International Bomber Command Centre - Open Day

I was incredibly fortunate to learn that the International Bomber Command Centre was having one of its infrequent open days today. I popped along and took some photos. The IBCC will not open fully until December 2017 with an official opening on April 12 2018 (the 100th anniversary of the RAF). 

They have installed the main spire and the names of those service people that died flying from Lincoln airfields (including the crew of ED559); further walls including the names of service personel flying from other airfields both in Britain and elsewhere will follow.

Around the spire trees have been planted (spaced to follow the position of each airfield relative to one another) for the 28 airfields that were active within Lincolnshire. The Chadwick Centre is still being built.

I look forward to returning in the future when it has been completed.

Below are pictures of the names of ED559's crew.

I learned that similar names are separated by three digits (the last three numbers of the person's service number). I also met three veterans and obtained a signed print of a Lancaster. It was great chatting to them - I could have chatted all day but other people were waiting to meet them.
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The Spire and Commemoration Walls at the International Bomber Command Centre, Lincoln

Richard Alexander Curle

Errol Clifton Crapp

David Adrian HArt

Harry Riding

Garnet Walter Durdin

Charles Stuart Challoner

Daniel Last Gooch