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| Queen to unveil Bomber Command memorial | Queen to unveil Bomber Command memorial |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A £6m memorial to the 55,573 airmen of Bomber Command who died during World War II is to be unveiled by the Queen. | |
| She will be joined by royals including the Prince of Wales at the dedication ceremony in London's Green Park. | She will be joined by royals including the Prince of Wales at the dedication ceremony in London's Green Park. |
| Some 6,000 veterans and families of the deceased will see a Lancaster Bomber drop thousands of poppies in a flypast. | |
| Britain's policy of large-scale area bombing near the end of World War II has been criticised by some, stalling progress on a memorial for decades. | Britain's policy of large-scale area bombing near the end of World War II has been criticised by some, stalling progress on a memorial for decades. |
| Veterans from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and other countries who served alongside the British crew will also attend the ceremony. | Veterans from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and other countries who served alongside the British crew will also attend the ceremony. |
| The memorial, designed by Liam O'Connor and built in Portland stone, features a bronze 9ft-high sculpture of seven aircrew. | |
| Sculptor Philip Jackson said his work was intended to be reflective and so portrayed the men after they had returned from a mission. | Sculptor Philip Jackson said his work was intended to be reflective and so portrayed the men after they had returned from a mission. |
| "I chose the moment when they get off the aircraft and they've dumped all their heavy kit onto the ground, and they're looking back and looking for their comrades." | "I chose the moment when they get off the aircraft and they've dumped all their heavy kit onto the ground, and they're looking back and looking for their comrades." |
| The memorial also has a roof made of aluminium reclaimed from a Handley Page Halifax III bomber shot down over Belgium in May 1944. | |
| An inscription says it "also commemorates those of all nations who lost their lives in the bombing of 1939-1945". | An inscription says it "also commemorates those of all nations who lost their lives in the bombing of 1939-1945". |
| Pilot Alan Biffen, 87, said: "I am so glad that at long last Bomber Command is being remembered not only for what it achieved but also for the lives of the young men who never came back. | Pilot Alan Biffen, 87, said: "I am so glad that at long last Bomber Command is being remembered not only for what it achieved but also for the lives of the young men who never came back. |
| "Many of them were boys. I myself added a year to my age at 16 so that I could join the air force." | "Many of them were boys. I myself added a year to my age at 16 so that I could join the air force." |
| Almost half of the 125,000 men of Bomber Command died dodging night fighters and anti-aircraft fire in raids over occupied Europe. | Almost half of the 125,000 men of Bomber Command died dodging night fighters and anti-aircraft fire in raids over occupied Europe. |
| No campaign medals | No campaign medals |
| The ceremony is the culmination of a five-year campaign, spearheaded by the late Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb. | The ceremony is the culmination of a five-year campaign, spearheaded by the late Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb. |
| The Bomber Command Memorial Appeal secured funding from public donations and private donors John Caudwell, Lord Ashcroft and Richard Desmond. | The Bomber Command Memorial Appeal secured funding from public donations and private donors John Caudwell, Lord Ashcroft and Richard Desmond. |
| There were no campaign medals for Bomber Command after the war and no mention of them in Churchill's victory speech. | There were no campaign medals for Bomber Command after the war and no mention of them in Churchill's victory speech. |
| The unit was criticised by some for raids on Dresden in the closing months of the war. | The unit was criticised by some for raids on Dresden in the closing months of the war. |
| The fire-storms caused by the RAF and US Army Air Force killed about 25,000 civilians in the destruction of the city centre. | |
| Speaking at Green Park, Bomber Command veteran Cecil Hayley agreed the memorial was about reconciliation as well as remembrance. | Speaking at Green Park, Bomber Command veteran Cecil Hayley agreed the memorial was about reconciliation as well as remembrance. |
| "I sometimes look back in horror to think what I was required to do. But, it was what we were trying to do ... it was part of the task of finishing the war and I console myself that this is what we had to do." | |
| Bomber Command Association chairman Malcolm White said it was clear that the memorial's message included a sense of reconciliation. | Bomber Command Association chairman Malcolm White said it was clear that the memorial's message included a sense of reconciliation. |
| "That's why it's writ large on the wall, 'We remember those of all countries who died in 39-45,'" he said. | |
| He said he had been in touch with the mayor of Dresden and spoken to media in the German city as part of the project. | He said he had been in touch with the mayor of Dresden and spoken to media in the German city as part of the project. |
| "Let's put it in the modern context; let's not forget the sacrifice of those who this memorial remembers," he added. | "Let's put it in the modern context; let's not forget the sacrifice of those who this memorial remembers," he added. |
| Councillor Alastair Moss defended Westminster Council's decision to grant planning permission to the memorial. | |
| "Since our decision, this memorial has been the subject of controversy by a vocal minority who have unfortunately distracted from its significance," he said. | |
| "We believe Westminster Council was absolutely right to grant consent for a monument which reflects what the majority of today's public want to say about bravery, sacrifice and suffering." | |
| The event will end with a flypast by five GR4 Tornado bomber aircraft and the RAF's last flying Lancaster Bomber, which will drop the poppies over the park in remembrance for the aircrew lost. | The event will end with a flypast by five GR4 Tornado bomber aircraft and the RAF's last flying Lancaster Bomber, which will drop the poppies over the park in remembrance for the aircrew lost. |
| The RAF Benevolent Fund will take over guardianship of the memorial. | The RAF Benevolent Fund will take over guardianship of the memorial. |
| Will you be visiting the memorial today? Do you know someone who was from Bomber Command? Please send us your comments using the form below. | Will you be visiting the memorial today? Do you know someone who was from Bomber Command? Please send us your comments using the form below. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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