New Bomber Command honour unveiled

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New Bomber Command honour unveiled

Apr. 16, 2013

From Veterans Affairs Canada

The new Bomber Command honour, in the form of a bar to be worn on the ribbon of the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal (CVSM), was unveiled yesterday at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa. Applications are now officially being accepted for this honour.

To apply for the honour visit www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/collections/cmdp/bomber.

"Our Government announced its intention to create a Bomber Command honour, and we are now pleased to unveil this honour today," said Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney. "With this bar, our Government is honouring those Canadians who fought for peace, freedom and democracy through their service in Bomber Command, and in particular the approximately 10,000 who made the ultimate sacrifice."

“Fifty thousand Canadians defended our commonwealth and our country’s freedoms and values by serving and sacrificing for the greater good through Bomber Command operations,” said Defence Minister Peter MacKay, who assisted Minister Blaney in unveiling the honour.

“Our Government, and Canadians across the country, are proud to extend our heartfelt gratitude by acknowledging their selfless efforts with the Bomber Command honour.

“Lest we forget.”

The existing Order-in-Council governing the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal (CVSM) has been amended to include the eligibility criteria and the description of the new Bomber Command honour. All Canadian veterans who were awarded the CVSM and served a minimum of one day with Bomber Command, regardless of rank or role, are eligible for this new bar.

Loved ones of a deceased Canadian Bomber Command veteran who hold the veteran’s CVSM may also apply to receive this bar. Processing priority will be given to applications received from living Canadian Bomber Command veterans or their surviving spouses.

“The Air Force Association thanks Minister Blaney and the Harper Government for their continued efforts to recognize the sacrifices and contributions of Bomber Command,” said the national president of the Royal Canadian Air Force Association, Colonel (ret’d) Terry Chester. “We see this as a significant and memorable step in the recognition of these unsung heroes.”

The effort of the approximately 50,000 Canadians who served with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the Royal Air Force (RAF) in Bomber Command operations over occupied Europe was one of Canada’s most significant contributions during the Second World War. Some 55,000 Allied airmen lost their lives in flying accidents, through enemy action in the skies over Europe or in prisoner of war camps.

 

[X Royal]

Am I the only one who sees this as complete political BS.
I think that those who served in Bomber Command did serve with honour or deserve recognition but why just them?
Those who flew in Bomber Command sure did have a job full of danger.
But so did many others who served at the time.
One day of service in Bomber Command in support in England equals flying 20 bomber missions? Or even one mission over enemy territory was far more dangerous than one day back in England.
Did the cook servicing the Army not serve as honorably as the cook servicing Bomber Command?
Someone doing months of convoy protection duty sure earned the right to be recognized as well as did anyone serving at the front in WW2 to name just some just as deserving.
So why bars for the CVSM for Bomber Command and not others also.
Another point which eats at me is waiting until most to receive this honour are already passed on.

 

[Remius]

Likely, like anything, it was too complicated to figure out what types of contributions each person that served in bomber command did.  So, they came up with the easiest solution.  As we've seen with things like the QGJM and QDGM as well the whole inside the wire/outside the wire debate, not everyone will be happy or satisfied. 

Personally, any type of recognition for anyone during WW2 isn't a bad thing.  I have a personal link to this as I have a grandfather who flew 20+ missions over Europe unscathed and was shot down on his first mission after being tranferred to Malta (for "easier" missions over Italy as he put it).  Spending some time in an Italian PW camp before being sent home minus one leg.  I likely will put in for this for him, a small gesture from me that he would have appreciated. 

 

[Danjanou]

There are already three other bars for the CVSM

One for overseas service
http://veterans.gc.ca/eng/collections/cmdp/mainmenu/group04/cvsm

One for Dieppe
http://veterans.gc.ca/eng/collections/cmdp/mainmenu/group04/cvsmdb

One for Hong Kong
http://veterans.gc.ca/eng/collections/cmdp/mainmenu/group04/cvsmhkb

I am surprised that they didn't decide to put this bar on the Air Crew Europe Star
http://veterans.gc.ca/eng/collections/cmdp/mainmenu/group04/acesstar

 

[mariomike]

I am surprised that they didn't decide to put this bar on the Air Crew Europe Star
http://veterans.gc.ca/eng/collections/cmdp/mainmenu/group04/acesstar

That would leave many ( including all ground crew ) ineligible for the new clasp. "The ( Air Crew Europe ) Star was awarded for two months of operational flying from the UK over Europe between 03 September 1939 and 05 June 1944. It was not awarded after D-Day."

 

[Danjanou]

That would leave many ( including all ground crew ) ineligible for the new clasp. "The ( Air Crew Europe ) Star was awarded for two months of operational flying from the UK over Europe between 03 September 1939 and 05 June 1944. It was not awarded after D-Day."

True and it would be more in line with X-Royals comments/ ideas though. However they probably went with the simple give it to everyone route as Crantor suggested.

At least we are doing this, albeit in the great Canadian manner of 60 years after the fact. Add to the War of 1812 Battle Honours 200 years later and I would bet that my Great Great Great whatever will be picking up my "We Won the Cold War Medal with Tiffanies Bar" to place on my grave site about the same time the committee sits down to start discussing Afghanistan Battle Honours. :

 

[The Bread Guy]

Bumped with the latest from the VAC Info-machine ....

The Honourable Julian Fantino, Minister of Veterans Affairs, will be making the first presentations of Canada’s newest official honour to Canadian Veterans of Bomber Command.

Location:

    Canadian Forces College
    215 Yonge Boulevard
    Toronto, ON M5M 3H9

Date:

    Monday, August 26, 2013

Time:

    10:00 a.m. ....

 

[daftandbarmy]

I dragged the family into the Bomber Command museum at Nanton (again) the other day, went 'oo ah' at the Lancaster with my kids, and pointed out a guy my dad went to school with in some of the photos they had there who did three 30 mission tours as a Pathfinder and therefore (statistically) should have been killed about 10 times - but survived.

I'm all for it. Give them two friggin' bars as far as I'm concerned. 

 

[mariomike]

I dragged the family into the Bomber Command museum at Nanton (again) the other day, went 'oo ah' at the Lancaster with my kids, and pointed out a guy my dad went to school with in some of the photos they had there who did three 30 mission tours as a Pathfinder and therefore (statistically) should have been killed about 10 times - but survived.

I'm all for it. Give them two friggin' bars as far as I'm concerned. 

Something I read years ago about the Pathfinders:

"But like the rest of ( Air Vice-Marshal ) Bennett's men, they took intense pride in their membership in 8 Group, in the ban on publicity about their 'ops', in Bennett's insistence that there should be no stars or professional heroes among his officers. 'There will be no living V.C.'s in 8 Group' the Australian announced in 1942. In 1944 his edict stood.
But, his men cherished the hovering eagle badge that they were forbidden to wear on operations, and the inscribed Pathfinder Certificate that survivors were awarded on completion of their double tour of 45 operations."

Bomber Command by Max Hastings

 

[daftandbarmy]

Bomber Boys:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENwlLCwQ5Io

 

[Rheostatic]

That would leave many ( including all ground crew ) ineligible for the new clasp. "The ( Air Crew Europe ) Star was awarded for two months of operational flying from the UK over Europe between 03 September 1939 and 05 June 1944. It was not awarded after D-Day."

True and it would be more in line with X-Royals comments/ ideas though. However they probably went with the simple give it to everyone route as Crantor suggested.

The UK also created a Bomber Command clasp this year, for the 1939-45 Star. Only aircrew are eligible (including RCAF):
http://www.veterans-uk.info/arctic_star_index.htm

Bomber Command Clasp to the 1939-45 Star

A Clasp to the 1939-45 Star is granted to the aircrew of Bomber Command who served for at least sixty days, or completed a tour of operations, on a Bomber Command operational unit and flew at least one operational sortie on a Bomber Command operational unit from the 3rd September, 1939, to the 8th May, 1945, inclusive.  The award of the Clasp is to be denoted by a silver rose Emblem when the ribbon alone is worn.

Eligibility is extended to those members of Bomber Command aircrew who did not meet the qualifying criteria due to service being brought to an end by death, wounds or other disability due to service, service marked by a gallantry award or taken as a prisoner of war.

Foreign nationals commissioned or enlisted into British or, the then, Dominion Air Forces (e.g. Royal Canadian Air Force or Royal Australian Air Force) are eligible provided the individuals did not receive a similar award from their own Government.

 

[The Bread Guy]

If this is true, NOT cool - glad a better decision was made ....

Cecil Glazier waited nearly 70 years to be recognized for his service in the Bomber Command during the Second World War.

When the Canadian government began handing out Bomber Command Bars to honour veterans like Glazier, he learned he would have to wait some more.

Veterans Affairs Canada staff were told to hold off on mailing the awards to about 1,500 elderly veterans as Minister Julian Fantino made his way across the country, presenting the bars to small groups of vets at commemorative ceremonies.

To Glazier’s son Peter, it seemed like government photo-ops were more important than ensuring elderly veterans -- many of them in their 90s -- received the recognition.

Peter Glazier told CTV News that he spoke to a “very compassionate” Veterans Affairs staffer “who was quite sincere but somewhat embarrassed these awards were being held up while the politicians got more photo-ops.”

He said some of his father’s friends didn’t live to see the award and he’s worried the same will happen to his 93-year-old father.

After CTV News contacted his office, Fantino had a sudden change of heart and personally instructed his department to mail out the Bomber Command Bars as soon as possible.

Earlier, Fantino said the photo-ops with veterans were educational.

“We wanted to elevate the award -- the recognition -- to a level where it’s more public and there’s more awareness,” he said at a Bomber Command Bar ceremony in Calgary ....

 

[Lightguns]

In a way, I can agree with Fantino (that was hard to type).  Many of the Photo Ops will take place in communities that likely did not know what that "old guy down the street" did.  It is a final chance for some public recognition of a very great event and personal sacrifice.  That being said, prehaps the awards could have been given locally by a CF base commander or local RCAF Reserve CO, although the level of media likely would not be the same.

 

[The Bread Guy]

In a way, I can agree with Fantino (that was hard to type).  Many of the Photo Ops will take place in communities that likely did not know what that "old guy down the street" did.  It is a final chance for some public recognition of a very great event and personal sacrifice.  That being said, prehaps the awards could have been given locally by a CF base commander or local RCAF Reserve CO, although the level of media likely would not be the same.

That said, I'm with the son.  If my 80-plus-year-old (maybe with health issues) dad was waiting for one of these things at the convenience of an elected official, I'd be underwhelmed.  To me, the priority is to get the awards/recognition to the recipients ASAP.

And IF the politicians wanted to get into the public eye, it would have be easier/faster to set up an event with an MP and send a news release.  It's done all the time - recent examples of MP's standing in here, here, here, here and here.

 

[STJ_Kierstead]

Julian Fantino!
I read and loved his book "Duty : The life of a cop" - he has done extrordinary work for children safety against predators, its a shame that this happened - Not real sure it was his decission to hold off on the awards.. From the book and what little research I did on the man in university, he seemed like a very understanding and fair man.

That said, a ball was clearly dropped.

 

[The Bread Guy]

That said, a ball was clearly dropped.

And, to be fair, picked up once media brought it up.

 

[OldTanker]

And sometimes you just can't win. What's the chance of somebody getting their bar in the mail and complaining to the media that it was a cheesy way to get such important recognition? I'm sure Fantino's intentions were good and as mentioned earlier, having him make the award in person would likely have highlighted the recognition. Anyways, as the son of a Bomber Command airman (not flier, or the odds are I wouldn't be here!) I applaud this recognition and all the members of Bomber Command.

 

[Canadian.Trucker]

Anyways, as the son of a Bomber Command airman (not flier, or the odds are I wouldn't be here!) I applaud this recognition and all the members of Bomber Command.

+1 to that!  BZ for the recipients!

My Grandfather was a tail gunner in the bombers during WWII.  I tell you I am lucky to exist today as there were many occasions where he should not have made it back.  Little thread de-rail here, but there was one story in particular where he should have died.  He tended to get into the sauce quite a bit and while walking out to the plane for a mission the Flight Officer smelled the booze on him and told him he wasn't coming on this trip and to head back to the shacks.  That plane was shot down while on mission and all on board were killed.

 

[mariomike]

He tended to get into the sauce quite a bit and while walking out to the plane for a mission the Flight Officer smelled the booze on him and told him he wasn't coming on this trip and to head back to the shacks.  That plane was shot down while on mission and all on board were killed.

Did they send it out minus the tail-gunner, or were they able to find a replacement in time?

 

[Canadian.Trucker]

Did they send it out minus the tail-gunner, or were they able to find a replacement in time?

Good question, not positive but I doubt they went out without a tail gunner so they probably grabbed someone from another crew.  I would ask my Grandfather, but sadly he passed away in '88.  Would be awesome if he was still around to receive this award.