BATTLE OF BRITAIN ‘LACE’
Air Force Association – South Australia has joined with RAAF Edinburgh in acknowledging Bomber Command veteran contribution to the Bomber Command Memorial in London.
It was an honour for our Vice President, Dr Robert Black (GPCAPT Retd) to recently attend a special presentation at RAAF Base Edinburgh where the family of the late Mr Colin Dudley DFC received the Henry Hering Medal, an international sculptor award.
Colin Dudley, a RAF WW2 Bomber Command veteran, completed 39 missions with 578 SQN as a navigator flying Halifax bombers – all with the same crew. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in January 1945 for his actions with the squadron.
Gifted in the arts and a man of many talents, Dudley worked as an art teacher after the war. He moved to Australia in 1983 and completed a PhD in the geometry design of gothic medieval cathedrals. He was commissioned to paint the Prince of Wales receiving the Freedom of the City of Canterbury (a picture now in the British National art collection). He designed the gates for Saint Augustines Abbey in Canterbury. He sang in the chorus of the State Opera of South Australia in several productions.
A talented sculptor and active member of the 578 Squadron veteran community, Dudley was asked if he would like to design and build a bronze wreath to be part of the new Bomber Command Memorial. He accepted the task as a labour of love and for several years devoted his life to the creation.
In early 2012, he presented the bronze wreath to the Royal Australian Air Force at the Air Force Association (South Australia) at Torrens Parade Ground. The sculpture was then transported to Al Minhad Airbase in the Middle East by RAAF C-17 and then handed over to the RAF for further transport to London.
In June 2012, the bronze wreath sculpture was unveiled and commissioned along with the spectacular Bomber Command Memorial in London. Sadly, Colin Dudley could not attend the service, but he said at the time “I just hope that the arms of the wreath will be seen by those on earth, and those above, as reaching out in an embrace of eternal devotion. It is a wreath of grief and a wreath of honour.”
In 2023, the New York-based National Sculpture Society recognised the Bomber Command Memorial by awarding the Henry Hering Medal in 2023 to five people instrumental in its design and construction including Colin Dudley. The Henry Hering Award is an international award presented as the occasion warrants for outstanding collaboration among architect, owner and sculptor in the distinguished use of sculpture in an architectural project.
Sadly, Dudley passed away in 2014 and his family could not be contacted meaning the Award was presented to a RAAF officer at a ceremony in June 2023 in New York.
The award was brought to Australia by RAAF and early this year, the RAAF worked with Air Force Association (South Australia) in trying to locate Colin Dudley’s family to allow the medal to be finally presented to his family.
At the recent ceremony at RAAF Base Edinburgh, the RAAF was able to finally present the Henry Hering Medal to Ms Celia Murray, Colin Dudley’s daughter.
It was a special ceremony where Celia Murray spoke about her father’s service with 578 Squadron and Mr John Horsburgh, Vice President, Bomber Command Australia Association, spoke about the Bomber Command Memorial and Colin Dudley’s Bronze Wreath.
After presenting the Medal to Celia Murray GPCAPT Greg Weller, Deputy Senior Air Force Representative (South Australia) and Vice President (AFA-SA) stressed to the large cadre of RAAF Edinburgh aviators and soldiers, that “the service and sacrifice of Bomber Command aviators like Colin Dudley DFC in World War 2 provide an enduring legacy that can be a powerful guide for today’s ADF personnel as we prepare to confront the various global security challenges and demanding national security tasks our nation will increasingly require of us in the future.”
The service concluded with Dr Robert Black, Vice-President AFA-SA, reciting the Ode prior to the sounding of Last Post and Rouse performed by Mr Joss Willmott, Colin Dudley’s grandson, where the sound of the Bugle piercing the deafly quiet RAAF Edinburgh Officers Mess was incredible.
Congratulations to RAAF Edinburgh on a fine ceremony and more importantly, our congratulations to the Dudley family on Colin Dudley’s service both during World War 2 and then in the creation of a wonderful bronze sculpture that has now been formally recognised by international sculpture community.
AFA-SA was honoured and proud to have played a small part in this story.
Imagery courtesy of Department of Defence
