Dambusters2013 - The Mohnesee Vice Mayor's Welcome speech ....

Before we set off there was a lot of debate on FB, Twitter and othet sites about whether the whole idea of a charity motorcycle ride to the Mohne Dam as part of the Dambusters 70th commemoration was in good taste, a good idea or whether it would be misinterpreted by the locals who live around the Mohnesee.

The reality was that the locals absolutely 'got it', that our ride was a commemoration of ALL the lives lost as well as the bravery shown by the airmen of 617 Sqdn on the night of May 16th/17th 1943.

They also understood that the event was worthy of commemoration and the Mohnesee area's Mayor joined in our ceremony at midnight to lay wreaths on the waters of the Mohnesee to remember all the lives lost, as did German mainstream TV.

Two bits of film to follow which illustrate this. The first is of the Vice Mayor who was on hand to welcome the Dambusters2013 riders when we arrived at the Mohne Dam car park at 3pm on 16th May before he personally led a joint rideout around the Mohnesee lake.

The second is the TV report filed by Geoff Meade of BFBS who rode with us all the way covering not only the welcome we received but the extra-ordinary privilege that Dambusters2013 enjoyed by being allowed to ride our bikes across the Mohne Dam itself at midnight just before the wreath laying ceremony and also film of Craig and the Mohnesee Mayor both laying wreaths on the water. Just click on the link to go direct to the relevant BFBS webpage.

http://www.bfbs.com/news/germany/bikers-mark-beginning-dambusters-raid-63586.html

No doubt at all - we were right to go and our German hosts both welcomed us and fully understood and agreed with our motives and event.

Simon - 17th June 2013