Bomber Command Poppy Drop
55,573 volunteers of Bomber Command died during the Second World War. For years, families have been fighting for recognition of the sacrifices they made. Their chances of survival at the time were roughly 1 in 2 and many of their sorties were undertaken at night.
On 28th June 2012 in London’s Green Park a memorial will be unveiled in a private ceremony for veterans and relatives. There will also be a poppy drop when thousands of poppies will fall from an RAF Lancaster during the ceremony in tribute to those who lost their lives. A time capsule will contain the name, rank and number of all 125,000 aircrew who were a part of the RAF Bomber Command, along with messages and photographs.I and will be sunk into the foundations of the memorial.
Bomber Command have been overlooked and it has taken a much publicised campaign for a suitable memorial to honour their sacrifices, even though Winston Churchill referred to the “massive achievements of Bomber Command” in a letter to Sir Arthur Harris who was the Air Officer Commanding-In-Chief, Bomber Command. Churchill said that these achievements would “long be remembered as an example of duty nobly done”. It only seems fitting that these men are finally honoured in what will no doubt be a highly moving tribute and unveiling.
