Kings Lynn RAF veteran runs 80 miles in 80 days for Dambusters 80th anniversary

To mark the 80th anniversary of the Dambusters Raid, retired veteran Graham Copsey, took on the Dambusters Ride in Lincolnshire on the 13 May to raise money for the RAF’s leading welfare charity, the RAF Benevolent Fund.

Graham, 72, from Kings Lynn, Norfolk, planned a virtual run alongside his wife Chris, 71, in the run up to the Dambusters Ride in Lincolnshire on Saturday 13 May. They ran 80 miles in 80 days to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Dambusters Raid. They kicked off the first mile at RAF Scampton and completed the final stretch at the RAF base in Marham.

As a cadet-entry RAF engineer officer, Graham didn’t see himself having to leave the Royal Air Force. That was until Graham became the victim of an unfortunate motorbike incident during a ride into Cranwell. The accident resulted in injury to the nerves located at Grahams spinal column, leaving him in need of intensive plastic surgery which involved the removal of a portion of his calf to replace parts of his then missing foot. Fortunately, the RAF Benevolent Fund was available to help Graham and Chris following the unexpected accident.

Taking the "80" theme one step further, Graham invited 80 friends, family and anyone, to support him in the challenge by either running, walking, cycling or swimming just one mile on one day during the period of the challenge. Graham has raised £1011 for the Fund so far. You can donate to Graham’s fundraiser here

The annual Dambusters Ride pays tribute to the Dambusters, members of the RAF's 617 Squadron who were assembled to bomb three dams in Germany's Ruhr Valley on the night of 16-17 May 1943 – also known as Operation Chastise. This year marks 80 years since the risky raid, in which the revolutionary bouncing bomb, the brainchild of engineer Barnes Wallis, was dropped at low level on Germany’s industrial heartland in the Ruhr Valley. The mission was a success, but the cost was high; of 133 aircrew who left, 53 were killed and three became prisoners of war.

Graham said: "After my motorcycle crash in 1987, the RAF Benevolent Fund provided some much-needed support to my family whilst I was recovering in hospital. It so happens that the distance from RAF Scampton, where 617 Squadron was formed and RAF Marham, where they are now based, is just about 80 miles apart. I wanted to pursue this challenge in 80 days and give back to the Fund that helped us when we needed it most."