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Notes
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Title
The Bomber Command Memorial
Date
2012
Medium
Portland stone, red granite & bronze
Accession number
SW1_MRF_S051
Acquisition method
commissioned by the RAF Benevolent Fund and funded by public, corporate, and armed services subscription
Work type
War memorial
Owner
The RAF Benevolent Fund
Custodian
The RAF Benevolent Fund
Work status
extant
Unveiling date
28th June 2012
Access
at all times
Inscription description
to the front of the pedestal: HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II / UNVEILED THIS MEMORIAL / 28 JUNE / IN THE YEAR OF HER DIAMOND JUBILEE / 2012; on the back of the pedestal: FREEDOM IS THE SURE POSSESSION / OF THOSE ALONE WHO / HAVE THE COURAGE TO DEFEND IT / PERICLES; incised high on the west wall of the memorial: THE FIGHTERS ARE OUR SALVATION BUT THE / BOMBERS ALONE PROVIDE THE MEANS OF VICTORY / WINSTON CHURCHILL SEPTEMBER 1940; incised high on the east wall of the memorial: THIS MEMORIAL IS DEDICATED TO THE 55,573 AIRMEN / FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM BRITISH COMMONWEALTH / & ALLIED NATIONS WHO SERVED IN / RAF BOMBER COMMAND & LOST THEIR LIVES OVER / THE COURSE OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR; on the south of the pavilion to the side of the entrance: THIS STONE WAS LAID BY / JOHN CAUDWELL / PRINCIPAL BENEFACTOR / OF THIS MEMORIAL / 8 MARCH 2012; on the south of the pavilion on opposite side of the entrance: THIS STONE WAS LAID BY / HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS / THE DUKE OF GLOUCESTER / KG GCVO / ON BEHALF OF / MARSHAL OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE / SIR MICHAEL BEETHAM / GCB CBE DFC AFC / PRESIDENT AND / THE BOMBER COMMAND ASSOCIATION / 4TH MAY 2011; inscribed on the wall in a niche at the west end of the pavilion: THIS MEMORIAL WAS BUILT WITH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF / THE LORD ASHCROFT JOHN CAUDWELL RICHARD DESMOND / JAMES DOOLEY / ROBIN GIBB AND THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION / THE BOMBER COMMAND ASSOCIATION / AND THE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF THOSE WHO DIED / MINISTERS OF THE CROWN / THE ROYAL AIR FORCE / THE RAF BENEVOLENT FUND / THE RAF MUSEUM / THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA LE GOUVERNEMENT DE CANADA / THE GOVERNMENTS OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND / THE POLISH AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION / LE MINISTERE DE LA DEFENSE ET DES ANCIENS COMBATTANTS FRANCE / THE DAILY TELEGRAPH GROUP / THE EXPRESS GROUP / AND PUBLIC DONATIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD / ARCHITECT / LIAM O'CONNOR / SCULPTOR / PHILIP JACKSON / INSCRIPTIONS / RICHARD KINDERSLEY / WREATH / COLIN DUDLEY DFC / GENERAL CONTRACTOR / GILBERT-ASH / STONE CONTRACTOR / S McCONNELL AND SONS Around the large sky-light: PER ARDUA AD ASTRA