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| Hundreds of Bomber Command veterans gather for centre opening | Hundreds of Bomber Command veterans gather for centre opening |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of World War Two veterans from across the world have officially opened the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC). | Hundreds of World War Two veterans from across the world have officially opened the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC). |
| The centre, in Lincoln, cost more than £10m and took eight years to complete. | The centre, in Lincoln, cost more than £10m and took eight years to complete. |
| Up to 4,000 people had been expected at the ceremony, which is also being marked with a series of fly pasts. | Up to 4,000 people had been expected at the ceremony, which is also being marked with a series of fly pasts. |
| Organisers said the event was likely to be the last formal gathering of Bomber Command veterans, the youngest of whom is 92 years old. | Organisers said the event was likely to be the last formal gathering of Bomber Command veterans, the youngest of whom is 92 years old. |
| Among the 300 veterans invited to the ceremony was Geoffrey Towers, who served in the 158 Squadron. He described the new centre as "marvellous". | Among the 300 veterans invited to the ceremony was Geoffrey Towers, who served in the 158 Squadron. He described the new centre as "marvellous". |
| "We should never ever forget those young men who died. | "We should never ever forget those young men who died. |
| "I'm the last of the crew now, they've all gone. I was the baby of the crew really. We were like a band of brothers - we lived together, we flew together, our lives depended upon one another. It was a marvellous relationship, never again in my lifetime like, I had such wonderful comrades." | "I'm the last of the crew now, they've all gone. I was the baby of the crew really. We were like a band of brothers - we lived together, we flew together, our lives depended upon one another. It was a marvellous relationship, never again in my lifetime like, I had such wonderful comrades." |
| Civilian Coby Van Reil, from the Netherlands, was just a child during the war. She said crews from Bomber Command saved her life. | Civilian Coby Van Reil, from the Netherlands, was just a child during the war. She said crews from Bomber Command saved her life. |
| Mrs Van Reil said in the final days of the war, bombing had ceased and instead food parcels were being dropped over her home city of The Hague. | |
| The effort, called Operation Manna, meant the starving population, who had been cut off by the conflict, could eat and survive until more help arrived. | |
| "I'm still so very thankful and it always makes me still emotional because if they hadn't come, maybe I wouldn't have been here," she said. | |
| "So I'm forever, ever, very, very thankful." | |
| Nicky Barr, IBCC chief executive said: "The veterans and their memories, coupled with their struggle for recognition, have always been at the heart of this project. | Nicky Barr, IBCC chief executive said: "The veterans and their memories, coupled with their struggle for recognition, have always been at the heart of this project. |
| "From the outset, we have had fantastic support from all sectors of the veteran community and it is now our chance to thank them publicly and formally." | "From the outset, we have had fantastic support from all sectors of the veteran community and it is now our chance to thank them publicly and formally." |
| The centre includes a memorial spire, a peace garden and the Chadwick Centre, which tells the story of Bomber Command through galleries and interactive exhibits. | The centre includes a memorial spire, a peace garden and the Chadwick Centre, which tells the story of Bomber Command through galleries and interactive exhibits. |
| Bomber Command crews were tasked with attacking Germany's airbases, troops, shipping and industrial complexes connected to the war effort. | Bomber Command crews were tasked with attacking Germany's airbases, troops, shipping and industrial complexes connected to the war effort. |
| Almost half of the 125,000 personnel lost their lives and it is estimated between 300,000 and 600,000 German civilians died as a result of large-scale bombing. | Almost half of the 125,000 personnel lost their lives and it is estimated between 300,000 and 600,000 German civilians died as a result of large-scale bombing. |
| Lincolnshire was chosen as the site of the IBCC because 27 RAF Bomber Command stations - more than a third of the total - were based in the county during World War Two. | Lincolnshire was chosen as the site of the IBCC because 27 RAF Bomber Command stations - more than a third of the total - were based in the county during World War Two. |
| Mrs Barr said the centre had, in partnership with the University of Lincoln, created a digital archive including more than 190,000 documents, photos and letters. | Mrs Barr said the centre had, in partnership with the University of Lincoln, created a digital archive including more than 190,000 documents, photos and letters. |
| "It is an incredible record of heroic, inspiring and truly incredible stories which will be going live later in the year," she said. | "It is an incredible record of heroic, inspiring and truly incredible stories which will be going live later in the year," she said. |
| Bomber Command | Bomber Command |
| Source: IBCC | Source: IBCC |