After Me, The Flood

After Me, The Flood is a brand new exhibition – one of the IBCC’s most thought‑provoking and historically significant exhibitions to date.

It brings together, for the first time, hundreds of photographs and film recordings captured in the immediate aftermath of the Dambusters raid on the Möhne Dam — and during the extraordinary, harrowing 17‑week reconstruction that followed.

Sourced from town archives, private collections, and local historians across the Möhne region, these images have never before been displayed collectively. Their arrival in Lincoln marks a rare opportunity to witness the human and environmental impact of one of the Second World War’s most iconic operations through the eyes of those who lived it.

We are grateful for the support of a number of institutions and individuals who have made this exhibition possible.

Over the next few months, these pages will be updated to feature stories and themes that will augment the physical exhibition and showcase more images from the collection.

Flight Commander Melvin “Dinghy” Young wrote to a friend in 1939: ‘Since we are to have a war, I am more than ever glad that I am in the air force.  It is a happy, healthy life while it lasts, and I have found some old friends and made many new ones…I am not frightened of dying if that is God’s will, and only hope I may die doing my duty as I should’.  Dinghy and his crew were killed on their return from the Eder Dam on 17th May 1943

A Story Told Through Unseen Images

The exhibition presents a stark visual record of the devastation caused when the Möhne Dam was breached in May 1943. Photographs taken by Nazi officials, local civilians, and regional archivists reveal flooded landscapes, shattered communities, and the immense scale of destruction downstream.

Alongside these are images documenting the rapid rebuilding of the dam — a reconstruction achieved in just 17 weeks, driven by forced labour under the Nazi regime. These photographs and film reels offer a sobering counterpoint to the celebrated narrative of the Dambusters raid, highlighting the suffering endured by those compelled to restore the structure.

A Rare and Important Collection

What makes After Me, The Flood exceptional is not only the rarity of the material, but the way it brings together perspectives that have long remained fragmented across archives and private holdings. Visitors will encounter a curated visual timeline that deepens understanding of the raid’s consequences and challenges us to consider the broader human story behind wartime operations.

A Space for Reflection

The IBCC remains committed to presenting balanced, evidence‑based history that honours all those affected by conflict. This exhibition continues that mission, offering a powerful space for reflection on the complexities of war, memory, and responsibility.