'Dam Busting' Wellington

摘要

At a quarter to five on the afternoon of Wednesday July 24, 1946, workers in the grounds of Wykeham Abbey, near Scarborough, were concluding their day's activities. The sound of an approaching aircraft drew their attention towards the northern sky. A twin-engine machine was seen diving at about 45 degrees through a gap in the clouds at 4,500ft. "Thought to be stunting", it was heading straight for the Abbey. Interest turned to alarm as, with engines roaring at full power, it showed no sign of pulling out. At the last moment it turned momentarily away before plunging with a dull, ominous thud into woodland a few hundred yards away.