Memorial details

Memorial type
Composite
District
City Of Westminster
Town
St James
County
Greater London
Country
England
Commemoration
Second World War (1939-1945)
Ceremony
  • Foundation Stone
    Date: 8 March 2012
    Attended by: Local Clergy/Dignitaries
  • Unveiled
    Date: 28 June 2012
    Attended by: HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II
  • Show More (1)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
63032

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Current location

North west side of park
almost opposite Royal Air Force Club.
Green Park
Piccadilly
St James
City Of Westminster
Greater London
W1J 7JZ
England

OS Grid Ref: TQ 28567 79887
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Description
Central pavilion with coved trellis roof, with wings, within which is a bronze group of a young aircrew: from left to right: Navigator, Flight Engineer, Mid-Upper Gunner, Pilot, Bomb Aimer, Rear Gunner, Wireless Operator. Bronze wreath on stone base to the south of the portico. West on central columns on the south side an RAF badge in relief; to the east a Bomber Command badge, also in relief. Screen wings: to the north of the pavilion are seven free-standing columns, matching the seven aircrew in the sculpture.
Inscription
On west side of portico facing inwards: THE FIGHTERS ARE OUR SALVATION BUT THE/ BOMBERS ALONE PROVIDE THE MEANS OF VICTORY/ WINSTON CHURCHILL SEPTEMBER 1940 On centre across the top: THIS MEMORIAL ALSO COMMEMORATES THOSE OF ALL NATIONS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE BOMBING OF 1939-1945 On east side of portico facing inwards: 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 back (north) of base: FREEDOM IS THE SURE POSSESSION OF THOSE ALONE WHO/ HAVE THE COURAGE TO DEFEND IT/ PERICLES At front (south) of base: HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II/ UNVEILED THIS MEMORIAL/ 28 JUNE/ IN THE YEAR OF HER DIAMOND JUBILEE/ 2012 Within the wall facing front at left side: THIS STONE WAS LAID BY JOHN CAUDWELL/ PRINCIPAL BENEFACTOR/ OF THIS MEMORIAL/ 8 MARCH 2012
Inscription legible?
yes
Commemorations
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 0
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Undefined
    Order of information: Undefined
Components
  • Figures
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Bronze
  • Arch
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone - Portland
Listing information
Condition
Costs

Memorial: £4.8million

Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Sponsorship
Public
Responsibility
Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund
Reference
  • The Royal Parks: www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/green-park/things-to-see-and-do/memorials,-fountains-and-statues/bomber-command-memorial
  • Evening Standard 25 October 2010 Germany's gift to Bomber Command
  • Royal Airforce Salute - 2012 Bomber Command Tribute to a Gallant Force
  • Hansard 14 May 2009 cols 1182-1192 World War 11: Bomber Command Question for a short debate
  • Evening Standard 7 June 2012 p 23 London's new memorial to Bomber Command: is it right or wrong
  • Evening Standard 28 June 2012 p10 Bomber veterans brave the heat
  • warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=8933&mforum=warmemscot
  • Fundraising Literature 'Join the Bomber Command Upkeep Club.' The Club, named after Barnes Wallis's bouncing bomb, seeks 1,000 or more individuals to donate 1,000 pounds or more towards an endowment fund of 1.5m pounds for the upkeep of the memorial.
  • Fundraising Literature 'Visitors' Guide to the Bomber Command Memorial' Pamphlet
  • Daily Express 5th November 2011 Auction of items to raise funds.
  • The Times 23 June 2012 p.76 'A fine and fitting design, despite all the controversy' by Marcus Binney, Architecture Correspondent.
  • London Remembers: www.londonremembers.com/memorials/bomber-command-memorial
  • Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Bomber_Command_Memorial

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

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© WMR-63032

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