TTN:
...I am confused at Sir John's remarks that Bomber Command had been treated inconsistently with those who served in Fighter Command. Other than the very limited number who received the 'Battle of Britain' clasp, Fighter Command received no special award either. The trouble is, once you start straying from the original idea of theatre stars and honour specific formations there's no end to it.
Absolutely agree. Harris's call for a Bomber Command Medal was always a non-starter. What wasn't a non-starter in my view was a call for a Bombing Campaign Star, for a Campaign that lasted from the beginning to the end of the European War, as did the Battle of the Atlantic, for which there was a Star. That it wasn't issued after the War was plain PC in my opinion, now that enemies became allies and vice versa.
I too am confused about what is now to happen, are the Arctic Convoyers to get a separate Star now? Are the surviving Bomber Boys to get a clasp (presumably to their France Germany or Aircrew Europe Star)? If that is the case it would seem strange that a Campaign, awful though it was, that cost 3000 lives gets a medal, while another awful one that cost 55,500 lives just gets a clasp.
Even so I suspect that the next retrospective act of this PM will be to apologise for the Bombing Campaign. That then should tidy up all the loose ends, shouldn't it?