By . Richard Hartley-parkinson . PUBLISHED: . 05:57 EST, 27 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:40 EST, 27 June 2012 . Defence Secretary Philip Hammond will go to the opening of the Bomber Command Memorial despite his department's refusal to pay for the ceremony . Philip Hammond has been branded a hypocrite for his decision to attend the unveiling of a new memorial to Bomber Command despite refusing to pay for the event. The Defence Secretary will go to the opening ceremony even though the Government said it would not stump up £700,000 for the event. Instead, war veterans are footing the bill to unveil it and will be personally liable for the cost of staging the event if they fail to raise the money through donations. The opening of the memorial is a long-awaited event and there is a waiting list for veterans who want to be there on the special day. Mr Hammond's attendance at the event means that one seat will be denied to them. The Bomber Command Association has spent five years raising £6.5million to build the new memorial. They . still have to find £700,000 to provide seating and security for the . event on Thursday, which will be attended by ten members of the Royal . Family including the Queen. Fundraising . director of the memorial, Jim Dooley, told the Daily Express: 'Anyone . with a measure of empathy will understand how the very elderly are . anxious when faced with financial worries. 'We are the organisers of what has become all but a state occasion in the glare of international publicity.' He . added: 'I find it hypocritical that a Secretary of State for Defence . can turn up on Thursday representing the Prime Minister knowing a . veteran trustee has his house on the line to pay for his seat.' The monument, in London's Green Park, will commemorate the 55,573 Bomber Command airmen who died in the Second World War. It . has already proved controversial after it emerged that more than 100 . veterans could miss out on the unveiling because of a lack of space. Extraordinary: Workmen put the finishing touches to the Bomber Command Memorial on Hyde Park Corner, which will be unveiled tomorrow . Tribute: At the heart of the memorial will be the statues of a seven-man bomber crew cast in bronze . Earlier . this month, David Cameron gave the trustees hope when he told MPs the . Government had 'the ability to intervene' if funds were not raised in . time. But now the trustees, who include four Bomber Command veterans, have been told the Ministry of Defence will not help. Mr Hammond said: 'The MoD recognises the unique contribution and sacrifice that the men of Bomber Command made to protect Britain.' Only as recently as last week, Mr Dooley said the veterans were still £500,000 short. 'The . MoD response to this has been disgusting,' he said. 'The unveiling has . become a state occasion, yet we are getting no help from the state.' Trustee . and veteran Harry Irons, 88, from Romford, Essex, said: 'If we can't . get the £500,000 I will probably lose my house. I haven't got much . else.' Sculptor Philip Jackson puts the finishing touches to the statue 'Bomb Aimer' before a mould is made of it . A mould was taken of the figures before they were cast in bronze and put on Portland stone plinths at Green Park . The memorial was . built with private donations, but the bill for its unveiling has risen . because the 6,500 widows and veterans face security checks before they . can enter Green Park. Sculptor Philip Jackson created the . 9ft statues that will form the centrepiece of the memorial in Green . Park, close to Buckingham Palace. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said it would 'make a contribution' but would not say how much. The . MoD said it was not allowed to give to charities, despite records . showing it has donated to 28 charitable bodies in the past five years. A Government spokesman said: 'The Government does not usually support opening ceremonies for public memorials. 'However, given the unique circumstances of the Bomber Command Memorial, an exception has been made in this case. Sacrifice: 53,573 members of Bomber Command were killed during the Second World War . Fundraiser Jim Dooley branded Mr Hammond a hypocrite saying trustees had put their houses on the line to pay for their seat . 'The . Government will make a contribution towards the opening ceremony to . help cover the additional costs of seating and security for the many . veterans wishing to see the unveiling of this important memorial. 'This . is in addition to £1million that the Government has already contributed . towards the VAT costs of the construction of the memorial.' Andrew . Robathan, Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, said: . 'The MoD has worked very closely with the excellent people of the Bomber . Command Association to ensure a successful unveiling of the memorial. 'We . are delighted that a significant number of RAF personnel will be . involved in the event, providing a flypast by five Tornado aircraft and a . Lancaster Bomber from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight; ceremonial . elements by The Queens' Colour Squadron, University Air Squadrons and . the Central Band of the RAF; along with ushers, hosts and catering . services.' To make a donation, go to www.bombercommand.com. Momentous: The men of Bomber Command were witness to events that have shaped our history . VIDEO: Lord Ashcroft visits the Bomber Command Memorial in May 2012 .
Veterans have stumped up their own money and put their homes at risk .
Bomber Command Memorial will be opened tomorrow .
New monument took five years to save for and cost £6.5m to build .
It will commemorate the 55,573 Bomber Command airmen who died in WWII .
By . Richard Hartley-parkinson . PUBLISHED: . 05:57 EST, 27 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:40 EST, 27 June 2012 . Defence Secretary Philip Hammond will go to the opening of the Bomber Command Memorial despite his department's refusal to pay for the ceremony . Philip Hammond has been branded a hypocrite for his decision to attend the unveiling of a new memorial to Bomber Command despite refusing to pay for the event. The Defence Secretary will go to the opening ceremony even though the Government said it would not stump up £700,000 for the event. Instead, war veterans are footing the bill to unveil it and will be personally liable for the cost of staging the event if they fail to raise the money through donations. The opening of the memorial is a long-awaited event and there is a waiting list for veterans who want to be there on the special day. Mr Hammond's attendance at the event means that one seat will be denied to them. The Bomber Command Association has spent five years raising £6.5million to build the new memorial. They . still have to find £700,000 to provide seating and security for the . event on Thursday, which will be attended by ten members of the Royal . Family including the Queen. Fundraising . director of the memorial, Jim Dooley, told the Daily Express: 'Anyone . with a measure of empathy will understand how the very elderly are . anxious when faced with financial worries. 'We are the organisers of what has become all but a state occasion in the glare of international publicity.' He . added: 'I find it hypocritical that a Secretary of State for Defence . can turn up on Thursday representing the Prime Minister knowing a . veteran trustee has his house on the line to pay for his seat.' The monument, in London's Green Park, will commemorate the 55,573 Bomber Command airmen who died in the Second World War. It . has already proved controversial after it emerged that more than 100 . veterans could miss out on the unveiling because of a lack of space. Extraordinary: Workmen put the finishing touches to the Bomber Command Memorial on Hyde Park Corner, which will be unveiled tomorrow . Tribute: At the heart of the memorial will be the statues of a seven-man bomber crew cast in bronze . Earlier . this month, David Cameron gave the trustees hope when he told MPs the . Government had 'the ability to intervene' if funds were not raised in . time. But now the trustees, who include four Bomber Command veterans, have been told the Ministry of Defence will not help. Mr Hammond said: 'The MoD recognises the unique contribution and sacrifice that the men of Bomber Command made to protect Britain.' Only as recently as last week, Mr Dooley said the veterans were still £500,000 short. 'The . MoD response to this has been disgusting,' he said. 'The unveiling has . become a state occasion, yet we are getting no help from the state.' Trustee . and veteran Harry Irons, 88, from Romford, Essex, said: 'If we can't . get the £500,000 I will probably lose my house. I haven't got much . else.' Sculptor Philip Jackson puts the finishing touches to the statue 'Bomb Aimer' before a mould is made of it . A mould was taken of the figures before they were cast in bronze and put on Portland stone plinths at Green Park . The memorial was . built with private donations, but the bill for its unveiling has risen . because the 6,500 widows and veterans face security checks before they . can enter Green Park. Sculptor Philip Jackson created the . 9ft statues that will form the centrepiece of the memorial in Green . Park, close to Buckingham Palace. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said it would 'make a contribution' but would not say how much. The . MoD said it was not allowed to give to charities, despite records . showing it has donated to 28 charitable bodies in the past five years. A Government spokesman said: 'The Government does not usually support opening ceremonies for public memorials. 'However, given the unique circumstances of the Bomber Command Memorial, an exception has been made in this case. Sacrifice: 53,573 members of Bomber Command were killed during the Second World War . Fundraiser Jim Dooley branded Mr Hammond a hypocrite saying trustees had put their houses on the line to pay for their seat . 'The . Government will make a contribution towards the opening ceremony to . help cover the additional costs of seating and security for the many . veterans wishing to see the unveiling of this important memorial. 'This . is in addition to £1million that the Government has already contributed . towards the VAT costs of the construction of the memorial.' Andrew . Robathan, Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, said: . 'The MoD has worked very closely with the excellent people of the Bomber . Command Association to ensure a successful unveiling of the memorial. 'We . are delighted that a significant number of RAF personnel will be . involved in the event, providing a flypast by five Tornado aircraft and a . Lancaster Bomber from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight; ceremonial . elements by The Queens' Colour Squadron, University Air Squadrons and . the Central Band of the RAF; along with ushers, hosts and catering . services.' To make a donation, go to www.bombercommand.com. Momentous: The men of Bomber Command were witness to events that have shaped our history . VIDEO: Lord Ashcroft visits the Bomber Command Memorial in May 2012 .
will be personally liable for the cost of staging Command Association has spent five years raising London's Green Park, will commemorate the 55,573 Bomber Command airmen who died in the Second finishing touches to the Bomber Command Memorial bronze and put on Portland stone plinths at Green