Johnny Johnson, the last survivor of the Dambuster bouncing bomb raids of 1943, passed away from natural causes, on December 7, 2022, at the age of 101.
Reports from his family reveal that he had died in his sleep.
Johnson was born in Lincolnshire and raised in Bristol, and is notable for serving in the 617 squadron, which during World War II destroyed crucial dams in Germany’s industrial Ruhr valley.
“I’ve had a very lucky life in every respect.” Speaking of the famous Dambuster raids, he said: “It was an exhilarating experience … I felt honoured to have had the chance to take part”, Johnny had said shortly after his 100th birthday in 2021.
Around 1,300 people lost their lives as a result of the bouncing bomb raids’ disastrous flooding in the Ruhr valley, which also destroyed enterprises and hydroelectric power plants.
About 53 of the 133 crew members were murdered, while 3 were captured.
The raids were replicated in the 1955 film The Dam Busters, starring Michael Redgrave and Richard Todd.
Johnson rose to become squadron leader in the RAF before retiring in 1962.
After retiring, he settled for a teaching job in Torquay, and in 2017 he was honoured with a CBE.
Johnson leaves behind three children, eight grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.