM (Pilot), Sgt Harold B Feneron (Engineer), Sgt Dudley P Heal DFM (Navigator), Sgt H J Hewstone (Wireless Operator), Sgt S Oancia (Bomb Aimer), Sgt D Allaston (Front Gunner), F/Sgt Grant S MacDonald (Rear Gunner).

RYD617FR £100 Our choice of cover signed by F/Sgt Grant S MacDonald. £50 per month over 2 months

RYD617FRB £100 £50 per month over 2 months RYD617FRA £100 2007 Operation 2007 Formation of 617 Squadron. The Cenotaph Chastise, The (poppy) postmark. Signed by F/Sgt Grant S MacDonald. Cenotaph (poppy) LIMITED EDITION OF 25. postmark. Signed by F/Sgt Grant S MacDonald. LIMITED EDITION OF 25. £50 per month over 2 months

RYD617FRD £100 1987 44th Ann. of the Dam Raids, , Lincs postmark. RYD617FRC £100 £50 per month over 2 months Signed by F/Sgt Grant S MacDonald. 2011 617 ‘Dambuster’ Squadron flown cover, £50 per month Scampton postmark. Limited Edition of 10. Signed over 2 months by F/Sgt Grant S MacDonald.

Buckingham Covers, Warren House, Shearway Road, Folkestone, Kent CT19 4BF Tel 01303 278137 Fax 01303 279429 Email [email protected] 1 RYD617GH £50 Our choice of cover. Signed by H R Humph Humphries, Adjutant.

RYD617GC £100 £50 per month over 2 months RYD617GM £100 Our choice of cover. Signed by Corporal Ken Our choice of cover, Lucas, Ground Crew. signed by H K Duke Munro, Ground crew. AJ-L (for Leather) Crew Members: Flt Lt David Shannon DSO (Pilot), Sgt R J Henderson (Flight Engineer), RYD617LB £75 F/O Daniel R Walker (Navigator), F/O B Goodale (Wireless operator), Our choice of covers, F/Sgt Leonard Sumpter DFM (Bomb aimer), F/Sgt Leonard Sumpter DFM, Bomber. Sgt B Jagger (Front Gunner), P/O J Buckley (DFC) (Rear Gunner)

RYD617LP £50 Our choice of covers, Flt Lt David Shannon DSO, Pilot.

RYD617LN £100 £50 per month over 2 months Our choice of cover. Signed by F/O Daniel R Walker, Navigator. AJ-M (for Mother) Crew Members: Flt Lt JV Hopgood (Pilot), Sgt C Brennan (Flight Engineer), RYD617MR £75 F/O K Earnshaw (Navigator), Sgt J W Minchin (Wireless Operator), Our choice of cover. Signed by P/O Anthony P/O J W Fraser (Bomb Aimer), F Burcher, Rear Gunner F/O G H F G Gregory (Front Gunner), P/O Anthony F Burcher (Rear Gunner).

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT OUR EMAIL NEWSLETTERS YET? Exclusive Offers - Rare Autographs - Specialist Covers! What do YOU want to hear about? Get priority news & special offers about just what interests YOU straight to your inbox! Signed covers, rare GB FDC, new issue covers, bargain offers, online magazine access or just a round-up of the latest news from Buckingham Covers. Whatever you want to hear about we’ve got it covered. Visit www.buckinghamcovers.com/family to find out what you’ve been missing out on!

Warren House, Shearway Road, Folkestone, Kent CT19 4BF 2 Tel 01303 278137 Fax 01303 279429 Email [email protected] DBM01 AJ-N (for Nut)

RYD617NE £50 Crew Members: Our choice of cover. P/O L G Knight (DSO) (Pilot), Signed by Sgt Raymond Sgt Raymond E Grayston (Flight Engineer), E Grayston, Engineer F/O Harold Hobday DFC (Navigaor), F/Sgt R G T Kellow (Wireless Operator), F/O Edward C Johnson (Bomb Aimer) Sgt Frederick Sutherland (Front Gunner), RYD617NEA £50 Sgt H E O'Brien (Rear Gunner) 2007 Formation of 617 Squadron with Cenotaph (poppy) postmark. Signed by Sgt Raymond E Grayston

RYD617NEC £50 2007 cover with Cenotaph (poppy) postmark. RYD617NEB £50 Signed by Sgt Raymond E Grayston. 2008 65th Ann. of 617 Squadron cover with Scampton postmark. Limited Edition of 25. LIMITED EDITION OF 25 Signed by Sgt Raymond E Grayston

RYD617NED £50 2005 Delivery Flights AJ-N cover with ‘Route to Victory’ Trafalgar Square postmark. Signed by Sgt Raymond E Grayston. LIMITED EDITION OF 50.

RYD617NEE £50 2013 Cambridge Stamp Centre 50th Ann, RYD617NEF £50 Dambusters cover with WWII Whitehall postmark. Signed by Sgt Raymond 2010 617 Dambuster Squadron E Grayston. with Scampton postmark. Signed by Sgt Raymond E Grayston. LIMITED EDITION OF 20 LIMITED EDITION OF 25

RYD617NEG £50 2008 Operation Chastise; Guy Gibson cover with Scampton postmark. Signed by Sgt Raymond E Grayston.

RYD617NF £75 RYD617NFA £75 Our choice of cover. Signed by Sgt 2007 Formation of Frederick Sutherland, Front Gunner. 617 Squadron, The LIMITED EDITION OF 25 Cenotaph (poppy) postmark. Sgt Frederick Sutherland, Front 01303 Gunner. 278137 LIMITED EDITION OF 25 www.buckinghamcovers.com 3 AJ-N (for Nut)

Crew Members: RYD617NFB £75 2008 The Men that P/O L G Knight (DSO) (Pilot), made History: David Sgt Raymond E Grayston (Flight Engineer), Shannon. Signed by Sgt F/O Harold Hobday DFC (Navigaor), Frederick Sutherland, F/Sgt R G T Kellow (Wireless Operator), Front Gunner. F/O Edward C Johnson (Bomb Aimer) LIMITED EDITION OF 20 Sgt Frederick Sutherland (Front Gunner), Sgt H E O'Brien (Rear Gunner) RYD617NFC £75 2014 Operation Chastise, WWII Whitehall postmark. Signed by Sgt Frederick Sutherland, Front Gunner. LIMITED EDITION OF 50

RYD617NFE £75 RYD617NFD £75 2013 Delivery Flights The Night they Breached the Dams, Scampton. Signed AJ-F cover. Signed by Sgt Frederick Sutherland, Front Gunner. by Sgt Frederick Sutherland, Front LIMITED EDITION OF 16 Gunner. LIMITED EDITION OF 50 RYD617NFF £75 2013 Delivery Flights AJ-G cover. Signed by Sgt Frederick Sutherland, Front Gunner. LIMITED EDITION OF 50

RYD617NFH £75 2009 The Men of the Dams Raid: Cyril Anderson. Signed by Sgt Frederick RYD617NFG £75 Sutherland, Front 2009 The Men of the Dams Raid: Les Knight, Scampton Gunner. postmark. Signed by Sgt Frederick Sutherland, LIMITED EDITION OF 6 Front Gunner. AJ-O (for Orange) Crew Members: P/O W C Townsend (CGM) (Pilot), Sgt D J D Powell (Flight Engineer), P/O C L Howard (DFC) (Navigator), F/Sgt George A Chalmers DFC (Wireless Operator), Sgt C E Franklin (bar DFM) (Bomb Aimer), Sgt Douglas E Webb DFM (Front Gunner), Sgt R Wilkinson (DFM) (Rear Gunner)

RYD617OW £75 Our choice of cover. F/Sgt George A Chalmers DFC (Wireless Operator).

Warren House, Shearway Road, Folkestone, Kent CT19 4BF 4 Tel 01303 278137 Fax 01303 279429 Email [email protected] DBM01 AJ-P (for Popsie) Crew Members: Flt Lt Harold B M Martin DSO (Pilot), P/O I Whittaker (Flight Engineer), Lt J F Leggo (bar DFC) (Navigator), F/O L Chambers (Wireless Operator), Flt Lt R C Hay DFC (Bomb Aimer), P/O B T Foxlee (Front Gunner), F/Sgt Thomas Simpson DFM (Rear Gunner). RYD617PR £100 £50 per month over 2 months Our choice of cover. Signed by F/Sgt Thomas Simpson DFM, Rear Gunner. AJ-T (for Tommy) Crew Members: RYD617TB £75 Flt Lt Joseph C McCarthy DSO (Pilot), Our choice of cover. Sgt W Radcliffe (Flight Engineer), Signed by Sgt George F/Sgt Donald A McLean (Navigator), ‘Johnny’ Johnson, Sgt L Eaton (Wireless Operator), Bomber. Sgt George Johnson (Bomb Aimer), Sgt R Batson (Front Gunner), F/O David Rodger (Rear Gunner) RYD617TBA £75 2008 65th Ann. Operation Chastise, Guy Gibson cover, Scampton postmark. Signed by Sgt George ‘Johnny’ Johnson, Bomber. LIMITED EDITION OF 25

RYD617TBC £75 2007 Formation of 617 RYD617TBB £75 Squadron cover with The Cenotaph (poppy) 2010 The Dockyards at Leghorn, Italy postmark. Signed by cover with Scampton postmark. Signed Sgt George ‘Johnny’ by Sgt George ‘Johnny’ Johnson, Bomber. Johnson, Bomber. LIMITED EDITION OF 10 LIMITED EDITION OF 25

RYD617TBD £75 2012 The Men that Breached The Dams, Scampton postmark. Signed by Sgt George ‘Johnny’ Johnson, Bomber. LIMITED EDITION OF 17

RYD617TBF £75 2005 Delivery Flights AJ-T cover with ‘Route to RYD617TBE £75 Victory’ Trafalgar Square 2009 The Men of the Dams Raid: postmark. Signed by Cyril Anderson cover with Scampton Sgt George ‘Johnny’ postmark. Signed by Sgt George Johnson, Bomber. ‘Johnny’ Johnson, Bomber. LIMITED EDITION OF 50 LIMITED EDITION OF 7 www.buckinghamcovers.com 5 AJ-W (for Willie) Crew Members: Flt Lt John L Munro (Pilot), Sgt Frank E Appleby (Flight Engineer), F/O F G Rumbles (Navigator), Sgt P E Pigeon (Wireless Operator), Sgt James H Clay (Bomb Aimer), Sgt William Howarth (Front Gunner), F/Sgt H A Weeks (Rear Gunner) RYD617WB £125 £25 per month over 5 months Our choice of cover. Signed by Sgt James H Clay, Bomber.

RYD617WPA £100 £25 per month over 4 months No. 617 Dambusters, Scampton postmark. Signed by Flt Lt John Les Munro, Pilot.

RYD617WP £100 £25 per month over 4 months RYD617WPB £100 Our choice of cover. Signed by Flt Lt John Les Munro, Pilot. £50 per month over 2 months 2008 Breaching the Dams, Guy Gibson. Signed by Flt Lt John Les Munro, Pilot. LIMITED EDITION OF 20

RYD617WPD £100 £25 per month over 4 months 2010 Dambusters. RYD617WPC £100 £25 per month over 4 months Signed by Flt Lt John 2008 Breaching the Dams, Bill Townsend. Signed Les Munro, Pilot. by Flt Lt John Les Munro, Pilot. LIMITED EDITION OF 25 LIMITED EDITION OF 20

RYD617WPF £100 £50 per month over 2 months 1987 Cambridge Stamp Centre, 44th Ann. Dambusters, Woodhall Spa, Lincs postmark. Signed by Flt Lt John Les Munro, Pilot. RYD617WPE £100 £25 per month over 4 months 2014 Operation Chastise, WWII Whitehall postmark. Signed by Flt Lt John Les Munro, Pilot.

RYD617WPG £100 £25 per month over 4 months 2005 Delivery Flights cover, Route to Victory, Trafalgar Square postmark. Signed by Flt Lt John Les Munro, Pilot. LIMITED EDITION OF 51 01303 278137 EMAIL: [email protected]

Warren House, Shearway Road, Folkestone, Kent CT19 4BF 6 Tel 01303 278137 Fax 01303 279429 Email [email protected] DBM01 AJ-W (for Willie) Crew Members: Flt Lt John L Munro (Pilot), Sgt Frank E Appleby (Flight Engineer), F/O F G Rumbles (Navigator), Sgt P E Pigeon (Wireless Operator), Sgt James H Clay (Bomb Aimer), Sgt William Howarth (Front Gunner), RYD617WPH £100 £25 per month over 4 months F/Sgt H A Weeks (Rear Gunner) 2013 Delivery Flights cover, WWII, Whitehall, London postmark. Signed by Flt Lt John Les Munro, Pilot. LIMITED EDITION OF 52

RYD617WPI £100 £50 per month over 2 months 2013 Dambusters WWII Whitehall postmark. Signed by Flt Lt John Les Munro, Pilot.

RYD617WPK £100 RYD617WPJ £100 £25 per month over 4 months £25 per month 2007 Operation Chastise cover, The Cenotaph (poppy) over 4 months postmark. Signed by Flt Lt John Les Munro, Pilot. 2007 Formation of 617 LIMITED EDITION OF 25 Squadron. The Cenotaph (poppy) postmark. Signed by Flt Lt John Les Munro, Pilot. LIMITED EDITION OF 24

RYD617WPM £100 £50 per month over 2 months 2012 The Men that breached the Dams, Scampton. Signed RYD617WPL £100 £25 per month over 4 months by Flt Lt John Les 2009 Men of the Dam Raids: Warner Ottley. Signed Munro, Pilot. by Flt Lt John Les Munro, Pilot.

RYD617WPO £100 £50 per month over 2 months 2013 Michelin Factory, Clermont Ferrand, France, Scampton postmark. Signed by Flt Lt John Les Munro, Pilot.

£25 per month RYD617WPN £100 over 4 months 2008 65th Ann. 617 Squadron, Scampton postmark. Signed by Flt Lt John Les Munro, Pilot. Flexi-pay available on RYD617WPP £100 all items! £50 per month over 2 months No interest charged - 2008 Guy Gibson cover, Scampton payment options up to postmark. Signed by Flt Lt John Les 12 months Munro, Pilot. www.buckinghamcovers.com 7 RYD617WPQ £100 £25 per month over 4 months 2009 The Flying Bomb Site at Flixecourt cover, Scampton postmark. Signed by Flt Lt John Les Munro, Pilot.

RYD617PWS £100 £25 per month over 4 months 2009 Men of the Dams Raid: Vernon Byers, Scampton postmark. Signed by Flt Lt John Les Munro, Pilot.

RYD617WQ £400 £50 per month over 8 months 1987 44th Anniversary of the Dambusters Raid. Signed Les Munro, James Tait, Fred Sutherland, Ken Lucas, Ray Grayston, G L Johnson, Grant McDonald & Horatio “Beck” Parsons. 01303 278137 EMAIL: [email protected]

ORDER FORM RETURN TO: BUCKINGHAM COVERS WARREN HOUSE SHEARWAY ROAD FOLKESTONE KENT CT19 4BF

PAGE ITEM QTY CODE £ p The Dambusters

April 2019 VM1904C

WANT TO SPREAD PAYMENTS? If you want an expensive item, UK POST & PACKING UNDER £200 £2.45 PER SENDING UK SPECIAL DELIVERY £200 AND OVER PER SENDING £6.95 you don’t have to pay for it all at once. We will spread the payment up OVERSEAS POST & PACKING UNDER £200 £.3.45 PER SENDING to 12 months without interest. Tick the box and we will contact you OVERSEAS SPECIAL DELIVERY £200 AND OVER £7.95 PER SENDING to discuss a payment plan that suits you. TOTAL Delivery Details Payment Details ACCOUNT No (If Known) I enclose my cheque/ Postal Orders made out to NAME Buckingham Covers for £ . . . . . I would like to pay by Credit / Debit card. I understand ADDRESS you will keep this number on a secure computer system and I authorise you charge it when my covers become available. POST CODE TEL No: EXPIRY DATE START DATE ISSUE No Email: SIGNATURE

SECURITY CODE* *Last 3 digits on back of card. We cannot process your order without it. Alternatively you can call our small friendlywww.buckinghamcovers.com Folkestone based Customer Service team (no call centres) on 01303 278137 BUCKINGHAM COVERS LTD, REGISTERED IN ENGLAND NO. 03877048 IS PART OF INTERNET STAMPS GROUP LTD, REGISTERED IN ENGLAND8 NO. 03497867. REGISTERED OFFICE FOR BOTH: WARREN HOUSE, SHEARWAY RD, FOLKESTONE, KENT CT19 4BF, UK. TEL. 01303 278137. 8