AN EXCELLENT PLAYING COPY OF THIS BRITISH CLASSIC FROM THE FILM "THE DAM BUSTERS"

THE CENTRAL BAND OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE

"THE DAM BUSTERS MARCH"

b/w "LILLIBURLERO"

 The Dam Busters is a 1955 British war film, set during the Second World War, and based on the true story of the RAF's 617 Squadron, the development of the "bouncing bomb", and Operation Chastise, the attack on the Ruhr dams in Germany. It stars Michael Redgrave as Barnes Wallis and Richard Todd as Wing Commander Guy Gibson and was directed by Michael Anderson. The film was based on the books The Dam Busters by Paul Brickhill and Enemy Coast Ahead by Guy Gibson.

The film falls into two parts. The first part involves Wallis struggling to develop a means of attacking Germany's dams in the hope of crippling German heavy industry. Working for the Ministry of Aircraft Production, as well as doing his own job at Vickers, he works feverishly to make practical his theory of a bouncing bomb which would skip over the water to avoid protective torpedo nets. When it came into contact with the dam, it would sink before exploding, making it much more destructive. Wallis calculates that the aircraft will have to fly extremely low (150 ft) to enable the bombs to skip over the water correctly, but when he takes his conclusions to the Ministry he is told that lack of production capacity means they cannot go ahead with his proposals.

Angry and frustrated, Wallis secures an interview with Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris (played by Basil Sydney), the head of RAF Bomber Command, who at first is reluctant to take the idea seriously. But he is eventually convinced and takes the idea to the Prime Minister, who authorises the project.

The second part of the film involves Bomber Command forming a special squadron of Lancaster bombers, 617 Squadron, to be commanded by Wing Commander Guy Gibson. He recruits experienced crews, especially those with low-altitude flight experience. While they train for the mission, Wallis continues his development of the bomb but has problems, such as the bomb breaking apart upon hitting the water. This requires the drop altitude to be reduced to 60 feet. With only a few weeks to go, he succeeds in fixing the problems and the mission can go ahead.

The bombers attack the dams. Several Lancasters and their crews are lost, but the overall mission succeeds and two dams are breached. The film's reflective last minutes convey the poignant mix of emotions felt by the characters – triumph over striking a successful blow against the enemy's industrial base is greatly tempered by the sobering knowledge that many died in the process of delivering it.

The Dam Busters March music is used as the main theme in this film and was written by Eric Coates. For many, it is synonymous with the film — indeed, with the exploit itself. 

The Dam Busters March remains a favourite military band item at flypasts in the UK. The theme can still be heard in football grounds during England Football Team matches. 

DISC DETAILS   UK HMV B 10877  10" 78rpm SHELLAC (1955)   THE CENTRAL BAND OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE   A SIDE:  THE DAM BUSTERS - MARCH   B SIDE:  LILLIBURLERO    CONDITION -  EX-    LIGHT SCUFF MARKS BUT  PLAYS GREAT    

REACHED No 18 IN THE UK CHARTS FOR JUST ONE WEEK ENTERING THE CHARTS ON 21 OCT 1955

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