The following letter was printed in today's Winnipeg Sun.

Museum boycott urged

I am a Second World War veteran who is insulted by the wording of the plaque at the new War Museum in Ottawa. The plaque reads as follows:

"Mass bomber raids against Germany resulted in vast destruction and heavy loss of life. The value and morality of the strategic bomber offensive against Germany remains bitterly contested. Bomber Command's aim was to crush civilian morale and force Germany to surrender by destroying its cities and industrial installations. Although Bomber Command and American attacks left 600,000 Germans dead, and more than five million homeless, the raids resulted in only small reductions in German war production until late in the war."

Like many other young men of that era, I joined the RCAF when I was 19. On graduation, as a Pilot Officer, Wireless Air Gunner, I was posted overseas, where after more extensive training I was posted to 425 Squadron with my crew and did our operations over Germany in the spring of 1945.

I disagree with the implication that we went specifically to destroy their cities. Our targets were: marshalling yards; harbour installations; U-Boat harbour installations; coastal batteries; close air army support; targets in the Ruhr Valley. Never were we briefed to indiscriminately bomb a city without being given a specific strategic target. To me, the wording in this plaque insinuates that I am a criminal and deliberately went out and bombed German civilians. Remember that we were at war, defending our country from a demented dictator (Hitler) and that we were fighting for survival.

I was in London the first night the Germans sent their V1 "Buzz Bombs." To me, this was indiscriminate bombing of civilians. These were pilotless drones (loaded with explosives) that fell anywhere over London, when they ran out of fuel. The same logic applies to the V2s.

My wife and I often go to Ottawa to visit her sister and her family and although I would love to visit the museum again, I do not plan to do so as long as that plaque is there. I would encourage all WW2 veterans to boycott the museum until this plaque is removed.

E.J. Chenier CD

Flight Lieutenant (Ret'd)

Winnipeg

The wording of the plaque definitely is far from flattering. Why do we in this country always vilify our soldiers? The plaque should tell a story of bravery and determination by our soldiers.

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