An old chestnut I know; why the members of Bomber Command should have received a campaign medal.
But another spin on it, was the Air Crew Europe Star the medal that was intended to be the Bomber Command medal?
Most of the controversy about Bomber Command seems to date from late 1944 onwards. Hamburg happened before that, but the argument that Bomber Command was conducting an offensive at that point seems to be more popular.
The medal was only for service up until the day before D-Day. So, if one accepts that Bomber Command tried an offensive up until D-Day, it didn’t work and then it ends at that point, this medal would make sense. After D-Day it is viewed as a combined services idea, hence the France and Germany Star is awarded for the qualifying period after. If Harris had changed to a purely tactical approach from D-Day onwards it would have made sense.
I know that the medal is open to all RAF commands, but I can see the logic of someone saying, ‘We’ll have a Bomber Medal, but if we call it Air Crew Europe then we don’t have to award medals for the other campaigns.’
Just a thought.
By: stendec7 - 9th February 2012 at 18:37
Bomber Medal
I don’t necessarily disagree, but a couple of points.
There were lots of other groups that could make a case, what about the anti-shipping strikes by Coastal Command aircraft early in the war for example? What was their rate of attrition? What about the army who fought in France and Norway in 1940?
Bomber Command men may well be entitled to a unique medal, but I don’t necessarily think they were uniquely deprived of a medal at the war’s end, and as that is fast becoming the established view, I think the point is worth being made.
I take your point, particularly in regard to the Strike Wings (one of which operated from a base near where I work). But I still think that, given the sheer scale of the bomber offensive, the huge resources ploughed into it, the equally huge numbers of people involved, and, not least, the fact that Bomber Command lost over 56,000 people. Given all these facts a specific BC medal FOR those aircrew should have been awarded. God knows, they earned it.
Let it also be remembered that it was only due to political cowardice that such recognition was not forthcoming.
Contrast such pusillanimity against the exploits and sacrifice of the heroes they slighted.
By: SimonSpitfire - 9th February 2012 at 10:31
Air Crew Europe Star
Pamphlet:- ” Campaign Stars and Commemorative Medals Instituted for the 1939-45 War issued on 11th June 1948 Army Council Instruction 829 of 1945 Army Order 108 of 1945.
Medal awarded to:- Personnel for operational flying from UK bases over Europe (inc UK) from the 3rd September 1939 to the 5th June 1944.
60 days service in an operational unit engaged in operational flying. At least one qualifying sortie had to be made during the period of 60 days. The award could not be made unless the recipient qualified for the 1939/45 Star. Clasps Atlantic and France and Germany. Officially named stars to South African units being the rarest issued (only 130).
By: Snapper - 9th February 2012 at 10:02
I have one at home awarded to a Typhoon pilot operational from mid-1942 until 14th february 1943 when he was shot down in the Straits of Dover. When his cousin put his medals and logbook into my care I was surprised to see the Air crew Europe Star among them.
By: Bunsen Honeydew - 8th February 2012 at 23:27
Medal collectors I know have always said that the Air Crew Europe star was solely for Bomber Command. Open to correction on this but it was told to me by a lot of very knowledgable people.
By: Jimbo27 - 8th February 2012 at 22:15
I don’t necessarily disagree, but a couple of points.
There were lots of other groups that could make a case, what about the anti-shipping strikes by Coastal Command aircraft early in the war for example? What was their rate of attrition? What about the army who fought in France and Norway in 1940?
Bomber Command men may well be entitled to a unique medal, but I don’t necessarily think they were uniquely deprived of a medal at the war’s end, and as that is fast becoming the established view, I think the point is worth being made.
By: stendec7 - 8th February 2012 at 20:38
Bomber Medal
I think, given that Bomber Command aircrews had to fly THIRTY ops to complete a tour of which their chances of survival were slim, to put it mildly. The sheer guts it must have taken to have kept going in such circumstances, truly warranted a unique BOMBER COMMAND medal, FOR Bomber Command aircrew.
To have denied these brave men such recognition is a stain upon the reputation of those responsible, including Winston Churchill.
Shame on them.
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February 7, 2012 at 7:13 pm