Strike Hard, Strike Sure

by Esmerelda Weatherwax (July 2012)

The men of Bomber Command were never awarded a campaign medal. The men of Europe and the Commonwealth may well have been properly honoured in their home countries, as were the men of the USAF who flew from England and Scotland but, notwithstanding the memorial in Lincoln Cathedral, there was no national memorial until this weekend.

Flowers were heaped around the feet of the bronze aircrew and in every available niche around. Some were formal wreaths, others posies dedicated to lost brothers and fathers and their comrades.

The roof of the portico is partly open to the sky, into which several of the young men are still peering, seeking returning comrades. Others, exhausted, look down. The roof was inspired by the inside of a Wellington and contains aluminium salvaged from a Blenheim.

The back of the podium contains the words of Pericles: Freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it.

The County of Lincolnshire is known as Bomber County. Although Lincolnshire is thought of as flat there is a ridge of limestone running north/south between the River Trent and the sea that was a particularly good foundation for the landing of heavy bombers. Many of the airfields still exist and can be visited.

It goes without saying that if in Lincolnshire a visit to Lincoln and Lincoln cathedral is imperative.

Also in the area is the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre on what was RAF East Kirkby. The site was bought by the Panton family and set up as a museum in memory of Christopher Panton who was killed during a raid over the Ruhr. Part of their collection includes the Lancaster Just Jane which can taxy around the airfield but is too precious to the family to be made airworthy to fly.

There are plenty of other sites, in Lincolnshire and elsewhere. The Imperial War Museum at Duxford, the RAF museum at Hendon and the Yorkshire Air Museum in Elvington spring immediately to mind. There are restored and part salvaged aircraft of many types – just use google. Some of the Canadian collections also sound very interesting.

Photographs by E Weatherwax, S Sto Helit and Ben. Left, Lancaster over Essex in 2010.

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