Dambusters Collection Could Sell For £10,000

Memorabilia commemorating the man who led the famous Dambusters raid could fetch up to £10,000 when auctioned in Market Harborough next week.

The private collection was amassed as a tribute to Wing Cdr Guy Gibson, who commanded the force of RAF Lancaster bombers during World War II and died in action two years later, aged 26.

Some of the items from the collection to be auctioned next week

The standout lot to go under the hammer at Gildings on Tuesday will be a pair of cloth wings removed from his uniform.

There is also a childhood letter addressed to ‘Dear Granny’ and a photograph of a Lancaster bomber signed by Barnes Wallis, the engineer who designed the ‘bouncing bomb’.

The raid, known as Operation Chastise, was launched on the nights of 16 and 17 May 1943.

Eight of the 19 bombers involved were shot down and 53 airmen were killed.

Two dams, the Mohne and Eder, were destroyed.

Gibson was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces, in the aftermath of the raid and became the most highly decorated British serviceman at that time.

An item from the collection to be auctioned next week

The collection was accumulated by the late Derrick Warren, a photographer with the Coventry Telegraph who died in 2022, aged 81.

Until its closure in 2023, it was on display in the Heritage Centre at the Dambusters’ base, RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.

Mark Gilding, director at Gildings Auctioneers, said: “It’s very rare to find items directly owned by Gibson such as the cloth wings, so this is an unmissable opportunity for collectors.

“While Derrick was undoubtedly one of the most dedicated Dambusters aficionados out there, he was far from alone in his fascination.

“As a result, we’re expecting a great deal of interest.”

An photo from the collection to be auctioned next week