“Eligible veterans and next of kin are now encouraged to apply using the relevant application forms, which can be found on this page, or by telephoning the MOD Medal Office on 08457 800 900 (a local rate number) for further details. An application must be made as it is simply not possible for the MOD to contact veterans or families of all of those who may be eligible going back almost 70 years.”

As soon as the clasp was available I submitted the application for my father’s clasp. That was well over a year ago. Having received no response by early September of this year, I contacted the medals office again to ensure that they had received my original application. The Medal section replied, advising that they had now filled the requests from surviving veterans. This is great news! But in reading the rest of the letter I was disturbed to see that only a little over 6,000 clasps had been made and distributed. This took well over a year!

The reply went on to explain the verification process is very lengthy and that it would still be quite some time before I could expect to receive my fathers clasp. One 5 minute look at my father’s service records quickly establishes that my father is eligible. What is their problem? I realize that there are lots of other applications to look at but working at this pace is NOT acceptable.

I think this is shameful. It took over 68 years to even get a clasp or medal approved, by which time a very larger majority of the bomber command crews had passed away. Now the sons and daughters applying for their fathers clasp are in their 70s and 80s. If the Medals unit keeps up the current snail’s pace up, the sons and daughters might well be gone too!

If any high ranking RAF officer reads this post, I would hope that they can apply some pressure on the medals department to get these hard earned clasps made and awarded to the next of kin that have applied for them.

Roger Bayford Son of Sgt. Cyril Bayford KIA 11/11 1944 with 57 Sqdn.