Bomber Command Memorial
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Eastbourne, UK
Bomber Command Memorial
A ceremony was held yesterday as a turf cutting was carried out to start the building of the Bomber Command Memorial. It is a good indication that everything can go ahead now. Funding is entirely by private donations.
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,924
Likes: 7
From: UK
WHBM,
I'm sure many of us would appreciate it if you can post the occassional update on progress. My 87 year old mother lost her first husband (Lancaster aircrew) shortly after they were married. She's very much hoping to visit the memorial when completed, but given her age and declining health, she's understandably impatient.
I'm sure many of us would appreciate it if you can post the occassional update on progress. My 87 year old mother lost her first husband (Lancaster aircrew) shortly after they were married. She's very much hoping to visit the memorial when completed, but given her age and declining health, she's understandably impatient.
Joined: Oct 2002
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 8,201
Likes: 347
From: London UK
As described, have been into the park today, have to report that progress on the ground to date is nil.
Having walked all round and thought I had somehow missed it, I called the park managers (if interested, 020-7930-1793) and was told that work had not yet started, and that the ceremony was somewhat in advance of things. It appears, from this discussion, that the actual location is in the north-west corner of the park, at Hyde Park Corner. The memorial will be ready in 2012 as well.
A pleasant day for a walk in the park though. I'll keep up with things.
A bit more here :
Bomber Command Memorial
Having walked all round and thought I had somehow missed it, I called the park managers (if interested, 020-7930-1793) and was told that work had not yet started, and that the ceremony was somewhat in advance of things. It appears, from this discussion, that the actual location is in the north-west corner of the park, at Hyde Park Corner. The memorial will be ready in 2012 as well.
A pleasant day for a walk in the park though. I'll keep up with things.
A bit more here :
Bomber Command Memorial
Last edited by WHBM; 31st October 2011 at 17:18. Reason: Corrected location 31-10-11
Joined: Oct 2002
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 8,201
Likes: 347
From: London UK
Sorry all, haven't updated this for some time, there wasn't a lot of progress initially but now things are fully mobilised on site.
Anyone coming to the November 11th ceremonies in Whitehall can head across to the far end of Green Park (quite a walk though) to see progress. Sorry, I gave an inaccurate location earlier of the site in the park (now corrected), it is actually here :
Google Maps
at the very west end of Piccadilly, facing the Hard Rock Cafe across the road, alongside where the westbound Hyde Park Corner underpass starts to go down. Nearest Underground is Hyde Park Corner.
Google Maps have bizarrely plotted the InterContinental Hotel, London, right on the location in the park where the memorial is going !
The selected contractor is Gilbert Ash, from Belfast, now fully mobilised and with a large crane installed to handle the various masonry blocks. Stonemasons are S McConnell & Sons, who also did the stonework on the Diana Memorial in Kensington Palace Gardens.
Anyone coming to the November 11th ceremonies in Whitehall can head across to the far end of Green Park (quite a walk though) to see progress. Sorry, I gave an inaccurate location earlier of the site in the park (now corrected), it is actually here :
Google Maps
at the very west end of Piccadilly, facing the Hard Rock Cafe across the road, alongside where the westbound Hyde Park Corner underpass starts to go down. Nearest Underground is Hyde Park Corner.
Google Maps have bizarrely plotted the InterContinental Hotel, London, right on the location in the park where the memorial is going !
The selected contractor is Gilbert Ash, from Belfast, now fully mobilised and with a large crane installed to handle the various masonry blocks. Stonemasons are S McConnell & Sons, who also did the stonework on the Diana Memorial in Kensington Palace Gardens.
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
From: Garden of England
At the 2011 Eastbourne Airshow I had the pleasure of meeting Mr J.V.Williams, Chairman of the Bomber Command Tribute Beachy Head Committee. I thought you would like to know that they have now made good progress with their project to create a small memorial at the clifftop site, as detailed in the progress report included in their very informative website:
www.bombercommandtribute.org
www.bombercommandtribute.org
Joined: Oct 2002
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 8,201
Likes: 347
From: London UK
Brief update
The contractors have fully surrounded the site with boarding, but you can get little squints through at places. Looks like they are about 50% complete with the structure.
The contractors have fully surrounded the site with boarding, but you can get little squints through at places. Looks like they are about 50% complete with the structure.
Joined: Oct 2002
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 8,201
Likes: 347
From: London UK
Another update.
I see today that the wraps are starting to come off; the construction boards surrounding the site are coming down, and the protective sheeting around the main structure of the memorial is being removed as well, so for the first time you can see the pillar-type construction, and the scale of the overall memorial.
Hopefully onto the final stages now.
I see today that the wraps are starting to come off; the construction boards surrounding the site are coming down, and the protective sheeting around the main structure of the memorial is being removed as well, so for the first time you can see the pillar-type construction, and the scale of the overall memorial.
Hopefully onto the final stages now.
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,914
Likes: 659
From: West Sussex
Wonderful news that Robin Gibb has confounded everyone, including his doctors, by emerging from a week long coma and making wonderful progress since. He has a date in his diary set at 28th June 2012. Let us all hope that he continues to get well and can indeed be in Green Park then.
BBC News - Bee Gee Robin Gibb's recovery 'confounds' doctors
Get well soon, Sir. The Bomber Command Veterans, The Royal Air Force, and this nation owe you a great debt. Thanks to your driving it forward we can at last acknowledge in turn the debt that we all owe to those who made the final sacrifice in Bomber Command on behalf of us all. It has been too long, though. Far too long.
BBC News - Bee Gee Robin Gibb's recovery 'confounds' doctors
Get well soon, Sir. The Bomber Command Veterans, The Royal Air Force, and this nation owe you a great debt. Thanks to your driving it forward we can at last acknowledge in turn the debt that we all owe to those who made the final sacrifice in Bomber Command on behalf of us all. It has been too long, though. Far too long.
Joined: Oct 2002
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 8,201
Likes: 347
From: London UK
I'm sure we will all be saddened by the news today of the death of Robin Gibb, who was a key driver of this project. I hope he was able to see the progress made recently.
BBC News - Bee Gees' singer Robin Gibb dies after cancer battle
BBC News - Bee Gees' singer Robin Gibb dies after cancer battle
Last edited by WHBM; 21st May 2012 at 05:52.
Joined: Oct 2002
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 8,201
Likes: 347
From: London UK
I missed the tickets application for 28 June, and can only find out that it is "around lunchtime", but I still hope to be able to find a slot to go. Anyone else ?
Carol Vorderman appears to have taken over the publicity role from Robin Gibb, essential if you are to get into the mass-market media nowadays. I did read that her father was in the Dutch Resistance. I wonder if he remembered the drops of food supplies over The Netherlands by Bomber Command in early 1945 ?
Carol Vorderman appears to have taken over the publicity role from Robin Gibb, essential if you are to get into the mass-market media nowadays. I did read that her father was in the Dutch Resistance. I wonder if he remembered the drops of food supplies over The Netherlands by Bomber Command in early 1945 ?
Last edited by WHBM; 8th June 2012 at 13:43.
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,914
Likes: 659
From: West Sussex
Good to see that the RAF were represented in a small way at least at Robin Gibb's funeral in Thame yesterday:
http://www.pprune.org/newreply.php?d...3656&noquote=1
A more permanent tribute though might be appropriate. Some might say that the BC Memorial itself would more than suffice and they would have a point, but that of course commemorates the 55573 aircrew that gave their lives in WWII.
The Royal Air Force could do worse than provide a plaque at its church at St Clement Danes in tribute to this stalwart and driven friend of the Services that made the memorial in Green Park a possibility, instead of the mere aspiration it had remained for over 60 years.
RIP to a man who did more in his short life for HM Forces than whole Departments of State failed to.
http://www.pprune.org/newreply.php?d...3656&noquote=1
A more permanent tribute though might be appropriate. Some might say that the BC Memorial itself would more than suffice and they would have a point, but that of course commemorates the 55573 aircrew that gave their lives in WWII.
The Royal Air Force could do worse than provide a plaque at its church at St Clement Danes in tribute to this stalwart and driven friend of the Services that made the memorial in Green Park a possibility, instead of the mere aspiration it had remained for over 60 years.
RIP to a man who did more in his short life for HM Forces than whole Departments of State failed to.
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 412
Likes: 1
From: Bedford
WHBM,
I applied for a single ticket in May .Filled out an application form still have not heard anything . The Queen is attending and so I suspect all her officials so will be surprised if I get a ticket now. The service is at midday for approx one hour. If you do not get a ticket is it worth attending? probably better to visit after the event when quieter. Anybody out there who can update us if all tickets have gone out ?
I applied for a single ticket in May .Filled out an application form still have not heard anything . The Queen is attending and so I suspect all her officials so will be surprised if I get a ticket now. The service is at midday for approx one hour. If you do not get a ticket is it worth attending? probably better to visit after the event when quieter. Anybody out there who can update us if all tickets have gone out ?
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 6
From: Well, Lincolnshire