Sir – Your readers will know that I have often written letters since 2005 on the need to persuade our British and Commonwealth Governments to award a full campaign medal to Bomber Command for their courageous efforts and very heavy sacrifice in the Second World War. Both Air Marshal Harris and Churchill wanted this.

But their request was denied by the post-war Labour Government.

But our present Conservative-led Coalition Government asked Sir John Holmes on April 30, 2012, to look back on all previous attempts to investigate past records seeking further awards and to make recommendations.

On December 19, 2012, our Prime Minister decided, following Sir John’s recommendations to him, to award a full campaign medal, The Arctic Star, to the 60,000 seamen involved and only a clasp attached to their existing 1939/45 Star to BC aircrew only (125,000 involved). People generally approved the Arctic Star award (the seamen lost 3,000 men) but there was much dissatisfaction among BC survivors and their next of kin at what they thought was a mean and, for some, an insulting award (BC aircrew lost over 56,000 men and many more became POW or were severely injured).

The disparity was very clearly demonstrated on October 8 in the Commons, when Mark Francois MP, Veterans Minister, summed up the situation as follows: (Hansard quote): Number of applications received by September 1: Seamen or NOK 16,766 (medals issued to surviving veterans was 3,857); BC aircrew or NOK 9,153 (medals issued to surviving veterans was 2,021). Although now apparently cast in concrete, one must wonder whether a mistake has been made and whether a full campaign medal ought to have been awarded to BC as well?

Jim Wright, (61, 630 and 97 Squadrons in the Second World War), Abingdon