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5 Pounds - Elizabeth II Dambusters Raid
| Issuer | States of Guernsey |
|---|---|
| Year | 2008 |
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| Reference(s) | KM#211 |
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| Reverse description | A detailed depiction of an Avro Lancaster bomber in low-level flight over a breached Ruhr valley dam, with a large explosion and cascading floodwaters rendered in bold relief at the lower right of the field, evoking Operation Chastise of May 1943. The inscriptions DAMBUSTERS RAID and 1943 appear in the upper central field, the series title HISTORY OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE arcs along the upper periphery, and the denomination FIVE POUNDS is inscribed along the lower rim. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
The Dambusters Raid — Operation Chastise — took place on the night of 16–17 May 1943, when 617 Squadron RAF flew modified Avro Lancasters at dangerously low altitude to deliver Barnes Wallis's bouncing bombs against the Möhne, Eder, and Sorpe dams. The Möhne and Eder were breached; 53 of the 133 aircrew did not return. Guernsey's interest is not incidental — the island was under German occupation at the time, and the raid's psychological impact on occupied populations across northwest Europe was considerable.
This issue appeared in 2008, the 65th anniversary year.