@ newt ... I think we had 200,000 when I joined, 95,000 when I left. Now it's around the 35,000 mark, I think *
Those 55,000 were incredible people, as were the lucky ones that survived. I was taught as a child by my father (RA, of all things) who explained the courage needed to drone across Germany for hours and hours, subjected to flak and night fighters and freezing cold. ISTR he had a post-War friend who had served in BC as aircrew, which probably highlighted matters.
*Too lazy to google, but you know what I mean.