Lincolnshire ceremony to remember Bomber Command men and women

A public service is being held in Lincolnshire to remember RAF personnel who served during World War Two.

The International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) in Lincoln will host readings and the laying of wreaths as part of the ceremony.

Almost 58,000 men and women from Bomber Command died between 1939 and 1945.

The IBCC said it hoped to make the day an annual event similar to Battle of Britain Day, which is held every 15 September.

Nicky van Der Drift, chief executive of the IBCC, said the ceremony was about "remembrance and reconciliation".

"The sacrifice made by so many to protect our freedoms needs to be recognised," she said.

"Politically it became a very sensitive issue during World War Two, there was massive loss of life on both sides. There was a nervousness to be seen to be paying tribute to a loss of life on that scale."

The event will be attended by 100 invited guests including government representatives from the USA and Commonwealth nations, as well as the military attaches of Poland and Germany.

Members of the public can also attend, especially "anybody with a connection to the service and its sacrifice".

The first event was held last year to mark the 85th anniversary of the formation of Bomber Command in 1936.

The £10m centre opened in April 2018 after years of fundraising. At its heart is a metal spire which is the UK's tallest war memorial standing 102ft (31m) high. Around it are curved metal walls listing the names of RAF bomber personnel lost 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 the war.

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