The last of the Dambusters dies: Wing Commander John Bell who was final living ... trends now
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The last remaining wartime member of the 'Dambusters' squadron has died just a week before he was due to celebrate his 101st birthday.
Wing Commander John Bell was a bomb aimer during the Second World War attached to 617 Squadron, who were among bomber command's most elite air crew.
Bell, who did not fly on squadron's most famous mission was a vitally important member of the unit later in the war.
His squadron was 'stood down' for a month ahead of D-Day so they could train for a vitally important mission which would convince the Germans that the invasion was about to happen further south along the French coast in Calais rather than Normandy.
Operation Taxable saw the squadron drop bundles of aluminium foil - known as 'window' over the sea between Newhavan and Cap d'Antifer - at time intervals to convince German radar stations that the invasion fleet was heading to a point further along the French coast - leaving the way clear for the D-Day landings in Normandy.
Wing Commander John Bell was a bomb aimer during the Second World War attached to 617 Squadron, who were among bomber command's most elite air crew
Bell, pictured second from right, was too tall at 6ft 4 to train as a pilot
