Sir - Not many people today appreciate that more than 55,500 aircrew members of Bomber Command were killed in action in the Second World War.

The latest Roll of Honour total of 57,205 includes those men and women who also lost their lives on the ground. The aircrew came from throughout the Commonwealth, so that roughly 10,600 were Canadians, 4,000 Australians and 2,000 were from New Zealand.

From mid-1942 to the end of the war the American USAAF joined with Bomber Command to increase the effectiveness of the bombing campaign so essential towards the eventual D-Day landings, the land invasion of Germany and victory. Overall more than 80,000 allied aircrew operating from airfields in UK were killed in action.

This was a loss rate far in excess of any other arm of our fighting forces.

It is a long story but I have some grounds for optimism that 2008 will see the award of some form of campaign medal, so far denied to them, for both the aircrew and the men and women on the ground of Bomber Command in the Second World War. It would be appropriate if that award should be authorised on April 1, 2008, the 90th anniversary of the formation of the RAF. If that should happen it will serve to put right an injustice which has been allowed to continue since the end of the war. The sailors now have their Arctic Emblem, the Bevin Boys have been recognised, the veterans have their lapel badges and next year the first of the Land Army Girls will be presented with their medals. It is high time for the nation to recognise the efforts of the men and women of Bomber Command.

Wg Cdr A J Wright DFC RAF (Ret), Abingdon