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What about the Canadians and Aussies and Kiwis or did we get lumped into RAF
ROYAL AIR FORCE
COMMONWEALTH ALLIED AIR FORCES
1939 - 1945
TRIBUTE
TO ALL MEN AND WOMEN OF GREAT BRITAIN
AUSTRALIA, CANADA, INDIA, NEW ZEALAND
RHODESIA AND SOUTH AFRICA
BELGIUM, CZECHOSLOVAKIA, DENMARK,
FRANCE, GREECE, THE NETHERLANDS,
NORWAY AND POLAND
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
THE UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS,
AND THOSE OF MANY OTHER NATIONS WHO SERVED
IN ALL COMMANDS OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCES
DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR.
THEIR COURAGE, SKILL AND DEVOTION TO DUTY
WAS OF THE HIGHEST ORDER,
BY WINNING THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN, THE MEN
SAVED THE COUNTRY FROM INVASION IN 1940.
"NEVER IN THE FIELD OF HUMAN CONFLICT WAS SO MUCH OWED BY SO
MANY TO SO FEW" CHURCHILL
COASTAL COMMAND PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN
KEEPING THE SEA LANES OPEN
THE COMMANDS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA AND
THE FAR EAST, MADE GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS
TOWARDS FINAL VICTORY.
FROM THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR THE BOMBER
OFFENSIVE STEADILY INCREASED AND AFTER
THE FORMATION OF THE PATHFINDER GROUP IN 1942
VERY SEVERE DAMAGE WAS INFLICTED ON THE
ENEMY BY THE CONSTANT NIGHT AND DAY
OPERATIONS CARRIED OUT BY BOMBER COMMAND
AND THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.
CONTROL OF THE SKIES OVER EUROPE IN 1944
WAS A VITAL FACTOR TO THE SUCCESS OF THE
NORMANDY LANDINGS, THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF
TACTICAL AND BOMBER COMMANDS AND
THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE THEN SPEARHEADED
THE ALLIED ADVANCE ACROSS EUROPE.
THE INSPIRED LEADERSHIP OF BENNETT, DOWDING,
HARRIS, PORTAL, SLESSOR AND TEDDER OF THE
ROYAL AIR FORCE AND ARNOLD, EAKER AND SPAATZ
OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, PAVED THE WAY
TO VICTORY IN 1945.
"NOW AT LAST THE BOMBER COMMANDS HAVE WON THE AIR BATTLES OF
EUROPE, OPENING THE PATH FOR VICTORY AND FREEDOM FOR THE
ENSLAVED COUNTRIES OF EUROPE" CHURCHILL 1945
HONOUR
107,000 MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE
84,000 MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
42,200 MEMBERS OF THE SOVIET AIR FORCE
WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
THEY FLEW BY DAY AND NIGHT
AND GAVE THEIR LIVES TO KEEP FOREVER BRIGHT
THAT PRECIOUS LIGHT
FREEDOM
For christ sake what's this crap about 'lumping in' or commonwealth airmen ?
Where in RAF does it mention England or Britain ?
Why can't we just respect the sacrifices made and leave it at that without being devisive.. ..
Great pictures, the memorial really strikes dumb.
But...now that over 60 years have passed from the great war, I wish EU or some other organization could come up with a combined memorial for all those airmen who fought and lost their lives during WW2 in Europe. Both axis and allied.
I didnt mean to open a can of worms over this..
The memorial is outside the American hanger and I am sure there are memorials elswhere to other nations.There are a lot of Americans on this forum and I thought they might like to see this.
If I see other memorials I will photograph them and post them.
Living in England and being interested in WW2 aircraft,I fully appreciate the effort and sacrifice of all who took part.
Dead nuts on , Our guys almost to a man fought for Canada not for the Queen or England but for Canada as did the Aussies Kiwis in their own squadrons , Canada contributed 6 group not bad for a country of 12 million but we get clumped in with your guys. In other words thanks for the help don't let the door slam on your ass after we leave .Because many people get cheesed off when the deeds and sacrifice of their country men is simply overlooked by placing them in the "commonwealth" basket. I mean what does that tell you? Was that brave Commonwealth pilot an Aussie, a Canadian or maybe a Kiwi? Is it really that hard to recognize the country and Air Force these men came from?