Ella Simmonds is a Modern History student at the University of Lincoln. During her third year, as part of the ‘Air War and Society from Zeppelins to Drones’ module, she undertook a visit to the International Bomber Command Centre. This post is a reflection on the information gained and the experience she had.
Ralph Weir, Senior Lecturer, Lincoln School of Humanities and Heritage
I and my peers in the ‘Air War’ history module had the opportunity to visit the International Bomber Command Centre, as part of a week focused on ‘Memory and Memorialisation’. The centre aims to commemorate the sacrifice and bravery of those who served in Bomber Command in the Second World War. It also aims to educate the public on the contribution Bomber Command made to the war effort. The centre promotes the importance of the ‘Three R’s’: recognition, remembrance and reconciliation.
Alongside having the chance to explore the centre at leisure, we were given an informative tour by one of its guides who was able to point out aspects we may not have noticed or understood otherwise. For myself, a prominent take away from the tour was learning about how the centre aimed to commemorate not just the British component of Bomber Command, but the contribution and sacrifice of nations like Canada and New Zealand. The tour guide showed us around the outside ‘Peace Gardens’, which is home to the ‘Memorial Spire’ and the ‘Walls of Names’.
The ‘Memorial Spire’ and surrounding ‘Walls of Names’ are at the heart of the centre. In tandem, they serve as a thought provocing memorial that aims to commemorate the 57,861 lives lost whilst serving in Bomber Command. The sheer number of names engraved into the walls is an emotional site, as it helps show each loss as an individual instead of a number. Many of the names have poppies or crosses left by families or friends, showing how the centre is key for generational and personal remembrance.
As I walked through the walls, I found myself drawn to the one full of ‘S’ surnames, where I discovered many with the same surname as myself. Relatives or not, this was a moving find. It was also interesting to find prominent names on the walls, including Guy Gibson, the leader of the famous Dambusters Raid. Despite having a VC, DSO and Bar, and a DFC and Bar, the wall only states ‘GP Gibson’ due to the centre’s belief that all should be commemorated equally.
As well as creating a striking centrepiece, the height and width of the ‘Memorial Spire’ replicates the width of a Lancaster Bomber wing and the length of a Lancaster’s wingspan. The Lancaster was Bomber Command’s most successful heavy bomber and has since become its most recognisable aircraft. The location of the Spire offers a stunning view of Lincoln below. This was purposefully done as Lincoln is seen as the central point for all the nearby RAF Bomber Command bases, which are commemorated at the centre with trees, planted to mimic the distance and direction between each base. The location also provides a view of Lincoln Cathedral, which was a prominent marker for the aircrew of Bomber Command returning from operations, as a sign they had almost made it back home.
Everything in the centre is there for a reason, everything has been done with purpose and has meaning behind it. Even the pathway leading to the Spire has been incorporated into the act of remembrance, lined as it is with engraved stones. Each stone has been personalised by an individual to commemorate a specific relative, squadron or crew. The pathway also helped demonstrate the passion and knowledge that the volunteers at the centre have, as our tour guide was able to tell us about the stories behind any engraved stone we asked.
Asides from exploring the outside grounds, we had the opportunity to look around the ‘Chadwick Centre’. Named after the designer of the Lancaster, the ‘Chadwick Centre’ building is home to interactive exhibitions that aim to educate visitors on what it was like to be a member of Bomber Command. Downstairs, there was the opportunity to watch film reels that explained the roles of air and ground crew using footage from the Second World War. There was also a range of uniforms displayed alongside many personal items, such as crew members’ lucky mascots, which gave an insight into the personal lives of those involved. Upstairs, there were exhibitions on the cultural impact of Bomber Command within post-war society. This included the history of ‘Airfix’, a company that makes model aircraft to build, which has become a popular hobby.
The International Bomber Command Centre plays an important role in ensuring the sacrifice of those who served in Bomber Command will never be forgotten. It is dedicated to keeping their memory alive and gives families, friends, veterans and supporters a physical place to join together in commemoration and thanks.