THE Dambusters raid is one of the most famous and was arguably one of the most dangerous raids of the Second World War.

The outrageous operation required ultra-low flying and nerves of steel in the face of a lethal barrage of anti-aircraft fire.

Nineteen specially-adapted Lancasters took part and eight of the aircraft, a total of 56 men, failed to return.

Now the ranks of the survivors has dwindled even further with the death, at the age of 81, of much-decorated veteran George Chalmers.

Mr Chalmers, a father-of-eight, lived in quiet retirement in Harrogate and never boasted of his wartime exploits, even though they earned him a DFC, DFM and a Mentioned in Despatches.

Born in Scotland, he volunteered for the RAF on the outbreak of war in 1939 and was trained as a wireless operator/air gunner.

The following year he was posted to RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire, joining 10 Squadron and flying a tour of 30 ops in ageing Whitleys.

After a period as an instructor he flew Halifaxes with 35 Pathfinder Squadron. A short detachment to 38 Squadron Coastal Command was followed by another stint as an instructor.

But he was unhappy with such a role and, after making his feelings plain to his commanding officer, he was promptly posted to a new squadron that was being formed, the soon-to-be legendary 617 Squadron at RAF Scampton.

Without knowing just what they were training for, the crews began weeks of nerve-wracking flying at dangerously low levels over the dams and valleys of England and Wales.

Led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, who would earn the Victoria Cross for his leadership and coolness under fire, the squadron went in to attack and both the Mohne and Eder were successfully breached.

The mission was immortalised on film in the 1954 movie The Dambusters, starring Richard Todd.

Mr Chalmers' aircraft, skippered by Bill Townsend, then went in to bomb one of the secondary targets, the Eneppe.

However, the attack was in vain and Mr Chalmers watched as the bouncing bomb skidded off to the left and exploded against the corner of the dam wall.

He and his crew were the first to arrive back at Scampton and he was the first to emerge from the aircraft - where he was met and personally congratulated by Air Chief Marshal, Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris.

Mr Chalmers stayed with the squadron and joined the crew of Flight Lieutenant Bernard Clayton, from Aldborough near Boroughbridge, and together they flew another 28 ops - many of them using the 1200lb Tallboy bomb to attack special targets in France and Germany.

He used to recall how on one raid, against the Antheor viaduct in France, the Tallboy flew straight through one of the arches and exploded harmlessly two hundred yards away.

Mr Chalmers left the RAF in 1946 with the rank of flight lieutenant and later worked in the British aircraft industry, principally with Avro.

He married in 1941 and is survived by his wife and children.