Hi guys, I told you earlier that I had emailed Lord Ashcroft and asked him to buy the medals.
This is the (most reasonable) response. I would publicly like to thank both Lord Ashcroft and Michael Naxton - Curator of the Ashcroft Medal Collection for their gracious response. It's also likely they are party to more information than I could glean.
Dear Mr May,
Thank you for your e-mail to Lord Ashcroft's website to which he has asked me to reply.
All of us connected with the Ashcroft Medal Collection rather think that Les Munro is making an absolutely magnificent gesture by selling his medals in order to donate the proceeds to the future upkeep of the Bomber Command Memorial here in London. However, he is most assuredly not being pressurised into this course of action, nor is he selling his medals due to any personal financial hardship - far from it. We therefore feel that he should be allowed to do exactly what he has stated to be his intention.
Yours sincerely,
Michael Naxton
Curator, Ashcroft Medal Collection.
I propose to let this lie, I feel satisfied that it is Les Munro's wish (and don't doubt he well knows his own mind).