Commissioning Brief - BBC
Commissioning Brief - BBC
Commissioning Brief - BBC
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
‣ IDEAS WELCOME continued<br />
The Dambuster’s – 70 Years On<br />
Friday 17 May 2013 saw Radio 2 commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Dambusters raid with a<br />
day of special shows.<br />
Thursday 16 and Friday 17 May 2013 marked the 70th anniversary of the Dambusters Raid - an<br />
operation which changed the course of the Second World War. Nineteen Lancaster Bombers, each<br />
carrying the 'Bouncing Bomb', took off from Lincolnshire to destroy the dams of the Ruhr Valley at<br />
the heart of Germany's war-machine.<br />
The crews came from Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Eight aircraft didn't return. In<br />
total, 133 airmen took part in the raid, 53 of them died. In Germany almost 2000 lives were lost as a<br />
result of the dams being breached.<br />
Chris Evans stated the day off, broadcasting live from RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, exploring Wing<br />
Commander Guy Gibson's base and meeting the people who could explain the science and<br />
history behind Operation Chastise, more commonly known as the Dambuster raids. Later in the day,<br />
on Jeremy Vine's show, Chris recalled his flight from RAF Scampton to Biggin Hill on board a<br />
Lancaster Bomber earlier in the day.<br />
From midday the Jeremy Vine show was live at ex-RAF airport Biggin Hill in Kent, discussing the<br />
legacy of the Dambusters. He discussed the mission, the impact it had, and looked at the future of<br />
the RAF and what it takes to become a pilot and we heard from the last surviving veterans from the<br />
original mission.<br />
From 8pm, Dermot O'Leary and Jeremy Vine presented a special Friday Night is Music Night<br />
commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Dambusters Raid.<br />
The iconic story was re-told with music from the <strong>BBC</strong> Concert Orchestra and the Central Band of the<br />
RAF, live at Biggin Hill Airport. The evening also featured drama and special messages from<br />
veterans and Barnes Wallis' daughter.<br />
22