[BITList] SNOWDON RELEASE VA051 - BOMBER COMMAND VETERANS SET OFF TO LONDON [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

[John Feltham]

On 24/06/2012, at 10:32 AM, DVA Mailing List wrote:

> Minister for Veterans’ Affairs subscription list.
> 
>  
> Sunday, 24 June 2012                                                                                                                       VA051
>  
> BOMBER COMMAND VETERANS SET OFF TO LONDON
>  
> The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Warren Snowdon, has bid farewell to a group of Australian veterans of Bomber Command, as they embark on a journey to London to honour all those who served in Australia’s costliest combat action of the Second World War.
>  
> Mr Snowdon said the veterans will join mates from other Commonwealth nations at the dedication of the Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park and will visit other sites of wartime significance across London.
>  
> “For many of these men – who 70 years ago were pilots and navigators, gunners and air crewmen – this will be the first time they have returned to London to pay tribute to those who died during those dangerous missions over Italy and Germany.
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> “This will be an emotional journey and I wish all Australian veterans making this trip a memorable experience.
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> “Joining the veterans on this journey will be young men and women of the Royal Australian Air Force and Australia’s Federation Guard,” he said.
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> “I want to acknowledge the support of the Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Brown AO, and his team. Air Marshal Brown will attend the dedication this week.”
>  
> Mr Snowdon said more than 100 Australian veterans are going to London to attend the 70th anniversary commemorations with support provided by the Australian Government.  This includes an official Australian Government delegation of 31 veterans and more than 70 travelling independently with assistance from the Government, Defence Health, the Royal Australian Air Force Association and the Bomber Command Commemoration Day Foundation.
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> The Australians will join veterans from Canada, Britain and New Zealand at the dedication of the Bomber Command Memorial by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on June 28.
>  
> Australian commemorative services will also be held at the Runnymede Air Forces Memorial and Australian Memorial at Hyde Park.
>  
> Some 10,000 Australian airmen served with the Royal Air Force’s Bomber Command during the Second World War. Of these, almost 3500 were killed in action and some 650 died in training accidents.
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> Mr Snowdon has thanked the Bomber Command Association, QANTAS, Chartis, Flight Centre and Defence Housing Australia, for their generous assistance and support to the Bomber Command veterans.
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> “Finally, I want to express my appreciation to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, for its outstanding efforts in ensuring this will be an extraordinary and memorable occasion for our Bomber Command veterans,” Mr Snowdon said.
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>  
> Editor’s note: Follow the mission on Facebook at DVA Aus or on Twitter at @dvaaus. Images and biographies of veterans, historical factsheets and images from London are available at www.dva.gov.au/media
>  
>  
> Media inquiries:      Minister Snowdon: Lidija Ivanovski 02 6277 7820 or 0407108 935
> Department of Veterans’ Affairs Media: 02 6289 6203 (Australia) or 
> +61 (0)428 805 578 (in London from 25 June)
>  
> 
>  
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