And that mainly thanks to a dying musician rather than a grateful national leadership! BC's commander was slighted, both in life and death, and his aircrew got just the same campaign medal after D-Day as those in the rear Army echelons. On the whole that anti Bomber Campaign bias was top down, rather than the reverse. I would suggest that, in defence of the Irish population, much the same applied in their case.
On the question of a Bomber Command Campaign medal, was not the Aircrew Europe Star intended to cover all air operations flown from UK Bases?
All WWII campaign medals were designated by region of conflict, not unit. There was, however, the one small exception, this was the clasp "Battle of Britain" which is worn on the ribbon of the 1939-1945 Star. Perhaps this is what everyone has been unhappy about, maybe a clasp "Bomber Command" should have been issued to be worn on the same ribbon. I also uncovered some documentation and minutes, some years ago, at the National Archives, apparently Lord Sholto Douglas and Sir Arthur Harris were both engaged in trying to get H.M. Government to recognise R.A.F. groundcrew of the operational commands with a campaign star and also therefore by default, the 39-45 star. H.M. Forces personnel, regardless of their endeavours, who did not serve outside Great Britain or British dominions received no campaign stars at all.
FB
