The Dam Busters (1955)

Ernest Clark: Air Vice-Marshal The Hon. Ralph Cochrane (now Air Chief Marshal) G.B.E., K.C.B., A.F.C.

Photos 

Quotes 

• Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : Good morning, Gibson.

  Gibson : Morning, sir.

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : First of all, congratulations on the bar to your DSO.

  Gibson : Thank you, sir.

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : You finished your third tour last night?

  Gibson : Yes sir.

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : Would you be prepared to take on one more trip?

  Gibson : What kind of trip, sir?

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : I can't tell you much about it, for the present. But, it'll be a special one and you'll command the operation. I'm afraid it'll mean putting off your leave. How do you feel about it?

  Gibson : Alright sir.

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : Good. It's going to need careful training, the commander-in-chief wants a special squadron formed. it'll be best if you formed it yourself. I'm telling all the squadrons they'll have to be prepared to give up some of their most experienced crews. They're not going to like it.

• Bomber Harris : Cochrane...!

  [gestures for him to wait] 

  Bomber Harris : Don't go for a minute. What do you think of Wallis' idea for bursting the Ruhr Dams?

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : It sounds a bit far-fetched. But, personally, I think it could be done.

  Bomber Harris : I hope you're right. Anyway, I've given it my support, and I've had orders to get ready. I want you to take it on.

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : Right, sir. I'd like to. It'll mean taking a squadron out of the line for special training.

  Bomber Harris : No. We must form a special squadron for this. And man it with experienced crews who have just finished their present thirty trips. Some of those keen youngsters won't mind doing an extra one.

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : Do you have anyone in mind to command the squadron?

  Bomber Harris : Yes. Gibson.

• Bomber Harris : [Harris arrives in the Operations Room to follow the progress of the attack. Officers in the room come to attention and salute]  Carry on.

  [to Cochrane] 

  Bomber Harris : Well, Cocky, how's it going?

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : All right so far, sir. The first wave's about twenty miles from the Dutch coast. Enemy radar has probably picked them up by now

• Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : [showing Gibson a model of the targets]  Well, Gibson, there it is. That's your main target - the Moehne Dam.

  Gibson : So *that's* it. I thought it was going to be the "Tirpitz".

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : If you can blow a hole in this wall...

  [points to model] 

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : -you'll bring the Ruhr steel industry to a standstill; and do much other damage besides. I'm showing you the targets. But you'll be the only man in the squadron who knows, so keep it that way.

  Gibson : Very good, sir.

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : [indicates other models]  And these are the models of the two other dams, the Eder and the Sorpe. But, the Moehne is the most important one.

  Gibson : I see, sir.

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : Come along and study these as often as you like. We're having regular reconnaissance to see what they're doing over there and what's the height of the water. The operation must be carried out when the lakes are full.

  Gibson : When's that likely to be, sir?

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : About the middle of May. You'll need a good moon as well. So, it looks like we're tied to a night between the 12th and the 17th. By the time the next full moon comes around the water level will have started to fall again, so it's our only chance this year. About five weeks from now. How's the training going?

  Gibson : Oh, pretty well sir. Except for the low flying.

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : Yes, I guessed you'd be in trouble over that.

  Gibson : It's fairly easy by day, but night flying over water at 150 feet is pretty near impossible.

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : You can't trust your altimeters?

  Gibson : No to the limits Mister Wallis wants. He insists on 150 feet. Not a foot below, or a foot above. I'd hoped we could get over it by practice. But, on still nights, when the water's smooth, there's a sort of no man's land between the dusk and the water.

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : Well, I've got the Farnborough experts on that. I hope they'll come along with an idea. By the way, Wallis is going to test the full-sized bomb at Reculver tomorrow. I'd like you to go down and watch. Take your bombing leader with you.

  Gibson : Right, sir.

• Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : [looks at message sent from the attack group]  The northern wave's run into trouble on the coast. McCarthy is going on to the Sorpe Dam by himself.

  [looks at map] 

  Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : Gibson's formation should be nearly at the Moehne by now.

• Air Vice-Marshal Cochrane : Are you in touch with the reserve formation?

  Group Signals Officer : All except Burpee, sir. He hasn't answered for some time.