Bomber Command Memorial (Merged)

[foldingwings]

Here's a cause worth signing up to:

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Bomberboys/

Only 49 names as of 17 October 2007 - deserves better.

From the petition:

"Erect a National Memorial in London to the over 55.000 brave young men who gave their lives 1939-45 and played such a large part in gaining Victory in Europe, I applaud the magnificent memorial to the 'Battle of Britain' and feel that Bomber Commd. deserve the same honour. Also appeal for public donations towards same."

Foldie

[RFCC]

Signed.

A national memorial to these guys is well overdue.

[Chugalug2]

Signed and a worthy cause, but don't expect this to be any easier than the petition that called for a Campaign Medal to be awarded for the RAF Bombing Campaign in WW2, and was turned down. See

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=255583

As was apparent on that thread the hostility against that campaign, the then CinC, and even those who risked their lives in the most dangerous campaign fought by the western allies, still runs deep with some. Better luck one hopes with this petition but, in any event, the effort to rehabilitate the reputation of Bomber Command, its boss, and above all its aircrew must continue unabated.

[10enggone]

Bomber Memorial

Signed and agree it's well overdue

[Avitor]

Willingly signed, but given the PM we have, I hold out little hope.

[om15]

Signed, but agree with Avitor.
The current Prime Minister has no interest in the Servicemen on active service today, ( except for election photo shoots), therefore the people who died in service 60 odd years ago have little chance of recognition from this cynical self serving inept bunch.
Best regards,
om15

[Hugh Spencer]

Bomber Command Memorial

Hi,
As one of those Bomberboys who, over the years, has been incensed by the attitude of government and a huge number of the public to our achievements, we must have a memorial to my friends who, at the age of 18 to 25, were struck down in their efforts to destroy the ability of the Third Reich to come back after the Battle of Britain and invade this country. We helped to maintain our freedom.

[PPRuNe Pop]

And you all did a helluva job sir. There is no lack of support of this website for you and all like you. One day, one day, someone is going to give what is required to recognise the sacrifices you all made. I have signed and feel it a privilege to do so.

Glad to see that you are still enjoying the life you deserve.

Best wishes.

PPP

[ComJam]

Signed.

About time something like this happened. I met one of the Bomberboys last year at the Yorkshire Air Museum (Elvington), he was showing people round the gun turret display and describing exactly what it was like on ops. The movies and documentaries can only give you a vague idea, listening to him really brought home the bravery of the men who fought and died in the bombers over Europe.

Lest we forget.

[cazatou]

Willingly signed.

This part of France has many memorials to those who died at the whim of the retreating German Army in 1944.

A MALM I served with in 1969/70 had fought with the Maquis after being shot down over France - he was one of the first into Ouradour-sur-glane after the SS massacred the inhabitants.

Without the sacrifices of Bomber Command those scenes could have been repeated in our Homeland.

[3D CAM]

Signed and proud to do so!
One of our OPs. Controllers in Shetland many years ago, was an ex Bomber Command Nav.(sadly no longer with us but gone to be with his old mates who didn't make it) and after a couple of Whiskies we would try to get him to talk about his experiences, something we could not even begin to imagine, but it was like getting blood out of stone! When he did tell us the odd story it used to bring the hairs on the back of my neck to attention!!!! A lovely, gentleman. Cheers Tom.

[dakkg651]

Signed with pleasure but without much hope that the boys who sacrificed so much to allow this government to screw things up for the services will allow such recognition.

Thanks guys.

Some of us still appreciate what you did for us.

[Snakecharmer]

Signed... but what a damning indictment on this Country that we should have to... the memorial should have been constructed decades ago.

[Al R]

This says it all. 190 died 130 years ago, and they get a new memorial. 50,000+ die for their country 60 years ago, and they get sod all.

Torpy, pull your finger out lad!!!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/...nd/7043400.stm

[411A]

As was apparent on that thread the hostility against that campaign, the then CinC, and even those who risked their lives in the most dangerous campaign fought by the western allies, still runs deep with some. Better luck one hopes with this petition but, in any event, the effort to rehabilitate the reputation of Bomber Command, its boss, and above all its aircrew must continue unabated.

Quite frankly, I have never quite understood the hostility toward 'bomber' Harris, and the folks he commanded.

Is it not the idea of all out war to actually kill as many of the enemy as possible?
I don't seem to recall any of the PC nonsense then, as we might find today.

What gives?

[Wensleydale]

I do not see any desire for a memorial in London, the home of the selfish. Perhaps we would have more joy for a national memorial in Lincolnshire - an area steeped in Bomber Command history. The latest memorial to those who died post 1948 is in Staffordshire(?) and so a precedent has been set. I am sure that the people of Lincoln would be more than happy to have it.

[228 OCU]

Done

In memory of 55,573 R.I.P






If in doubt BANG OUT.

[Chugalug2]

Quite frankly, I have never quite understood the hostility toward 'bomber' Harris, and the folks he commanded

.

Quite frankly neither have I, 411A, but we both know that it exists, and in quite large measure. I tried to rationalise it in the Campaign Medal thread, but it would be inappropriate to go over that old ground again. The disgraceful way that Harris was side lined, while other service chiefs had honours poured on them for far less, was an indictment of the then government, the RAF and the army of armchair warriors who would have preferred to see a Nazi victory rather than the destruction of German cities and the means of them ramping up their war production. I agree that Lincolnshire, indeed the city of Lincoln, would make a far more fitting location for this memorial. With the BoB memorial also sited "on location", there is indeed precedent for moving outside London, which is bulging at the seams with memorials leading to a devaluation of any one of them. Perhaps Harris's statue would do better amongst his old lags than being the artistic target of every outraged weirdo with a paint pot!

[orgASMic]

Signed gladly. It was a dirty job, but somebody had to do it. Rest assured that some of us will not forget the sacrifice.

[foldingwings]

Only 225 Signatures - Saturday 20th October

Surely we can do better than that. Thanks to those who have signed already.

Foldie