Bomber Command Memorial Campaign 29th Oct 2008
By Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter (Telegraph.co.uk)
The Telegraph is calling on its readers to help the veterans of the Bomber Command Association raise £2 million to build a memorial in London to the 55,573 men who died serving in Bomber Command during the Second World War.
The Prime Minister said: "I have always believed that the 55,000 brave men of Bomber Command who lost their lives in the service of their country deserved the fullest recognition of their courage and sacrifice"
The airmen of Bomber Command, who were drawn from all over Britain, the Commonwealth and Allied countries, faced more deadly odds than any other branch of the armed forces during the war, with just a 27 per cent chance of completing a tour of 30 operations.
Almost half of all those who volunteered were killed, with thousands more invalided or taken prisoner.
In the post-war years their courage and sacrifice was largely ignored as historians questioned the policy of area bombing which led to hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths.
The Conservative leader, David Cameron, said it was time the nation finally showed its gratitude by building a permanent memorial. He said: "I fully support this important campaign to do more to remember those brave men from Bomber Command who died doing their duty. Their deeds have not been recognised in the way the heroes from the Battle of Britain have been, but their sacrifices were just as great."
Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: "The Bomber Command veterans fought valiantly for their country, following orders by risking their lives in treacherous conditions as part of a strategic offensive.
"The huge number of young men who died in service to their country as part of this tactic deserve to have their bravery and commitment recognised with a fitting memorial."
The campaign has already won the support of the Heritage Foundation, a charity which funds memorials to British achievers, whose president, the Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb, has had a lifelong interest in the Second World War.
He said: "These men helped free the whole of Europe, including Germany, from a tyrannical regime and that is something we should be proud of. The freedom we all enjoy today is their legacy.
"For me it's a really clear-cut thing that these men should be honoured. This is not to glorify war, it is setting an example to younger generations about sacrifice, accountability and pride in free people everywhere."
* For details of how to donate, visit www.telegraph.co.uk/bombercommand