BOMBER COMMAND
Angela Youngman discovers a moving memorial at Lincoln’s new International Bomber Command Centre
A new centre in Lincoln could help you find your Bomber Command kin
During the Second World War, Bomber Command had a staggering mortality rate. The death rate was second only to submarines. Most of those recorded at the new International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) were aged between 19 and 24 and many died on their first mission.
All the crew were volunteers; none were conscripted. They came from over 30 countries, including Americans, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, Dutch, Poles and Jews who had escaped from Nazi Germany.
Those serving in Bomber Command had a short life expectancy. A typical story is that of Flying Officer Cyril Beatson who was based at RAF Fiskerton. He was killed on 6 October 1944, along with with the rest of his crew, on his first bombing operation – he was 21 years old.
Another example is that of Flight Sergeant Arthur Reginald Jackson. Born in Wednesbury, West Midlands in 1923, he and his family emigrated to Australia in 1928. He enlisted early in 1942, and following training in San Francisco, Boston and Scotland, he eventually arrived at Elsham Wolds. He was a rear gunner, which was one of the most vulnerable positions among the aircrew of Lancaster bombers. Rear gunners found it almost impossible to reach their parachutes if their plane was shot down. On 7 May 1944, his plane was shot down over Aubigne, France and he now lies buried in Bayeaux War Cemetery. He was just 20 years old. Bomber Command remembered Until now, there has been no central memorial to commemorate and remember the stories of the people who served or lost their lives.
The IBCC on the outskirts of Lincoln fulfils that need. The poignant sight of long walls bearing the names of those who perished bears witness to the death toll. To date, 57,861 names have been identified and are now listed on the memorial walls at International Bomber Command Centre. Yet the researchers know that there are still names that are missing – such as people who died in training, or whose aircraft were never found. At the heart of the IBCC is a great spire pointing high into the sky. This 31-metre-high (102 feet) spire comprises two tapering shards made from Corton steel, which has a wood-like finish that is warm to the touch. The height is exactly the same as the length of the wingspan of a Lancaster Bomber. Looking through the base of the spire, the towers of Lincoln Cathedral are clearly seen. Circling the spire are long walls of names, listing all those who died in Bomber Command – and not all are male. There are also women listed who served in the ground crews, nurses who flew on humanitarian missions to bring back the wounded after D-Day or flew the bombers in from the manufacturers.
Surrounding the memorial are landscaped areas containing a peace garden, and 27 trees representing each of the 27 airfields involved. Lincolnshire held the largest number of Bomber Command airfields in the UK. As H James Flowers, 50/44 Squadrons Rear Gunner points out: “Bomber Country is the place from where many of us operated, so most veterans think that this is the place where we should be remembered. The magnificent memorial, digital archive, exhibition and the international peace gardens when completed will ensure that memories of our sacrifices will live on.”
Nicky Barr, director of the centre says: “This is the first time International Bomber Command has been recognised in this way. It is very important to get it right, we owe it to the veterans. They were the only group who were not mentioned in Churchill’s victory speech in 1945. We get veterans, their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren
Rear gunners found it almost impossible to reach their parachutes if their plane was shot down
coming. People come because they are interested and want to know more about their family; to see what they would have seen. When the Spire memorial was unveiled in 2015, 312 veterans from across the world came on that day, the biggest gathering of Bomber Boys since 1946. It was the proudest and most emotional day of my life. The reunions, the tears shed by the veterans and their joy at being recognised was overwhelming.”
Bomber Command was left out of Churchill’s victory speech due to the controversy surrounding the bombing of Dresden and Hamburg. Although the bombing was ordered by Churchill at the request of Stalin and arguably helped to bring the end of the war closer, the resulting high death toll and the destruction led Bomber Command to be heavily criticised. Consequently, the new Chadwick Centre at the IBCC will house exhibitions designed to provide a more balanced view. It will tell the stories of the people involved, not just aircrew and ground crew but the Luftwaffe and the victims of bombing in Germany and Italy. The exhibition will look at the bomber aircraft manufacturing programme, how the war in the air has been portrayed in film and media and include an opportunity for visitors to leave feedback.
Guided tours have allowed visitors to access the memorial even while construction work was underway. It has led to many heartrending moments, as Nicky explains: “One veteran came from Wales along with a BBC Wales team. We gave him the sample list we had compiled for the memorial walls – he took one look and started crying. Then he pointed to one name and said: ‘He was my childhood friend. We joined up together. He was aircrew. I went for pilot training. I survived. He didn’t.’ Tales like that make you realise just how important this memorial is.”
Work on the IBCC Chadwick Centre, named after the man who designed the Lancaster bomber, is now being completed. There will be a soft opening in December before the official opening on 12 April 2018 to mark the RAF’s centenary. It will house an education centre, exhibition area and archives. The aim is to be a memorial and a focus of reconciliation, highlighting the cost of war. In the archives The archives are totally unique and contain the biggest single database on Bomber Command