Dambusters pilot Les Munro dies in New Zealand at 96

One of that resolute band of New Zealanders whose contribution to the RAF’s war effort was out of all proportion to their small numbers, Les Munro was the last survivor of those pilots who served with the celebrated 617 Squadron who actually flew on the Dambusters raid.

He died on Tuesday morning in a New Zealand hospital after being unwell for a week.

“In his life Les Munro was a pilot, a farmer and a Mayor”.

“This is a surprise and a real disappointment”, he told the Press Association. “He was always ready to give his time”.

A total of 53 servicemen lost their lives and another three were taken captive.

When Munro returned home from the mission in 1943 he received the Distinguished Flying Cross.

“We’re sorry to see him go, we’re very distressed”. We were quite sure it was him.

“I have extremely sad news”.

“The final surviving World War II pilot involved in the Dambusters” raid, John Leslie Munro passed away.

Dave Homewood, of the New Zealand Bomber Command Association, described Squadron Leader Munro as a “down to earth man” who was “very modest about what he did during the war”.

However, as someone who has tried to champion bravery for many years and as an original benefactor of the Bomber Command Memorial, I came up with an offer that I considered at the time to be a “win-win situation”. “Godspeed my friend”.

Tributes have been paid to Munro.

“Les Munro was a legend from a squadron chock full of legends”, says Ron Mark, New Zealand First Defence Spokesperson.

Glen Turner posted: “Our honest condolences and with deep sadness to Les Munro’s family”.

The operation was given to a new squadron of volunteers, initially called Squadron “X”, because the speed of its formation outstripped the RAF process for naming squadrons; it was later named the 617 Squadron.

Munro, who Brickhill described variously as “taciturn”, “laconic”, and secretly worshipped by the women on his bomber station for being the strong, silent type, remained with 617 Squadron after the dams raid, flying on several more mission against factories, rocket sites and submarine bases, until he was released from active service in 1946, a veteran of 58 bombing raids.

Earlier this year, Munro announced he was selling his war medals to Tory peer Lord Ashcroft in a bid to raise money towards the maintenance of the Bomber Command Memorial in London.

He was a “fine man” and will be much missed, Mr Mayhill, President of the New Zealand Bomber Command Association said. But Britain’s Lord Ashcroft stepped in the day before the auction, donating 75,000 pounds ($117,000) and allowing Munro to donate the medals to a New Zealand museum.