Wellington - The last surviving pilot from the “Dambuster” mission to destroy German dams during World War II died on Tuesday in New Zealand.
Squadron Leader Les Munro died following heart problems, at the age of 96, New Zealand’s Bomber Command Association said in a Facebook post.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key described Munro as “a remarkable man who led a remarkable life,” news website Stuff.co.nz reported.
Munro was a pilot with the Royal Air Force 617 Squadron, formed specially for a mission to drop so-called “bouncing bombs” on dams in the German industrial heartland in May 1943.
The bombs breached two dams in the Ruhr region, although Munro’s Lancaster plane suffered flak damage before reaching the targets and had to turn back.
In March, Munro - one of two New Zealanders involved in the raids - offered to sell his war medals to help fund the upkeep of a London memorial that honours his comrades, Stuff reported.
But thanks to a donation from British businessman Lord Ashcroft, Munro instead donated gave the medals to the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland.
DPA