Johnny Johnson

Squadron Leader George Leonard Johnson (25 November 1921 − 7 December 2022), better known as Johnny Johnson, was a British Royal Air Force officer who was the last surviving original member of No. 617 Squadron RAF and of Operation Chastise, the "Dambusters" raid of 1943.

Early life and education George Johnson (known within the family as Leonard) was the sixth and last child born to Mary Ellen (née Henfrey) and Charles Johnson. He was born in the village of Hameringham in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. His mother died when he was three, leaving his father, a farm foreman, to bring up the family in somewhat poor conditions. When Johnson's father died in 1957, he did not attend his funeral, a decision he stated he never regretted.

The family lived in a tied cottage in Langford, with his oldest sister Lena largely being responsible for his early upbringing. Johnson attended Winthorpe Primary School in the village of Winthorpe, Nottinghamshire until the age of 11.

Royal Air Force

Volunteering to join the Royal Air Force in 1940 as a navigator, Johnson was instead selected for pilot training.

McCarthy's crew in Lancaster AJ-T (T-Tommy) were detailed to attack the Sorpe Dam, the structure of which differed considerably from the other main targets insofar as it being an earthen dam as opposed to the gravity construction of the Möhne and Eder dams, thus necessitating a completely different type of attack. Like the rest of No. 617 Squadron, Johnson had practised dropping his bomb as the aircraft flew straight towards the target at low level. However, on the afternoon prior to the raid, when the five crews detailed to attack the Sorpe Dam received their briefing, they were told that they had to fly along the dam wall and drop their mine at its centre. It would roll down the wall and explode when it reached the correct depth. The specialist bomb sight developed for the raid would also be of no use. He continued in the RAF until 1962, retiring with the rank of Squadron Leader. Together they had three children, the marriage lasting until Gwyneth's death in August 2005. and continued to give interviews on the various aspects of his active service and particularly concerning Operation Chastise. In 2015, he was awarded the Lord Mayor of Bristol's Medal.

Johnson's autobiography George "Johnny" Johnson, The Last British Dambuster was published in 2014.

Johnson was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to Second World War remembrance and the community in Bristol. The award followed shortly after an unsuccessful petition for Johnson to be knighted was initiated by Carol Vorderman, which garnered over 200,000 signatures within a few weeks. The 237,000 signature petition was handed in to 10 Downing Street on 26 January 2017 by Vorderman and former RAF officer John Nichol.

On 7 September 2017, Johnson received an honorary doctorate from the University of Lincoln for his contribution to British society, and two months later, on 7 November, was presented his MBE by Queen Elizabeth II in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

On 7 November 2017, Johnson was given an Honorary Life Membership to the Royal Air Force Club in Piccadilly, London.

On 22 June 2018, Johnson was honoured by having a train named after him. Following the death of his wartime colleague Fred Sutherland, on 21 January 2019, Johnson became the last survivor of the original flying members of 617 Squadron.

Johnson died on 7 December 2022 at his care home in Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, at the age of 101.