The leader of the Dambusters raid, Wing Commander Guy Gibson, will be the subject of a talk at the annual Tovil Parish assembly this month.

Gibson won the VC for his exploits in leading the raid which destroyed three dams in Germany's Ruhr Valley in May 1943 using a specially designed "bouncing bomb".

He had many local connections. He had been based at West Malling airfield and used to drink at the Startled Saint pub nearby. He was a friend of Thomas Gladstone Bincham (known as Glad) who was the manager and director of Southern Paper Stock, a company then based in Straw Mill Hill, Tovil.

Bincham lived at Ebbor House in East Farleigh and he gave Gibson, as a puppy, the famous black labrador which became the mascot of the 617 Squadron and was tragically killed on the night of the Dambusters raid.

Bincham had founded the Tovil Scout Group in 1921 and when Gibson later visited Maidstone on a morale-raising tour he made a point of addressing the Tovil Scouts and was indeed made an honorary Tovil Scout.

His death in action shortly afterwards is recorded on the Tovil Scouts War Memorial off Cave Hill.

The talk entitled The Dambusters - The Impossible Mission will be given by Loose-based historian Guy Bartlett. Admission is free. The meeting starts at 7pm in Tovil Community Centre in Barfeston Close, Tovil, on Monday, April 29. There are free refreshments and after the talk, there will be a chance to hear reports from clubs and community groups in the area. The Mayor, Cllr Dave Naghi, will be in attendance. All welcome.