Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lythe, Doris Description An account of the resource One item. The collection contains a video 'A night to remember' a documentary about German gunner Alfred Lengart and his recollection of the attack on the Möhne Dam. The collection was licensed to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Doris Lythe and catalogued by IBCC Digital Archive staff. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019-10-07 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Lythe, D Transcribed audio recording A resource consisting primarily of recorded human voice. Transcription Text transcribed from audio recording or document Narrator: This is the home of Alfred Lengart and this is his wife Helga with their dog [Amitsu]. Alfred’s home is situated in a suburb of Dortmund called Wickede in Germany. Alfred and I have been close friends now for fourteen years through the twinning between Leeds and Dortmund. Recently I learned from him that he was a gunner in the German Army stationed at the Möhne Dam the night it was bombed by the now famous bouncing bombs of Barnes Wallis. We talked at length about his part in the raid. He showed me photographs taken the morning after the raid. ‘In those days I was a young happily married man and my home was only twenty miles away from the dam so I got regular leave. I was enjoying myself in what the British soldier would call a cushy number as nothing ever happened.’ Alfred has always valued the friendship between the Leeds Movie Makers and the Dortmund Small Film Club and now holds no bitterness on both sides for what happened on that night fifty years ago. At this point we both decided to go to the Möhne for a closer look. Alfred and I arrived at the Möhne Dam. On looking around there seemed to be no visual signs of what happened here fifty years ago. Alfred said, ‘Every time I come here it brings back good memories spent with my friends but always that black night creeps back into my thoughts.’ AL: On the moonlight night of the 16th May 1943 I was at my cannon post inside the tower on my left. The bombers were coming straight towards me at zero feet. There seemed to be no space between the bombers and the water. Also I noticed there were two spotlights coming from the bombers onto the water. This I could not understand. The night was so bright I could read my newspaper so why the lights? Then I saw it coming towards the dam. Something that looked like a big ball skipping on the water. It went over the nets, hit the wall and sank. By this time after no notice had been given my heart sank. A few moments later the dam shook. I was badly shaken by this time as I had never seen such daring. Also a rolling mine which seemed to skip over the water with such ease. By this time we were busy returning fire as other Lancasters were coming. The gunfire from the planes coming and going was greater than ours. I could see the rooves being torn away on the towers but this was fifty years ago and is very vague now in my mind. I can recall seeing flashes from the canon that were hidden on the hills. The sky was lit up with tracer coming and going. Fragments of stone were flying everywhere. Now I wasn’t frightened anymore. Too much was happening. One bomber was hit by cannon fire. We could see he was in trouble and he crashed about twenty or thirty kilometres away. All were killed. The raid was over but we could still hear the drone of the bombers. Then we heard this noise which sounded like a giant tree being split in half. It was the dam as a hundred and sixty million cubic metres of water pressed against the dam. The dam opened and out came the water. Incredible was the sound and spectacular from my position. The valley was soon flooded. We could see that the power station had already gone. Also houses were stripped of rooves and stone and just wooden frames were left. Thousands of people were killed. A hundred and seventeen in my home town of Wickede. But this was war and in my mind no blame could be put on the heads of the pilots or crews as they were only doing what I would have done for my country. But once again this was fifty years ago and I was a young man. So in conclusion all I can say is may our children never have to face each other under circumstances such as those again. Narrator: On my return to England I arranged a meeting with a friend of mine Doug [Dent] who is the Secretary of the Yorkshire Air Museum. They were preparing to open a new museum to commemorate Barnes Wallis. I showed Doug the photographs of Alfred plus his involvement at the Möhne Dam and asked if it would it be possible to include him in the official opening of the museum. Doug replied excitedly, ‘Yes. Get him over here and I will see to all the details.’ [pause] Narrator: It didn’t take much to convince Alfred to jump on a plane and come to England. My wife Doris and I along with our friends Harry and Mary Nichols went to meet Alfred at Manchester Airport. We decided not to tell him that I had arranged for his photographs to be placed inside the museum alongside the photographs of the Dambusters as I thought a little secret was in order. Alfred was quite excited at the thoughts of what was in store for him. He was full of questions and wanted answers straightaway. So after a good meal of fish and chips I said to Alfred, ‘First thing in the morning we go to the Yorkshire Air Museum.’ [pause – music playing] Narrator: After a brief tour around the museum it was time for Alfred’s first surprise. Lunch with Barnes Wallis Junior surrounded by lord mayors from various towns and cities plus Air Force personnel, officers and other ranks all linked in some way or other with the raid on the German dams. Speeches were given after lunch before the official opening of the Barnes Wallis Museum. By this time Alfred was well integrated with his newfound friends. Other: “Alfred Lengart who was a German gunner on the Möhne Dam and he is sitting next to Mr Barnes Wallis. What a better combination could we have?” Narrator: After being a little apprehensive about his visit to the Yorkshire Air Museum Alfred was overwhelmed by the kindness and friendliness he was receiving by everyone he met. He had also prepared a short speech written in German but translated to English. He practiced in my home in front of myself and my wife until he was word perfect. AL: Ladies and gentlemen I would like to thank you for your invitation. Fifty years ago you succeeded in a military masterpiece that we did not expect to be possible. Unfortunately, a lot of people lost their lives but it happened during a war which we had started. The fact that today I have seen the possibility to stand in front of you looking into each other’s eyes is for me the most moving experience of my entire life. Therefore, I would like to thank you one more time. May our children never again have to face each other under circumstances as terrible as those we had to suffer from. Again, thank you very much ladies and gentlemen. [pause] Other 2: Right, I declare this open. Come on. In we go. [Dambusters theme playing] AL: It is not possible. Other: Yes, it is possible. Narrator: For years I have never seen Alfred lost for words. He was really overwhelmed by seeing his photographs alongside the Dambusters. What a story he will have to tell his grandchildren when he goes home. [pause] Other: You did not know did you? [pause] Narrator: The surprises keep coming for Alfred and to think I had been worried about the excitement being too much for him as he had recently had major surgery for a triple bypass operation but he is loving every minute of it. He has had a wonderful day and has taken away addresses of people he had thought impossible to meet after what happened on that night fifty years ago. People just flocked around him for autographs and to tell him of their own little part on that night. Flight engineers, fitters, air crews. Even some who had come from as far as Canada. Alfred said, ‘All my fears of coming here were unfounded. I never expected such a welcome from all these wonderful people. Alfred and Barnes Wallis Junior had become good friends and promised to keep in touch with each other. What a day to remember. What a night to remember. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource A night to remember Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context VLengatA[Date]-01 Description An account of the resource Alfred Lengart was a gunner in the German Army on duty at the Möhne Dam on the night of Operation Chastise. Many years later he was invited to the Yorkshire Air Museum for the opening of the Barnes Wallis Museum. During the opening he delivered a speech of reconciliation. This content is available as embedded video:<br /><iframe width="839" height="631" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7xzSI1uNH8A" title="A night to remember" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1943-05-16 1943-05-17 Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Germany Great Britain England--Yorkshire Germany--Dortmund Germany--Möhne River Dam Germany--Ruhr (Region) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Wehrmacht. Luftwaffe Civilian Language A language of the resource eng deu Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource 00:12:49 moving image Conforms To An established standard to which the described resource conforms. Pending revision of OH transcription Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Julie Tompkins Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. 617 Squadron bombing bouncing bomb Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943) memorial perception of bombing war Wallis, Barnes Neville (1887-1979)