Second World War
The button from the Lancaster bomber of 617 Squadron that released the ‘bouncing bomb’ which destroyed the Möhne Dam has sold after being offered at auction for the first time.
The May 17, 1943, raid was immortalised in the 1955 film The Dambusters and items linked to the operation are in high demand. The button on offer at Northamptonshire auction house JP Humbert (19.5/15/12% buyer’s premium) took £39,500 on July 1 against an estimate of £25,000-40,000.