Sir – Thank you for publishing my letter on August 28 about the two Canadian and British flying Lancasters, and the need to raise public funds for the creation of a new memorial to Bomber Command which has yet to be built near to Lincoln Cathedral in memory of the 25,000-plus aircrew KIA from ‘Bomber County’ alone.

 

My letter also sought to persuade our present PM David Cameron to admit that his advisers had made a genuine mistake in recommending only the current award of a mean and insignificant clasp, and to replace this by a full campaign medal.

 

May I now update your readers by saying that Canadian VERA is now safely back home and that a donor resident in Kennington has already responded to my letter by sending a welcome donation for me to forward to that appeal on their behalf.

 

Donations can be sent direct via their website: http://www.lincsbombercommand memorial.com.

 

Moreover, on September 4, a gala charity dinner was held at BBMF RAF Coningsby costing donor diners £200 per head to raise funds for RAF Benevolent Fund and shared with the appeal for the new memorial near to Lincoln Cathedral which produced substantial results. As one of 20 BC aircrew survivors I attended free.

 

I had the privilege of listening to an opening address made by the CO of BBMF, Squadron Leader Duncan Mason RAF as we sat at tables located between these two unique flying Lancasters, and to make an appropriate response at his invitation.

 

After dinner there was an auction of several items to raise even more funds. This included a painting of Lincoln Cathedral with two Lancasters flying overhead, by Reg Payne, a surviving 50 Squadron Lancaster W/OP, for which a very generous donor paid £700.

 

Jim Wright, Abingdon