Did friendly fire kill Guy Gibson?

I really couldn't answer that question.

(The smart arse has 2 degrees)
The other one was on "I'm a celebrity get me out of here" chatting up Joe Pasquale.

 

The main problem with Guy's childhood was his parents. His father was distant, a product of Victorian/Edwardian England. He couldn't be affectionate with his children. His mother turned out to be a neurotic drunk. Alick (his older brother ) wa spacked off to an English boarding school, leaving Guy and his sister alone, then his sister was packed off to Dorset to their grandparents to school, and eventually Guy followed, by now an enclosed, distant child from his peers.
If you don't get involved and don't let people get close, you can't be hurt. This was increased by his parents divorce and his mother's subsequent death whilst drunk.
Then his marraige turned out to be childless, and Guy was desperate for children to love. He doted on his neices and nephews, and was fantastic with children who wanted to talk to him. I think Eve was a desperately wrong choice for marriage, but he wouldn't divoorce her when he met the woman who could give him the stability he needed.
As to his groundcrew hating him, he was a product of the pre-war RAF where officers and erks did not mix, so he was very cool towards them. But when he got to command level he fiercley defended all udne rhim solong as they gave as much as he did. You worked hard and he'd look after you, if you didn't then he would give you utter hell.
It has been said that you either loved or loathed him, and those who loved him would follow wherever he led.
Here endeth the psychological/sociological dissection.
Correct me if I am wrong but his mother died of her burns while drunk. Didn't she cause a house fire. Eve couldn't have children. The other woman - a Margaret something or other ended up marrying somebody else, but he still kept in contact with her. His childhood can only be described as I can only imagine one of being unloved. He can't divorce Eve - it just wasn't done in those days, the stigma. A loveless marriage, a mother who burned to death, a distant uncaring father - the cards were stacked against him. To paraphrase Kitty he wouldn't let others see his sensitive site, that way can't be hurt. Being an officer and a senior one at that would have added to the isolation.

 

Correct me if I am wrong but his mother died of her burns while drunk. Didn't she cause a house fire. Eve couldn't have children. The other woman - a Margaret something or other ended up marrying somebody else, but he still kept in contact with her. His childhood can only be described as I can only imagine one of being unloved. He can't divorce Eve - it just wasn't done in those days, the stigma. A loveless marriage, a mother who burned to death, a distant uncaring father - the cards were stacked against him. To paraphrase Kitty he wouldn't let others see his sensitive site, that way can't be hurt. Being an officer and a senior one at that would have added to the isolation.

His mother was what is politely described as a lush. Christmas Eve she was in her room at the hotel she lived in, was totally blotto and passed out. her nylon dressing gown brushed up against the electric fire and a conflagration ensued. I think Guy was told just before going on an Op.

 

I read in a mag called "Britain at war" this month that Guy Gibbson was shot down by friendly fire by a Lancaster gunner.Its very interesting read,what happened was the gunner saw the mosquito diving at his Lancaster and miss took it for a JU88 night fighter and opened fire.The mission he was on was over Holland,and he was dropping marker flares for the Lancaster's.

 

No doubt the aircraft was lost on the return leg on an operation returning from Monchengladbach/Rheydt where PFF markers would have been dropped.Contrary to briefing, the return was effected at low level and not 10000 feet as instructed.Gibson ignored the briefing instructions.

Incidentally,remember seeing a memoriam to Gibson in the DT inserted by his father,it must be 40 years ago.In it, Gibson's father castigated Bommber Command senior staff for allowing Gibson to return to operations.

In the same vein,Gilbert Norman's father criticised the SOE in a DT memoriam for the loss of his son.....but that is another story.

 

Guy Gibson, the heroic pilot who led the Dambusters raids during the Second World War, was shot down and killed by friendly fire from one of his own men, it has been claimed.


Read more

Dambusters hero 'killed by friendly fire' - Telegraph

 

Sgt McCormack must have gone from ecstatic to brassed off. What a thing to have to live with. I bet he was told he was to keep it secret and kept to it for the most of life. Not strictly one of his men eh since they were probably not even on the same squadron will be interested to hear more when the researcher releases more. Rest easy Sgt I am sure 'Gibbo' wouldnt have blamed you...
Dee

 

Please remember that McCormack and Maudesley did not claim to have shot Gibson down, the idea was planted in their heads by an intelligence officer probing for details. The original combat report made out by the two airgunners, shows flaws in the information in the Telegraph and Britain at War, in several ways. It does not mention several points, which throw doubt on the claims of the author, as i've stated on several other sites, RAF Commands, Commonwealth Forces, 50/61sqdn forum.