Welcome to the WWII Forums! Log in or Sign up to interact with the community.

Bomber Command Campaign Medal Petition

Discussion in 'WWII General' started by 156Squadron, Mar 25, 2007.

  1. 156Squadron

    156Squadron Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2005
    Messages:
    122
    Likes Received:
    13
    I have just come across this petition for the award of a Campaign Medal to Bomber Command crew. The petition is on the PM's site

    http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/BomberCommand/

    Please sign, and encourage your friends, relatives etc etc to sign this petition.

    Although now not "politically correct", this honor is already 60 years overdue.

    Robin www.156Squadron.com
     
  2. Otto

    Otto Spambot Nemesis Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2000
    Messages:
    9,781
    Likes Received:
    1,818
    Location:
    DFW, Texas
    I agree Robin, this campaign should indeed be recognized. I'm pinning this thread for greater visibility.
     
  3. TA152

    TA152 Ace

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2002
    Messages:
    3,423
    Likes Received:
    120
    I was going to sign it but saw you had to be a British subject. I guess distant relatives from the 1800's don't count. :eek:

    The present day RAF should get behind this and get more than the present amount of signers !
     
  4. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2002
    Messages:
    26,461
    Likes Received:
    2,207
    Too bad you cannot sign if you´re a foreigner....
     
  5. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WWII Veteran

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2007
    Messages:
    692
    Likes Received:
    587
    Robin

    More power to your elbow.

    As someone who lost a brother in 166 Squadron I have always considered the award of a campaign medal long overdue.

    Best wishes

    Ron
     
  6. Otto

    Otto Spambot Nemesis Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2000
    Messages:
    9,781
    Likes Received:
    1,818
    Location:
    DFW, Texas
    I saw the nationality restricion when I first visited the petition. I can't sign, but every British Subject on the Forums should sign immediately.
     
  7. Heartland

    Heartland Member

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2002
    Messages:
    427
    Likes Received:
    3
    Bah, should indeed allow foreigners to sign such a petition. The men of Bomber Command took both their losses and post-war scorn in support of international freedom, after all.

    Be that as it may, I have forwarded the link to our single British citizen here at work.
     
  8. Panzerknacker

    Panzerknacker New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2001
    Messages:
    1,537
    Likes Received:
    6
    If the PM were to perhaps be directed to this site he may know how strongly we feel about it. Quite unfair really, I do live in a Commonwealth country after all...
     
  9. 156Squadron

    156Squadron Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2005
    Messages:
    122
    Likes Received:
    13
    I must say I am quite disappointed with the responses to this post.

    Otto most generously promoted this and applied his "sticky" label, yet there seems to be a distinct lack of interest or support from the forum members?

    Come on guys, make a commitment. We have only a few weeks left to promote this cause. The current 1850 signatories to this petition is not sufficient to influence anyone.

    Does anyone have any Press contacts that they can pursue? Even if not in the UK? These things can spread quickly if given the impetus.

    Look forward to your help

    Robin www.156Squadron.com
     
  10. Martin Bull

    Martin Bull Acting Wg. Cdr

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2002
    Messages:
    13,578
    Likes Received:
    1,487
    Location:
    London, England.
    The only excuse I can offer is sloth....:eek:

    Duly admonished, and duly done, Robin.....
     
  11. Otto

    Otto Spambot Nemesis Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2000
    Messages:
    9,781
    Likes Received:
    1,818
    Location:
    DFW, Texas
    :bump: This is worth looking at again.
     
  12. 156Squadron

    156Squadron Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2005
    Messages:
    122
    Likes Received:
    13
    Just the usual response from a government more concerned with pedalling knighthoods to the rich than recognising why they are here to start with.

    VERY disappointing.

    If you can be bothered to read it:
    -------------------------------------------------------------------

    You recently signed a petition asking the Prime Minister to "Recognise the
    courage and sacrifice of the men of RAF Bomber Command by instituting a
    Campaign Medal."

    The Prime Minister's Office has responded to that petition and you can
    view it here:

    http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page11982.asp

    Prime Minister's Office

    Petition information - http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/BomberCommand/

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------
     
  13. Richard

    Richard Expert

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2006
    Messages:
    5,847
    Likes Received:
    333
    A typical off the shelf stock answer.
     
  14. Hanglands

    Hanglands Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2007
    Messages:
    9
    Likes Received:
    2
    Im so disappointed I came accross this petition too late.

    I read the "the present HD Committee cannot put itself in the place of the committee which made the original decision" with the "because we're a) Brainwashed b) Apathetic c) Not interested in old news d) Not touching that one with a barge pole mate (circle all that apply)" left unsaid.

    Sick making.

    To deviate a little - I like roaming round the old airfields of Bomber Command, and have visited quite a few. The nearest PFF stations to me are Warboys and Upwood (about 15miles up the road). I just wondered if you were in the area 156Squadron, or if these places are of interest to you? I've quite a few photos of them as they are today.

    Regards,

    H.
     
  15. Richard

    Richard Expert

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2006
    Messages:
    5,847
    Likes Received:
    333
    Has there been any update news on this one?
     
  16. 156Squadron

    156Squadron Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2005
    Messages:
    122
    Likes Received:
    13
    Richard

    I am afraid we have to place this in the list of lost causes.

    There may ba a "right time" to raise the issue again in the future, but as usual this will be down the vagaries of our political masters.

    With an election due in the UK shortly perhaps one side or the other might decide they might be able to scramble a few extra votes and make a campaign promise which they will promptly forget after the election.

    The only truly effective way I see forward is to start the campaign in Canada, Australia and NZ, who provided a large chunk of the crews, and get some govt to govt pressure going. These countries seem to have more understanding of the sacrifices made. (Maybe a bit of my OZ bias here?)

    Come to think of it there is an election in OZ shortly so now might be a good time. Think I will dash off a letter to "Johnnie" (John Howard, current PM)


    Robin 156 Squadron = Pathfinder Force
     
  17. Hengest

    Hengest Dishonorably Discharged

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2007
    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Well, pardon my heresy here, but for what does Bomber Command deserve a campaign medal for exactly? The slaughter of hundreds of thousands of German civilians?

    It should be indicted for war-crimes and genocide, not rewarded with a gong.
    The "Blitz"? Don't even start. Throughout the entire war there were around sixty thousand British civilian fatalities. The fire-bombing of Hamburg alone caused at least seventy thousand.
    And then there is Dresden; the greatest single mass murder in all recorded history. And all thanks to bomber command and its American and Canadian allies.
    Hang your heads in shame.
     
  18. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WWII Veteran

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2007
    Messages:
    692
    Likes Received:
    587
    Hengest

    I am the last remaining member of five serving brothers, one of whom who was a volunteer in Bomber Command and who paid the ultimate sacrifice on the 15th of March 1945.

    I shall certainly not be hanging my head in shame for his having played a small part in the destruction of the Third Reich and it ill behoves you to speak of "mass murder" which was the very ethos on which Hitler and his party came to power.

    My own profile gives my background, is it asking too much that you reciprocate so that we may know from which direction you are coming ?

    Ron Goldstein
     
    Martin Bull and von Poop like this.
  19. 156Squadron

    156Squadron Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2005
    Messages:
    122
    Likes Received:
    13
    It is hardly worth replying to someone who is as ignorant of the facts as Hengfest.

    Why do you not do some research on the achievments of Bomber Command and their contribution to the defeat of Germany before endowing us with your ill informed ideas.

    Start your research on Hamburg and in particular the vital industries that were maintained there. Continue on to Dresden with particular reference as to the date of the raid and the deployments of Russian and German troops at that time.

    I doubt you would bother.

    As for the "greatest single mass murder in all recorded history" perhaps you have not heard of a nearby town called Auschwitz.

    I see this is your first post. Hopefully it will be your last.

    It will certainly be the last of yours that I will respond to.

    You are not worth the effort.


    Robin 156 Squadron = Pathfinder Force
     
    Martin Bull likes this.
  20. Martin Bull

    Martin Bull Acting Wg. Cdr

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2002
    Messages:
    13,578
    Likes Received:
    1,487
    Location:
    London, England.
    I'm sorry, but I can't.

    This thread is not the right place for such a discussion as I'm sure this first-time-poster well knows. The proposed Campaign medal honours the 55,000 dead of Bomber Command who were not entrusted with decisions over the politics, morality or strategy of 20th Century warfare.

    This Forum doesn't wish to stifle discussion of serious issues but strategic bombing has been argued here before many times. Use of the 'search' facility would be appropriate.
     

Share This Page