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Return of the Dambusters: What 617 Squadron Did Next
(Previously published as ‘After the Flood’)
Former RAF Tornado Navigator and Gulf War veteran John Nichol sets out on a personal journey to discover what happened to 617 Squadron after the flood.
The role RAF 617 Squadron in the destruction of the dams at the heart of the industrial Ruhr has been celebrated in book, magazine and film for more than seventy years.
On the 17th May 1943, 133 airmen set out in 19 Lancasters to destroy the Möhne, Eder and Sorpe dams. 56 of them did not return. Despite these catastrophic losses, the raid became an enormous propaganda triumph. The survivors were feted as heroes and became celebrities of their time.
They had been brought together for one specific task – so what happened next? Of the 77 men who made it home from that raid, 32 would lose their lives later in the war and only 45 survived to see the victory for which they fought.
Few are aware of the extent of the Dambuster squadron’s operations after the Dams Raid. They became the ‘go to’ squadron for specialist precision attacks, dropping the largest bombs ever built on battleships, railway bridges, secret weapon establishments, rockets sites and U-boat construction pens. They were involved in attempts on the lives of enemy leaders, both Hitler and Mussolini, created a ‘false fleet’ on D-day which fooled the Germans, and knocked out a German super gun which would have rained 600 shells an hour on London.
In ‘After The Flood’, John Nichol retraces the path of 617 Squadron’s most dangerous sorties as their reputation called them into action again and again.
Former RAF Tornado Navigator and Gulf War veteran John Nichol sets out on a personal journey to discover what happened to 617 Squadron after the flood.
The role RAF 617 Squadron in the destruction of the dams at the heart of the industrial Ruhr has been celebrated in book, magazine and film for more than seventy years.
On the 17th May 1943, 133 airmen set out in 19 Lancasters to destroy the Möhne, Eder and Sorpe dams. 56 of them did not return. Despite these catastrophic losses, the raid became an enormous propaganda triumph. The survivors were feted as heroes and became celebrities of their time.
They had been brought together for one specific task – so what happened next? Of the 77 men who made it home from that raid, 32 would lose their lives later in the war and only 45 survived to see the victory for which they fought.
Few are aware of the extent of the Dambuster squadron’s operations after the Dams Raid. They became the ‘go to’ squadron for specialist precision attacks, dropping the largest bombs ever built on battleships, railway bridges, secret weapon establishments, rockets sites and U-boat construction pens. They were involved in attempts on the lives of enemy leaders, both Hitler and Mussolini, created a ‘false fleet’ on D-day which fooled the Germans, and knocked out a German super gun which would have rained 600 shells an hour on London.
In ‘After The Flood’, John Nichol retraces the path of 617 Squadron’s most dangerous sorties as their reputation called them into action again and again.
384 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2015
53 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
John Nichol
31 books57 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Flight Lieutenant Adrian John Nichol (born December 1963) is a retired Royal Air Force navigator who was shot down and captured during the first Gulf War.
Flight Lieutenant Adrian John Nichol (born December 1963) is a retired Royal Air Force navigator who was shot down and captured during the first Gulf War.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 30, 2016
Loved it...amazing young men & the women that supported them.
SMH: On the one hand I think most people understand that politicians are duplicitous by nature, but what I'm most incredulous about here was the complete lack of recognition the RAF & commonwealth RAFs received from the so called 'top brass' at the end of WW2 for the key role they played in bringing the war to a much earlier conclusion, saving countless thousands of lives, whilst losing thousands of their own lives (including my uncle in Bomber Command) & saving the free world from the evils of Nazism, simply because it suited Churchill to suddenly align himself with Germany to defeat the Soviets, some irony that!
SMH: On the one hand I think most people understand that politicians are duplicitous by nature, but what I'm most incredulous about here was the complete lack of recognition the RAF & commonwealth RAFs received from the so called 'top brass' at the end of WW2 for the key role they played in bringing the war to a much earlier conclusion, saving countless thousands of lives, whilst losing thousands of their own lives (including my uncle in Bomber Command) & saving the free world from the evils of Nazism, simply because it suited Churchill to suddenly align himself with Germany to defeat the Soviets, some irony that!
November 17, 2022
Compelling and interesting. Incredible stories or bravery and sacrifice. Like how the author tells the story and writes the book, easy to ready and understand.
October 3, 2021
I did not enjoy this book - it was too factual.
August 16, 2018
Informative in parts, written from an RAF insiders perspective, there are some nuggets of information, in particular detail on the Tirpitz raids and the early Tallboy raids. Elsewhere the research seems a bit light touch.
I’ve no doubt about the bravery and expertise of the members of 617 squadron during WW2, and would be interested in a more comprehensive version of the story.
A while ago I read Dam Busters:The True Story of the Legendary Raid on the Ruhr, by James Holland. That book felt better researched that this one, in particular with respect to the formation of 617 squadron, The two books only overlap in parts, so they can be considered complementary if the different level of research can be overcome.
I’ve no doubt about the bravery and expertise of the members of 617 squadron during WW2, and would be interested in a more comprehensive version of the story.
A while ago I read Dam Busters:The True Story of the Legendary Raid on the Ruhr, by James Holland. That book felt better researched that this one, in particular with respect to the formation of 617 squadron, The two books only overlap in parts, so they can be considered complementary if the different level of research can be overcome.
March 14, 2022
Ever wondered what 617 Squadron of the Royal Air Force did after the 'Dambuster' raid of 17th May 1943? This marvellous book by John Nichol, himself a veteran of the Gulf War shows the reader how 617 took the fight to the enemy, and helped change the course of the war.
617 Squadron who were known for their precision attacks, proved themselves time after time that they were the renowned squadron of the RAF. From their attacks on the Tirpitz battleship using the Tallboy device, the Bielefeld railway viaduct using the massive Grand Slam device, the U-boat construction pens at varying locations across occupied France and Norway, to the lesser known attacks, such as secret V2 rocket sites, the location of a super gun, known as the V3, that could have shot at London 600 times an hour, a catastrophic raid on the Dortmund-Ems canal to the squadron's last operation, the attack on Hitler's Eagles Nest.
617 Squadron who were known for their precision attacks, proved themselves time after time that they were the renowned squadron of the RAF. From their attacks on the Tirpitz battleship using the Tallboy device, the Bielefeld railway viaduct using the massive Grand Slam device, the U-boat construction pens at varying locations across occupied France and Norway, to the lesser known attacks, such as secret V2 rocket sites, the location of a super gun, known as the V3, that could have shot at London 600 times an hour, a catastrophic raid on the Dortmund-Ems canal to the squadron's last operation, the attack on Hitler's Eagles Nest.
September 3, 2022
After reading the authors book titled Lancaster I thought this book would complement it nicely. I’m glad I did as it gives a full and detailed account of tactical raids that 617 performed after the May 43 dambuster mission. A well written book which I couldn’t put down. I also gives a detailed account of the Dam busters mission and the risks that these men-undertook. Of the 133 crew members who took part in the dambusters over 100 didn’t survive the war, such a sad statistic and this book portrays the risks they undertook. Thank you John Nichol for giving us their story , we have a lot to thank these men for.
September 25, 2025
John Nichols has compiled a meticulous account of the horrors facing 617 Squadron after the Dambuster raid, in which half the bombers were lost. But the survivors went on to perform many more equally hazardous missions.
This is a detailed work, but never gets bogged down because the narrative moves swiftly from one incident to the next.
Return of the Dambusters is a must for WWII enthusiasts and those modern, complacent critics who need reminding of the sacrifices made so we can enjoy today's freedom.
This is a detailed work, but never gets bogged down because the narrative moves swiftly from one incident to the next.
Return of the Dambusters is a must for WWII enthusiasts and those modern, complacent critics who need reminding of the sacrifices made so we can enjoy today's freedom.
December 15, 2023
The Dambusters raid was just the beginning
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this history of an RAF heavy bomber squadron that did the most intense personally sacrificial but successful attacks on German/Italian targets. You get a clear picture of the men, the aeroplanes and their weapons. The author goes to special lengths to tell you about the human side of the story also describing this aspect from the perspective of the enemy. A fine book!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this history of an RAF heavy bomber squadron that did the most intense personally sacrificial but successful attacks on German/Italian targets. You get a clear picture of the men, the aeroplanes and their weapons. The author goes to special lengths to tell you about the human side of the story also describing this aspect from the perspective of the enemy. A fine book!
June 3, 2024
This is the first WWII book I have read that was written totally about a RAF squadron. The focus is on the elite 617. As I read the title to my husband, he knew what this squadron did even before I started the book. There is more material available that I will probably look for. The writing style is conversational. It is easy to read. I enjoyed it very much.
June 19, 2019
Hard to put down
Great story about true heroes who don’t actually believe they are and think of themselves as ordinary men when nothing could be further from the truth.
Great story about true heroes who don’t actually believe they are and think of themselves as ordinary men when nothing could be further from the truth.
August 8, 2021
Really gripping account of the Dambusters raid and the lessor known raids 617 squadron carried out after the dams.
January 23, 2024
Basically an impressive story, but apart from basic retelling it is somewhat opaque what the book contributes with
February 3, 2022
617 Squadron will always be known as the Dambusters Squadron, famed for the audacious low-level raid against German dams with the bouncing bomb.
But they did much more, attempting high risk precision bombing targets on V1 and V2 rocket sites, viaducts and the Tirpitz, hidden in a Norwegian fjord, amongst others.
The story of the complex flying they undertook to confuse German radar over the real D-Day landing sites is remarkable.
A fascinating history of the elite force of RAF Bomber Command, which suffered heavy losses due to the dangerous missions they flew.
But they did much more, attempting high risk precision bombing targets on V1 and V2 rocket sites, viaducts and the Tirpitz, hidden in a Norwegian fjord, amongst others.
The story of the complex flying they undertook to confuse German radar over the real D-Day landing sites is remarkable.
A fascinating history of the elite force of RAF Bomber Command, which suffered heavy losses due to the dangerous missions they flew.
October 17, 2015
As a boy I recall building plastic model kits of the famous aircraft of World War II and one Christmas I was given a special kit of the RAF Lancaster bomber but this was different, it was one from the famous ‘Dambuster’ raids. I did not know much about these raids at the time, but from then on I spent more and more time in my local library researching the history of Bomber Command and the Dambuster raids. Little did I know it at the time that my thirst for knowledge for both World Wars would become a lifelong interest.
Not many would have failed to have heard of the legendary story of the crews of the Dambuster raids, but what became of the crews. In After the Flood by former RAF navigator John Nichol is an incredible researched account of the these brave men that flew on the attacks on the dams.
The mend of 637 Squadron were brought together to train for a specific mission to attack and ultimately destroy a series of dams the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams in the heart of the industrial Ruhr, by attacking and destroying these dams it would set back the German military machine by also destroying factories in the Ruhr valley. The question was how to attack these dams, something unheard of. Barnes Wallis had for some time been experimenting with a new bomb specifically designed for attacking these dams, which later became known as ‘the bouncing bomb’
On 17th May 1943 Operation Chastise was launched with 19 modified Lancaster Bombers of 617 Squadron took off under the command of Wing Commander Guy Gibson, the aircraft flew at altitudes of 100 feet to avoid radar detection and carried a single bouncing bomb.
Of the 133 aircrew that took part in the raid on the dams 56 were killed. The results of the attacks was a massive propaganda success for the RAF. The resulting flood waves killed close to 1600 people many were forced labourers of a number of nationalities from a number of European countries and also Eastern Europe.
617 Squadron went on to carry many more daring raids over enemy targets from deep inside Germany to attacking and sinking the Tirpitz the largest German battleship ever built, they also went on missions destroying V1 and V2 factories and launch sites to the catastrophic attack on the Dortmund-Ems canal and also Hitler’s Eagles nest.
Of the entire crews that joined the Dambusters raids only 45 men survived to see the final victory that they fought so bravely to achieve.
Nicholl deserves praise for the immense research that was undertaken for After the Flood including talking with survivors as well as visiting some of the target sites the crews attacked. This is an incredible story about a group of incredibly brave men who put themselves in mortal danger every time they took part in a raid. It is a fitting tribute to 617 Squadron a group of men to whom we owe so much and the likes of which we may never see again.
An outstanding historical account that I am delighted to recommend to anyone with an interest in military history.
Lest we forget.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Not many would have failed to have heard of the legendary story of the crews of the Dambuster raids, but what became of the crews. In After the Flood by former RAF navigator John Nichol is an incredible researched account of the these brave men that flew on the attacks on the dams.
The mend of 637 Squadron were brought together to train for a specific mission to attack and ultimately destroy a series of dams the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams in the heart of the industrial Ruhr, by attacking and destroying these dams it would set back the German military machine by also destroying factories in the Ruhr valley. The question was how to attack these dams, something unheard of. Barnes Wallis had for some time been experimenting with a new bomb specifically designed for attacking these dams, which later became known as ‘the bouncing bomb’
On 17th May 1943 Operation Chastise was launched with 19 modified Lancaster Bombers of 617 Squadron took off under the command of Wing Commander Guy Gibson, the aircraft flew at altitudes of 100 feet to avoid radar detection and carried a single bouncing bomb.
Of the 133 aircrew that took part in the raid on the dams 56 were killed. The results of the attacks was a massive propaganda success for the RAF. The resulting flood waves killed close to 1600 people many were forced labourers of a number of nationalities from a number of European countries and also Eastern Europe.
617 Squadron went on to carry many more daring raids over enemy targets from deep inside Germany to attacking and sinking the Tirpitz the largest German battleship ever built, they also went on missions destroying V1 and V2 factories and launch sites to the catastrophic attack on the Dortmund-Ems canal and also Hitler’s Eagles nest.
Of the entire crews that joined the Dambusters raids only 45 men survived to see the final victory that they fought so bravely to achieve.
Nicholl deserves praise for the immense research that was undertaken for After the Flood including talking with survivors as well as visiting some of the target sites the crews attacked. This is an incredible story about a group of incredibly brave men who put themselves in mortal danger every time they took part in a raid. It is a fitting tribute to 617 Squadron a group of men to whom we owe so much and the likes of which we may never see again.
An outstanding historical account that I am delighted to recommend to anyone with an interest in military history.
Lest we forget.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
October 17, 2015
As a boy I recall building plastic model kits of the famous aircraft of World War II and one Christmas I was given a special kit of the RAF Lancaster bomber but this was different, it was one from the famous ‘Dambuster’ raids. I did not know much about these raids at the time, but from then on I spent more and more time in my local library researching the history of Bomber Command and the Dambuster raids. Little did I know it at the time that my thirst for knowledge for both World Wars would become a lifelong interest.
Not many would have failed to have heard of the legendary story of the crews of the Dambuster raids, but what became of the crews. In After the Flood by former RAF navigator John Nichol is an incredible researched account of the these brave men that flew on the attacks on the dams.
The mend of 637 Squadron were brought together to train for a specific mission to attack and ultimately destroy a series of dams the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams in the heart of the industrial Ruhr, by attacking and destroying these dams it would set back the German military machine by also destroying factories in the Ruhr valley. The question was how to attack these dams, something unheard of. Barnes Wallis had for some time been experimenting with a new bomb specifically designed for attacking these dams, which later became known as ‘the bouncing bomb’
On 17th May 1943 Operation Chastise was launched with 19 modified Lancaster Bombers of 617 Squadron took off under the command of Wing Commander Guy Gibson, the aircraft flew at altitudes of 100 feet to avoid radar detection and carried a single bouncing bomb.
Of the 133 aircrew that took part in the raid on the dams 56 were killed. The results of the attacks was a massive propaganda success for the RAF. The resulting flood waves killed close to 1600 people many were forced labourers of a number of nationalities from a number of European countries and also Eastern Europe.
617 Squadron went on to carry many more daring raids over enemy targets from deep inside Germany to attacking and sinking the Tirpitz the largest German battleship ever built, they also went on missions destroying V1 and V2 factories and launch sites to the catastrophic attack on the Dortmund-Ems canal and also Hitler’s Eagles nest.
Of the entire crews that joined the Dambusters raids only 45 men survived to see the final victory that they fought so bravely to achieve.
Nicholl deserves praise for the immense research that was undertaken for After the Flood including talking with survivors as well as visiting some of the target sites the crews attacked. This is an incredible story about a group of incredibly brave men who put themselves in mortal danger every time they took part in a raid. It is a fitting tribute to 617 Squadron a group of men to whom we owe so much and the likes of which we may never see again.
An outstanding historical account that I am delighted to recommend to anyone with an interest in military history.
Lest we forget.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Not many would have failed to have heard of the legendary story of the crews of the Dambuster raids, but what became of the crews. In After the Flood by former RAF navigator John Nichol is an incredible researched account of the these brave men that flew on the attacks on the dams.
The mend of 637 Squadron were brought together to train for a specific mission to attack and ultimately destroy a series of dams the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams in the heart of the industrial Ruhr, by attacking and destroying these dams it would set back the German military machine by also destroying factories in the Ruhr valley. The question was how to attack these dams, something unheard of. Barnes Wallis had for some time been experimenting with a new bomb specifically designed for attacking these dams, which later became known as ‘the bouncing bomb’
On 17th May 1943 Operation Chastise was launched with 19 modified Lancaster Bombers of 617 Squadron took off under the command of Wing Commander Guy Gibson, the aircraft flew at altitudes of 100 feet to avoid radar detection and carried a single bouncing bomb.
Of the 133 aircrew that took part in the raid on the dams 56 were killed. The results of the attacks was a massive propaganda success for the RAF. The resulting flood waves killed close to 1600 people many were forced labourers of a number of nationalities from a number of European countries and also Eastern Europe.
617 Squadron went on to carry many more daring raids over enemy targets from deep inside Germany to attacking and sinking the Tirpitz the largest German battleship ever built, they also went on missions destroying V1 and V2 factories and launch sites to the catastrophic attack on the Dortmund-Ems canal and also Hitler’s Eagles nest.
Of the entire crews that joined the Dambusters raids only 45 men survived to see the final victory that they fought so bravely to achieve.
Nicholl deserves praise for the immense research that was undertaken for After the Flood including talking with survivors as well as visiting some of the target sites the crews attacked. This is an incredible story about a group of incredibly brave men who put themselves in mortal danger every time they took part in a raid. It is a fitting tribute to 617 Squadron a group of men to whom we owe so much and the likes of which we may never see again.
An outstanding historical account that I am delighted to recommend to anyone with an interest in military history.
Lest we forget.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
May 19, 2016
This book really deserves a higher rating. Nichol, an RAF veteran himself, has focused on the part of 617 Squadron history that is often overlooked, but that really made their lasting reputation - their re-creation under Wing Commander Leonard Cheshire and his successors from a squadron almost entirely destroyed in two showy but brutally costly operations into what Air Marshal Harris proudly called his "sniper squadron." Nichols has gathered together spectacular personal accounts not only from survivors of the Dams raid, but from lesser-known men who flew with 617 Squadron during the period when they developed techniques that enabled them to hit precise targets - bridges, viaducts, V-weapon sites, individual factories, U-boat pens and, perhaps most spectacularly, the battleship Tirpitz. Readers familiar only with the raid on the dams are going to be surprised by what the Dambusters did later in the war, and Nichols weaves the many personal accounts into the story very effectively.
And yet, what should have been a four star book gets three because of the piles of boneheaded errors of fact. Clearly the book was not proofed for this, and readers need to be aware that there are really serious mistakes sprinkled throughout the book ("Lieutenant General Joe Kennedy" is just one of dozens). There are infelicitous sentences here and there, and errors of tense. I hate to see what is a valuable book brought down by what are completely avoidable mistakes. Highly recommended, but with reservations.
And yet, what should have been a four star book gets three because of the piles of boneheaded errors of fact. Clearly the book was not proofed for this, and readers need to be aware that there are really serious mistakes sprinkled throughout the book ("Lieutenant General Joe Kennedy" is just one of dozens). There are infelicitous sentences here and there, and errors of tense. I hate to see what is a valuable book brought down by what are completely avoidable mistakes. Highly recommended, but with reservations.
December 4, 2024
loved it. the accounts really made you feel so apprehensive, but in a good way, always hoping they would make it back. a lot of books detailing military/war aviation tend to go off on tangents, which overall bogs down the readers mind and spoils the rest of them. however, this did not occur in this book.
john nichols did a brilliant job, keeping it clean and tidy yet interesting and in some cases, heartwrenching.
nothing bad to say about this book.
john nichols did a brilliant job, keeping it clean and tidy yet interesting and in some cases, heartwrenching.
nothing bad to say about this book.
August 9, 2016
Fabulous for a WW2 history geek like me! Written by an RAF pilot who has gone to war, this is a detailed but highly readable account of the exploits and daring of 617 Squadron, from the Dambusters raid to the end of the war. A tale of heroism, skill, teamwork and, above all, the desire to "do your bit" for the country.
February 17, 2016
A great read about a few brave men amongst thousands
September 21, 2016
An excellent and gripping account of 617 squadron's activities from the dams raid through to the end of WW2. It also explores the feelings of the squadron survivors 70 years after the event.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews