Category: IBCC Events

International Bomber Command Day was launched in 2021 to officially mark the vital contribution made by Bomber Command over its 32 year history.  The launch coincided with the 85th anniversary of the commissioning of the Command in 1936.

The day includes a public service of commemoration, an evening reception with a Sunset Ceremony and a formal dinner.

The event has grown each year and, in 2024, saw senior representatives from 8 nations, 40 Air Force and Police cadets, 39 wreaths, 16 association standards, 13 ex-Bomber Command Squadrons, veterans, families and associations.  Flypasts of Prefects, Typhoons and Chinooks were undertaken by 7, 9, 12, 18(B), 27 and 57 Squadrons.

Music was provided by the RAF Central Band and the Mansfield and District Male Voice Choir.

This year’s event also covered the centenary of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Keynote speakers included Dave Gilbert, IBCC Losses Archivist and Trustee, Roddy MacKenzie, Canadian historian and author, ACM Sir Michael Graydon, IBCC Chairman and ACM Sir Rich Knighton, Chief of the Air Staff.

You can watch a summary film here

Join us for next year’s International Bomber Command Day Service on Thursday 24th July at 13.30.

The IBCC Events programme raises money to support our charity’s work with Learning and Outreach. To find out more about the range of events please click here.

The Artist’s Story

On this day in 2015, the IBCC unveiled it’s Op Manna Floral Mosaic, which had been designed by one of the world’s leading floral designers, Jan Guldemond, with the support of the Government of the Royal Netherlands and JUB Holland.

The Mosaic had been planted in a specially created bed on the East Lawn of Lincoln Cathedral.  The planting had taken place the previous September and the final bulbs were laid by the Defence Attaches from 7 countries, the Dean of Lincoln Cathedral, the IBCC Trustees, children from Lincoln Minster School, Hans Onderwater, the world’s leading expert on Operation Manna and Op Manna veterans Dick Tinsley and Len Dorricot.

The bulbs were protected by a series of information boards telling the story of Op Manna and the IBCC

The flower bed in early March

The morning of the unveiling broke to clear blue skies and a little breeze.  The air was chilly as we set up for the event, but by 11.00 we were bathed in glorious and warming sunshine.

Ready for the off!

By 12.00 the scene was set and the guests started to arrive for a delicious luncheon in the nearby Lincoln Hotel.  From there guests moved to the lawn and congregated in the events marquee, where Tony Worth CVO, Chairman and father of the project, welcomed everyone to the event.  He was followed by a moving speech from Her Excellency the Ambassador of The Royal Netherlands, Laetitia van den Assum, who talked about the gratitude felt by the Dutch people fr the actions of those who had served and supported during the Operation.  Speeches from Major General Dennis Luyt, Director of Operational Readiness for the Royal Netherlands, Air Vice Marshall Rich Knighton, Assistant Chief of Air Staff  and Lt Col Ronald van der Put, Deputy Defence Attaché for the Royal Netherlands followed.

Guests assembled in the shelter of the marquee

A bird’s eye view of the Mosaic, taken from the Cathedral Tower by Steve Smailes

Lt Col Ronald van de Put and Frank Tolley with the presentation piece which was signed by all guests

A picture, which was given by the Dutch Government was presented to Operation Manna veteran, Frank Tolley, by a recipient of the food aid, Coby van Riel.  Coby’s life had been saved by Operation Manna.  She had already lost one uncle and her grandparents through starvation.  The picture was signed by every guest at the event.  It was an emotional moment.

The guests then entered the Cathedral, with a Guard of Honour provided by the Queen’s Colour Squadron, for a service led by The Very Reverend Philip Buckler, Dean of Lincoln Cathedral.  Guests watched a film specially commissioned by Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire by Lincoln’s Electric Egg.  Finally the Bishop of Lincoln gave a blessing.

The following guests were in attendance:

Op Manna Recipients

Mr Dirk (Derek) Bosch

Mrs Thea Coleman

Mrs Coby van Riel

Mr Robin Teeuw

Veterans

Mr Maurice Brook, Navigator 625 Sqn

Mr George Bulman, Navigator, 55 Sqn

Mr Dave Fellowes, Air Gunner, 460 Sqn

Mr Bernie Harris, Flight Sergeant Rear Gunner, 101 Sqn

Mr Jeff Hildreth, Warrant Officer, 200 and 170 Sqns

Mr Frank Hogan, Flight Lieutenant, 622 Sqn

Mr Aneurin (Taff) Owen, Flight Sergeant, Wireless Operator, 12 and 153 Sqns,*

Mr Maurice Snowball, Flight Sergeant, Flight Engineer, 550 Sqn

Mr Reg Spencer, Warrant Officer Wireless Operator, 514 and 617 Sqns

Mr Richard (Dick) Tinsley, Co-pilot, 216 Sqn, carried out 7 Op Manna drops

Mr Frank Tolley, Warrant Officer Bomb Aimer and Navigator, 625 Sqn.  Completed 28 operations

Mr Harry Parkin, Flight Officer Pilot, 44 (Rho) Sqn

Mr Les Pearson, Flight Sergeant Bomb Aimer, 153 Sqn

Mr Wilf Hatton, Warrant Officer, 576 Sqn

Mr Jack Cook, Wireless Operator, 100 and 104 Sqns

Mr Ken Calton, Warrant Officer, Flight Engineer, 7, 156, 12 and 635 Sqns

Mr Ted Kay, Warrant Officer, 514 Sqn, based at RAF Waterbeach

Sqn Ldr Cllr Geoffrey Whittle DFM, Navigator, 101 Sqn

Mr Dennis Thompson, Warrant Officer, 170 Sqn

Military and International

Ms Laetitia van den Assum – Ambassador to the Royal Netherlands

Mr Henk de Jong – Agricultural Attaché, Royal Netherlands

Lieutenant Colonel Ronald van de Put – Deputy Defence Attaché, Royal Netherlands

Mr Steve Kettlewell – Consul for the Royal Netherlands

Major General Dennis Luyt – Director of Operational Readiness, Royal Netherlands

AVM Rich Knighton, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff **

Brigadier Bill Sowry – Head of Australian Defence Staff

Brigadier General Matthew Overton – Canadian Defence Advisor

Colonel Ryzard Tomczak, Polish Defence Attaché

Brigadier General Dieter Bareihs – USA Defence Attaché

Brigadier Anthony Hayward – Head of the New Zealand Defence Staff

Brigadier General Martin Hein – German Defence Attaché

Air Commodore Chris Luck MBE ADC RAF– Commandant – RAF College Cranwell

Wing Commander Mike Harrop – Officer Commanding – RAF Scampton

More information on Operation Manna can be found here

A Very Chilly Day

The 12^th April 2018 saw the long awaited official opening of the centre.  Months of tireless work by the team and many of our volunteers had gone into planning the two events held for the day.  However, all the planning in the world could not have foreseen the weather that day.  The day was cold, damp and misty, so misty in fact that, for much of the day the Spire wore a shroud.  Very atmospheric but not ideal for an outdoor event with nearly 4,000 guests.

British Bulldog spirit won through and an appeal for blankets earlier in the week meant we were at least able to try and keep the worst of the cold at bay for our 300 strong veteran corps.  The planned multi-aircraft flypast could not take place as the cloud ceiling was a mere 300ft, so our host for the day, John Sergeant, had to improvise and talk about what we might have seen.

The event, saw over 300 veterans from across the globe gathering together to mark this significant milestone – which formed part of the official RAF100 anniversary, recognising 100 years of the RAF. These veterans officially opened the centre, each one cutting a length or red ribbon to place their own piece in a specially commissioned commemorative folder.

The veterans attending echoed the project’s theme of ‘Orchestra of Voices’ with representatives from Air Crew, Ground Crew, WAAF, Air Transport Auxiliary, Resistance workers and recipients of the humanitarian food aid mission, Operation Manna.

Nicky van der Drift, IBCC Chief Executive said: “The veterans and their memories, coupled with their struggle for recognition, have always been at the heart of this project. From the outset we have had fantastic support from all sectors of the veteran community and this was our chance to thank them publicly and formally. “

The ceremony saw representatives from Governments across the Commonwealth and Europe marking the essential contribution of other nations in defending our freedom.

Speeches from Sir Peter Luff, Chairman of the Heritage Lottery Fun, and Lord Howe, Minister for Defence in the Lords, couple with a blessing from the Rt Reverend The Lord Bishop of Lincoln set the tone for the day.

The veterans were well looked after with a team made up of over 100 IBCC staff and volunteers and 140 serving RAF personnel who volunteered to help at the event. This support by the current generation of those who previously served strongly marked the ethos of the RAF in its 100th year.

The event saw a wide range of musical and dramatic performances from groups around the country :

• John Sergeant
• Carol Vorderman
• Invictus Games Choirs
• City of Lincoln Male Voice Choir
• Lincoln Orpheus Male Voice Choir
• Louth Male Voice Choir
• Caistor Male Voice Choir
• Military Wives Choir
• Lincoln Rock Choir
• Players in the IBCC Orchestra
• University of Lincoln Drama Group
• City of Lincoln Drama Group
• The Band of the RAF College Cranwell
• RAF Waddington Voluntary Band
• The RAF Waddington Pipes and Drums
• Heather Marie Little
• Paisley Atlanta
• John McAllister

To watch the film of the event click here

To see more images from the event please click here