His Majesty met 18 Second World War pilots and air crew after looking around a Lancaster bomber and admiring Spitfires and Hurricanes in an aircraft hangar at Coningsby in Lincolnshire.
Paying tribute to their bravery, he said: “Thank God for all these men – people like you who looked after us.”
And after hearing about their missions over enemy territory, the King added: “Being shot at all the time… the horror of it.”
The event was hosted by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which conserves the historic aircraft for aerial displays.
Operation Chastise – better known as the Dambusters Raid – took place overnight from 16 to 17 May 1943 and saw bouncing bombs dropped on German dams by 617 Squadron. It forced the Nazis to divert resources from the Atlantic Wall – their coastal defences against an Allied invasion – to repair the catastrophic damage.
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AS 'THE DIPLOMAT RETURNS KERI RUSSELL
ON HAVING FUN WITH RUFUS SEWELL, MEETING THE U.S. AMBASSADOR AND BEING STRAPPED TO TOM CRUISE
FROM HIS CHALLENGING CHILDHOOD TO HOLLYWOOD'S HOT LIST BARRY KEOGHAN
ON BEING DRAWN TO STRONG WOMEN AND ENJOYING LIFE WITH HIS LITTLE BOY
AS 'THE SUBSTANCE' IS RELEASED MARGARET QUALLEY
ON MAKING THE LEAP FROM BALLET TO HOLLYWOOD
BUSY MUM-TO-BE AND DUTIFUL DAUGHTER PRINCESS BEATRICE
TEAMS UP WITH SISTER PRINCESS EUGENIE TO SUPPORT THEIR FATHER IN HIS EXILE FROM ROYAL LIFE
CHAMPIONING WOMEN'S HEALTH THE DUCHESS OF EDINBURGH
HONOURS 60 YEARS OF GROUNDBREAKING CHARITY
AS ONE DIRECTION REUNITE TO BID FAREWELL TO FORMER BANDMATE LIAM PAYNE
HUGS AND TEARS AS MOURNING FRIENDS AND FAMILY SAY GOODBYE
CELEBRATING HER GAME-CHANGING NEW CONCEALER VICTORIA'S SECRETS
THE DESIGNER SHARES HER TOP SKINCARE TIPS AND REVEALS WHICH PRODUCTS HARPER LOVES TO STEAL
CHANNELLING MARY POPPINS TO CHAMPION LITERACY THE QUEEN
JOINS CELEBRITIES AND BEST-SELLING AUTHORS TO APPLAUD YOUNG WRITERS' 'ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT WORK'
CONTINUING A FESTIVE TRADITION - WITH A TINY NEW TREAT TO DELIGHT VISITORS WINDSOR CASTLE AT CHRISTMAS
STAFF DECK THE HALLS - AND, FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE ROYAL DOLLS' HOUSE
SNAPPING UP RECORD-BREAKING £60M MANSION IN MIAMI THE BECKHAMS
WE GO INSIDE THEIR BILLION-DOLLAR LIFESTYLE AS THE FAMILY PREPARE TO EXPAND THEIR BRAND