The first Commanding Officer of the Royal Air Force's No. 617 Squadron (1918-1944) whose 'Dam Busters' raid in 1943 resulted in the destruction of two large dams in the Ruhr area of Germany. He was awarded the Victoria Cross, and in June 1943 became the most highly decorated serviceman in the country. Gibson completed over 170 war operations before dying in action at the age of 26. Very rare vintage glossy 4.5 x 6.25 half-length portrait of Gibson seated with a pipe and wearing his military uniform, signed and inscribed in fountain pen, "To Ben Twigg, with my kindest personal regards, yours, Guy Gibson, W/C, 15/9/44.” In very good condition, with scattered creasing, and paper loss to the bottom edge, easily matted out.
Just four days after signing this photo, Gibson was shot down after a raid over Rheydt and Muenchen-Gladbach on September 19, 1944. He was officially declared missing as of November 29th, and then, following the recovery of his remains—along with those of Navigator Jim Warwick—his death was formally announced on January 8, 1945, although many had long assumed as much. In a letter to Gibson's wife Eve, Prime Minister Winston Churchill wrote on December 19th: 'I had great admiration for him—the glorious Dam-buster. I had hoped that he would come into Parliament and make his way there after the stress of the war was over, but he never spared himself nor would allow others to spare him. We have lost in this officer one of the most splendid of all our fighting men. His name will not be forgotten; it will for ever be enshrined in the most wonderful records of our country.' Only the second signed item we have ever offered of Gibson, and the first signed photograph—an astounding keepsake from an elusive hero of the second world war.
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