Bomber Command Association Op verzoek van de Particulier Secretaris van Zijne Koninklijke Hoogheid Prins Bernhard, publiceren wij onderstaand schrijven, gericht aan Zijne Koninklijke Hoogheid. His Royal Highness Prince Bernhard Paleis Soesdijk 3 November 1994 Your Royal Highness, All of us in the Bomber Command Association remember xuith great pleasure the honour you did us in 1991 when you were our guest at our Annual Dinner at the Park Lane Hotel in London. Knowing the interest you have always taken in Royal Air Force affairs, I thought you would like to know that, to coincide xuith the 50th Anniversary of the end of the Second World War next year, we are planning a documentary film to mark the vital contribution made by Bomber' Command to victory in that conflict. That contribution has never been accurately portrayed or given due recognition and indeed has from time to time been the subject of ill-informed and biased critisism. Our aim is to tell the story of hoxu the Command carried the xuar to the enemy for that long period xuhen there xuas no other way of directly attacking Nazi Germany itself or of giving hope to the people in occupied. Europe. It xuas a sustained and. continuous campaign of great intensity which lasted through the xuhole xuar and cost the lives of more than 55,000 aircrexu. The film xuill be strictly factual and xuill bring out xuhat the Command was tasked, to do by the Government, the problems faced and hoxu they were tackled., the sacrifices made and the achievements. Several film companies have expressed an interest in being involved but the Association is determined to retain editoral control which virtually rules out financial backing from them. The membership has already raised, over £30,000 but xue need somewhere betxueen £150, 000 and £250,000 if the end pro duct is to be of the appropriate quality. Although our membership, xuho are mostly veterans as you knoxu, are continuing their fund raising, xue have a daunting task and are therefore approaching a number of people and organisations to help us. Many people in the Netherlands, I know, recall with gratitude xuhat Bomber Command did in tho se dark days of occupation and I am hoping therefore that you might be willing to approach some of them to seek their support. Any donations would be deeply appreciated and should be sent to me c/o The Secretary of the Association, RAF Museum, Hendon, London NW9 5LL. Your faithfully Sir Michael Beetham Marshal of the Royal Air Force Gaarne doen wij een oproep aan onze donateurs aan bovenstaand verzoek gevolg te geven. Naast het adres genoemd in het schrijven kunt u uw donatie ook overmaken op de rekenin gen van de Stichting, onder vermelding van: "Bomber Command". 5

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Nieuwsbrief Militaire Luchtvaart Museum | 1995 | | pagina 5