Honours overdue
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Kent UK
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Honours overdue
Please forgive me, a dedicated lifelong civvy, posting in these hallowed halls, but an issue is burning with me which I feel deserves ever more urgent attention and I believe this is the best forum for it.
My beef concerns the undiminished enthusiasm of TV producers and film-makers, and journalists of every general hue, in the sport of Bomber Command kicking. Recently I spoke to Bill Randall, author of 'Blue Skies, Dark Nights', about his Wellington exploits, and he told me, "I introduce myself as a war criminal - I flew for Bomber Command". I could feel myself growing hot with shame for my own contemporary Britain. I have read extensively about the bombing offensive, and the courage and stoicism with which those crews did their duty in the face of probable pain, injury or death is remarkable indeed. To have it thrown back in their faces is crass, ignorant and cruel.
What to do about it? Well I've written to the Daily Mail but was rejected. Other than that, I'm not sure. I'm a busy guy with my own business 7 days a week and a family, but I can write letters and post in forums! I'm also going to join my local branch of the Aircrew Association as an associate member.
My reasons for posting in the Mil. Aircrew forum is that I think you guys and gals will most easily be able to relate to your ageing forbears. If anyone has any ideas on how to change the mindset of a whole country, then I'm all ears!
Thanks for reading,
Kev.
Mods, if you think this should go in Av. Hist & Nost, that's OK by me.
My beef concerns the undiminished enthusiasm of TV producers and film-makers, and journalists of every general hue, in the sport of Bomber Command kicking. Recently I spoke to Bill Randall, author of 'Blue Skies, Dark Nights', about his Wellington exploits, and he told me, "I introduce myself as a war criminal - I flew for Bomber Command". I could feel myself growing hot with shame for my own contemporary Britain. I have read extensively about the bombing offensive, and the courage and stoicism with which those crews did their duty in the face of probable pain, injury or death is remarkable indeed. To have it thrown back in their faces is crass, ignorant and cruel.
What to do about it? Well I've written to the Daily Mail but was rejected. Other than that, I'm not sure. I'm a busy guy with my own business 7 days a week and a family, but I can write letters and post in forums! I'm also going to join my local branch of the Aircrew Association as an associate member.
My reasons for posting in the Mil. Aircrew forum is that I think you guys and gals will most easily be able to relate to your ageing forbears. If anyone has any ideas on how to change the mindset of a whole country, then I'm all ears!
Thanks for reading,
Kev.
Mods, if you think this should go in Av. Hist & Nost, that's OK by me.
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I agree wholeheartedly with you, I had 3 uncles -all bomber crew - who were killed in the war and I have communicated with the luftwaffe night fighter pilot who shot one of them down, I feel no animosity towards him but these bleeding hearts who denigrate the actions of the bomber crews and call them war criminals really get my back up
Last edited by mikip; 31st Aug 2006 at 21:59.
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Kevmusic
Welcome aboard!
I couldn't agree with you more. The main issue, it seems to me, is the modern penchant for judging actions taken in the past by the politically- correct standards of today. Bill Randle has no need to introduce himself as a war criminal. The cosy world in which aircraft are imagined to be able to select, target and destroy enemy infrastructure without the least risk of collateral damage exists only very imperfectly today, and it certainly didn't exist at all then. Moreover, the facets of "International Law" which are held to make the Bomber Command offensives worthy of being described as "War Crimes" were largely the product of the aftermath of the Second World War; they simply did not exist at the time of the raids. The aircrews did their duty, as did their Commanders. Yes, the outcome was often terrible. The consequences of losing the war would have been more terrible still.
Regards
Ginseng
I couldn't agree with you more. The main issue, it seems to me, is the modern penchant for judging actions taken in the past by the politically- correct standards of today. Bill Randle has no need to introduce himself as a war criminal. The cosy world in which aircraft are imagined to be able to select, target and destroy enemy infrastructure without the least risk of collateral damage exists only very imperfectly today, and it certainly didn't exist at all then. Moreover, the facets of "International Law" which are held to make the Bomber Command offensives worthy of being described as "War Crimes" were largely the product of the aftermath of the Second World War; they simply did not exist at the time of the raids. The aircrews did their duty, as did their Commanders. Yes, the outcome was often terrible. The consequences of losing the war would have been more terrible still.
Regards
Ginseng
I can recommend to anyone who would like further insight in Bomber Command and the Bombing Campaign to visit the "against the odds exhibition" at the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester..
Web site is http://www.againsttheodds.org.uk/
..it continues until 7th January 2007
Web site is http://www.againsttheodds.org.uk/
..it continues until 7th January 2007
my late dad always said "i was in bomber command and i apologise to no man!" war was fought under different rules then. that is history. that is fact. BOMBER COMMAND IS DEAD. LONG LIVE BOMBER COMMAND.
