Bomber Command Memorial photos ( big post )

[Paul K]

Got down to London on Friday, and made my way to Green Park. It has yet to be sign-posted...its located at the opposite end of the park to Buckingham Palace, with its rear facing onto Piccadilly near Hyde Park Corner.


This is the view approaching the front of the memorial, walking through Green Park









The central sculpture.Sculptor Phillip Jackson says it is the crew of a Lancaster who, having emerged from their aircraft at the end of a mission, are looking for their comrades who will never return.

































The detail of their flying gear is excellent;-









One of the gunners has his gun charging wires stuffed down his boots, with the handles showing;-









The front of the plinth, with a Polish tribute;-









The inscription at the rear of the plinth;-









The open roof, with its engraved RAF motto, recalls the geodetic construction of the Vickers Wellington. The designers visited the RAF museum to look at a Wellington.
























Looking across Piccadilly from the vicinity of Hyde Park Corner towards the rear of the memorial. This is no small structure !

















There are many tributes left at the feet of the fliers, but this one was one of the most notable. Why has it taken all this time for the families of these great men to have somewhere of their own to honour them ?









Rest In Peace, boys.

[Tomliner]

Thanks for posting Paul.As you say,Churchill's attitude to those brave men was less than honorable.Ever the wily politician.EricT

[Paul K]

Thanks for posting Paul.As you say,Churchill's attitude to those brave men was less than honorable.Ever the wily politician.EricT

I edited it out Eric. On further consideration, it seemed a distraction from the purpose of the post.

[speedbird591]

Thank you, Paul. It's truly beautiful. Your photographs show the superb detail and capture the atmosphere.

We'll be visiting after the Olympics and I think we'll be very moved.

Ian

[Paul K]

Enjoy your visit Ian. It will have a special significance for you, of course.

[Vancouver]

What a fine memorial. Nice pictures too.

[Garry Russell]

Thanks you Paul

That was very nice



So sad to see the note about the lost crew...a few more weeks would have seen them though, but like so many, right up until the end, it was not to be

[steelsporran]

Many thanks Paul, that was absolutely brilliant, especially with the close-ups. Truly appreciated down here where we saw very little of the opening in the news. I'm about to post a link to it in NZFF.
Thanks again

[cstorey]

The memorial note to Flt.Lt Allen and his crew was very striking for me. Not only were they lost on the day I was born, but it was also the night of the Dresden raid , which for reasons I've never understood caused such trouble. Thank you Paul for these illustrations of, at last, a fine and fitting Memorial

PS I have now found out that Flt.Lt Allen was indeed on the Dresden raid, but that his story was even more tragic than I had supposed, in that his aircraft was lost in a collision shortly after leaving North Killingholme

[Paul K]

Gentlemen, thanks for all your responses. For the likes of us here at CBFS, with our collective enthusiasm for aviation, and our interest in its history, the Bomber Command Memorial is of great significance, and I'm glad the pictures came out so well.

Chris Storey, thanks for the information on Flt Lt Allen and his crew. Adding the facts about their loss to that little personal memorial makes it seem all the more poignant.

Two more photos...one for the Australians amongst us...




And one for all nationalities who flew with Bomber Command, Commonwealth, and Allied Nations, so that would include the French, Americans, Poles and many others.