Never Mind The Dambusters

Send us a message or question! This week we each share our top 5 Bomber Command books in the categories of popular history, memoir, academic, fiction and we also throw in a wild card! What are your favourites? Do you love or hate our picks?  Spoiler alert:  If you don't want to know what we chose, avoid the shopping list below!  Jane's choices Popular history:  Haynes Manual - Bomber Com...

Send us a message or question! This week, we tackle some thorny issues with our  with guest Paul Woodadge, the host of YouTube show WW2TV about the multifaceted history of RAF Bomber Command during World War II.   Growing up near former USAAF airbases in Suffolk, just across the border from Essex and Colchester, Paul, who most of you will know simply as "Woody",  developed a fascination...

Send us a message or question! This week, we tackle some thorny issues with our  with guest Paul Woodadge, the host of YouTube show WW2TV about the multifaceted history of RAF Bomber Command during World War II.   Growing up near former USAAF airbases in Suffolk, just across the border from Essex and Colchester, Paul, who most of you will know simply as "Woody",  developed a fascination...

Send us a message or question! This week, hosts Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies chat to Stuart Green,  who shares the remarkable story of his father Alan, a Bomber Command navigator on Wellingtons and Stirlings.  Alan Green took part in some of the most famous operations of the war, including the Channel Dash, the 1000 Bomber Raid, and the secret operation to bomb the Skoda Factory in Cze...

Send us a message or question! This episode has EVERYTHING! (even the Titanic). This week, Jane and James engage in a rich and absorbing discussion with historian Chris Sams about  his book, Flying into the Storm, about the early war bombers of the RAF. The conversation covers personal anecdotes, the significance of various bombing operations, and the challenges faced by bomber crews. They delve i...

Send us a message or question! Welcome to Series 3!  In the first episode of the new series of Never Mind the Dambusters, hosts James Jefferies and Jane Gulliford Lowes discuss the often-overlooked role of meteorology in RAF Bomber Command during World War II. Joined once more by Jamie Heffer from RAF Bircham Newton Heritage Centre, , they explore the challenges posed by weather conditions, person...

Send us a message or question! In the final episode of this series,  hosts James Jefferies and Jane Gulliford Lowes are joined by the head of the Norwegian War Graves Service, Haakon Vinje, to explore the often-overlooked contributions of Norwegian airmen in RAF Bomber Command during World War II. They discuss the Norwegian War Graves Service, the invasion of Norway, and share poignant personal st...

Send us a message or question! In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters ( the penultimate episode of the current series), hosts Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies engage with Dave Gilbert, the losses archivist at the International Bomber Command Centre in Lincoln, England. Dave explains the background to the development of the centre, and relates how he (and a team of volunteers) went ab...

Send us a message or question! *** (Part 2 of 2)  Summary Jane and James continue their discussion about Bomber Command minelaying operations, to mark the publication of Jane's book, The Invisible Campaign: Bomber Command Gardening Operations 1940-1945. In the episode the team consider the strategic importance of these operations, their impact on the Battle of the Atlantic, the Channel Dash,...

Send us a message or question! *** PART 1 OF 2 ***Subscribers can listen to Part 2  now.  In this episode of Never Mind the Dam Busters, host James Jefferies and guest Jane Gulliford Lowes delve into the often-overlooked history of RAF Bomber Command's gardening operations during World War II. They discuss Jane's new book, 'The Invisible Campaign', which sheds light on the comp...

Send us a message or question! Summary In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, hosts Jane Gulliford-Lowes and James Jefferies are joined by historian Stuart Burbridge to discuss the often-overlooked aspect of the RAF Bomber Command's offensive against Luftwaffe night fighters during World War II. The conversation covers the technological innovations, strategies, and the psychological im...

Send us a message or question! *** Episode on general release on Wednesday 12th March 2025.  In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters ,   we have an incredible conversation with Marc Stevens as he shares the extraordinary story of his father, the man he knew as Squadron Leader Peter Stevens, MC.  It was only some years after his father's death that Marc discovered his true identity, and t...

Send us a message or question! In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters , we join historian Dr. Sarah-Louise Miller to explore her research on WWII operations, including Operation Manna and Operation Exodus in the Spring and early summer of 1945. We examine the emotional impact of war stories, the humanitarian efforts of the RAF, and the experiences of POWs returning home.  As we navigate the...

Send us a message or question! This week we answer (or at least attempt to answer) some of your questions - and there are some absolute corkers! Including... How do you go to the loo in the middle of a bombing operation? Which operations counted towards your tour total?    Where did spent ammo cartridges go?  What about Bomber Command ops outside the European theatre? How were aircrew assessed and...

Send us a message or question! This episode is dedicated to the memory of Christopher Panton, KIA 30th March 1944.  We  are delighted to welcome Andrew Panton, General Manager of the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre. Together, we explore Andrew's deep-rooted family history with the Lancaster Bomber NX611 "Just Jane", the emotional impact of war on his family, and the ongoing re...

Send us a message or question! Who writes history, and why?   In this episode, we are delighted to welcome back Professor Alan Allport to discuss the British "Official Histories" of the strategic bombing campaign. We explore the origins, authors, and public perception of these histories, as well as the arguments presented by Sir Charles Webster and Noble Frankland. Our conversation delve...

Send us a message or question! In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters , we welcome Reverend Eleanor Rance, the first female Church of England Chaplain in the Royal Air Force. Eleanor shares her personal experiences  from her time on deployment with the RAF in Iraq, and insights into the crucial role chaplains played during the Second World War, especially in offering emotional and spiritual...

Send us a message or question! In a change to our usual format, this episode focuses on the Victoria Cross winners from RAF Bomber Command, specifically Sergeant Thomas Gray and Flying Officer Donald Garland.  Over the course of the current series, we'll be telling the stories of the men who received the British Military's highest award for gallantry "in the presence of the enemy&qu...

Send us a message or question! This episode has it all... Bombers in WW1,  Coastal Command in WW2, Air-Sea rescue, anti-shipping operations, Balfour, Portal, Blenheims, Hudsons, Ansons, Kestrels, lifeboats and even flying naked over Norfolk in a bi-plane... Tune in for a fantastic discussion with Jamie Heffer, Chairman of the RAF Bircham Newton Heritage Centre. We delve into the history of RAF Bir...

Send us a message or question! Welcome back - Series 2 is here! In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, hosts Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies welcome historian Andrew Rawson to discuss the design and manufacture of bomber aircraft during World War II. The conversation covers the evolution of the aircraft industry from pre-war rearmament to the establishment of shadow factories, the...

Send us a message or question! 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 In this final episode of the series, James Jefferies and Jane Gulliford Lowes are joined by Dr Dan Ellin to reflect on the significance of Christmas during the Second World War, particularly for RAF Bomber Command crews during the winter of 1943. They discuss personal stories, listener contributions, and the hars...

Send us a message or question! WARNING: This episode includes discussion of  issues surrounding the Holocaust and genocide which some listeners may find distressing. In this episode, the hosts engage in a profound discussion with Dr. Waitman Beorn about the controversial topic of whether the Allies could and should have bombed Auschwitz during World War II. They explore the historical context, the...

Send us a message or question! In this episode, James Jefferies and Jane Gulliford Lowes engage in a lively discussion with author Luke Turner about the complexities of Bomber Command's history, model-making, the legacy of the Dambusters film, his fascination with 158 Squadron, and the personal stories of individuals like Bertram Warr. They explore themes of masculinity, memory, and the impor...

Send us a message or question! This week, Jane and James explore the training of bomber crews, and the perilous nature of life at the OTUs and HCUs.  They discuss the training structure, the tragic story of a training flight that ended in disaster for the Canadian crew, and the importance of memorializing those who lost their lives in training. Jane talks about a new bomber command memorial and te...

Send us a message or question! In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, hosts Jane Gulliford-Lowes and James Jefferies engage with historian Andrew Bird to explore the often-overlooked role of Coastal Command in the RAF during World War II. The conversation covers the origins and structure of Coastal Command, its critical role in the Battle of the Atlantic, and the ongoing resource struggles...