THESE days the Elan Valley is considered a beauty spot and wildlife haven, but back in the 1940s it played a significant part in one of the most famous and daring missions of the Second World War – the Dambuster Raid.
During the construction of the Elan Valley Dams during the early 1900s, a small masonry dam was built across the Nant-y-Gro stream which was used to provide a water supply to the navvies village below.
But after the completion of the waterworks scheme the Nant-y-Gro dam was no longer needed, because the permanent stone-built Elan Village which replaced the temporary navvies village obtained a water supply under a new scheme.
This was to come in handy when during the Second World War, the government required somewhere to test out plans to breach several German dams.
The Air Ministry had identified Germany’s industrial heartland, and in particular the dams of the area, as an important strategic target even before the war started – not only because they provided power but also as they were used to provide water into the canal transport system.
The first explosions at the Nant-y-Gro dam were carried out in May 1942, but despite being spectacular to watch, they did little damage to the actual dam.
Further work was carried out and another attempt was made in July 1942, which this time was successful.
The tests in the Elan Valley showed that in order to destroy a dam it was necessary to deliver an explosive device under water and in direct contact with the dam wall.
This followed with a series of test in other areas of Britain resulted in Barnes Wallis devising the famous ‘bouncing bomb’, which then was eventually used to breach the Mohne and Eder dams in the Ruhr Valley in Germany.
What remains of the Nant-y-Gro dam can still be seen today in much the same condition as it was after the secret wartime experiments of 1942.
The success of the Dambuster Raid led to increased protection of the Elan Valley dams and other large dams across the country.