Dinghy Young

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Squadron Leader Henry Melvin "Dinghy" Young DFC and Bar (died 17 March 1943 aged 27) was a Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve Bomber Command pilot. Though going normally by the name Melvin, he acquired the nickname "Dinghy" after being shot down over the sea twice and surviving in inflatable dinghies. In 1943 he was posted to No. 617 Squadron, where flying A-Apple he took part in the Dams Raid (Operation Chastise). Young and his crew flew as part of the first wave which attacked the Möhne Dam. The first three Lancasters to attack, Gibson (G-George), Hopgood (M-Mother) and Martin (P-Popsie), all missed the target. Young was fourth and hit the dam, causing a small breach. As this breach was not apparent, a fifth aircraft Maltby (J-Johnny) subsequently attacked the dam and achieved a hit, causing a larger breach. On the return journey, Young was shot down over the sea for a third time, but his luck had run out. He is buried in Bergen General Cemetery. As CO Gibson was awarded the VC, despite the fact that he had missed the target.

In the 1955 film The Dam Busters, Young was played by Richard Leech.^[1]