I was just wondering if anyone could provide some details on what happened to Aircrew who refused to fly, I understand they were reduced to AC2 rank, but did they loose their decorations, entitlement to medals etc post war. Any cases would be welcome.
Hi Dave Try and get a look at "Bomber Crew" by James Taylor and Martin Davidson.There is some discussion of LMF in there pp349 et seq(I have the paperback edition published by Hodder in the UK). It doesn't mention medal entitlement but the Flying Badge was certainly removed as was the rank. Regards Dick
There is also a book out titled LMF, you can get it throught CWH Site www.warplane.com.
The info that you posted is correct to my knowledge though. From what I understand they were also given garbage jobs that would humiliate them further.
When I came home from overseas in late 1944, I was assigned to Lachine Repat Depot, and my job was to sort out the papers of returning Airmen. Many of them had been convicted of L.M.F. (Lack of Moral Fibre). It was terrible to see these young men, many hardly into their twenties, discharged into the life they faced; disgrace and few hopes for the future.
When they were accused of LMF, they lost rank (but I don't think the wing), and sent away from the station so that their "Cowardice" (s.i.c.) would not infect others. Our Commanding Officers were not often men of mercy.
I faced the same terrible risks as they, and to this day, cannot say why I did not "Chicken out". However, after it was all over, I did let it be known that, if they wanted me to do it again, they would have to find me first.
There has recently been a campaign to rehabilitate WW1 soldiers convicted of cowardice. Has there been any equivalent campaign to exonerate aircrew convicted in WW2 of LMF. There should be, it was after all basically shell shock.
I have asked the same question many times, about a pardon for these boys, ever since the Labour government pardoned the WW1 boys who were shot for cowardice, after a long campaign by the "Shot at Dawn" group. As for the earlier comment by pigeonbird, about chickening out, i don't think that is an appropriate term to use for people labelled with LMF.
-- Edited by AW on Sunday 26th of January 2014 11:20:51 AM
