CARTERTON resident Douglas Tew, a veteran of 17 bombing raids over Germany, best summed up yesterday’s unveiling of a memorial to the airmen of Bomber Command, when he said: “I hope the memorial shows future generations what a waste of lives the war was, and never to have another war...”
The 88-year-old former bomber navigator’s view is why the new memorial is so important, despite the controversy the role of Bomber Command has ignited over the years.
Indeed, criticism by some of the large-scale area bombing carried out by the RAF towards the end of World War II meant plans for such a memorial were continually stalled.
But now, like a sculptured echo of Mr Tew’s words, it stands as a symbol commemorating not only the courage of those airmen involved, but as a reminder too of the terrible human waste war inevitably reaps.
If it should cause us all to think, just for a moment, about the horrors and sacrifices that conflict creates, it will have well and truly served its purpose.
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