SS Peter & Paul, Griston Church Covenant

In St Peter & Paul Church, there hangs a Covenant, signed by Americans  who attended the church while stationed in the area. The signatures were transcribed several years ago, and I have taken that original typed list and tried to copy it below. It's hard to read--I know lots of these names are not correct. I'm going to arrange to get over later in the year to check them, and to transcribe the Covenant. The church is closed at the moment for restoration work.

William E McIvor
Aaron W Klein
Vincent M Lind (Ligre?)
William S Sagad (?)
Francis C Hunt
Earle W Griffith
Ray B Baer
Harry J Barnell
Raymond E Price
Kermit (?) C Swanson
Lloyd Wilder
Eugene J Fellencer (eer?)
Wilfred F Ratliff
Joseph A finan
Kenneth W Lewis
James S McKellar
Paul E Recktold
Raymond O Petree
Brambeth F Gillespie Jr
William C Sabb
Roy S Thomason
Randolph V Bates
Hasted (?) W Hall
Charles A Baughman
Harold Crush (Creach?)
George L Scroggs (Scaggs?)
Wilks H Palckala (?)
Walter E Cooper
Douglas W Hammer (?)
Grady E Davis
LaRue C Flegal (?)
John R Ragan
Edwin R Block
Alvin T Bergmann
Hector M McNall Jr (McNeill?)
Charles H Churchild
Walter S Koirsted
Wilber R Breinich
Eugene E Rush Jr
Adam Fillingor (?)
Bruce Lougeneaker
Roy C Kidney
David H King
Vinor John Hedden
Robert E Kidwell
Frederick R Hemmeter (?)
Wayne O Buckey
Lewis M Johnson
Buck M Mickelson
Phillip W Pennington
Herman S diBrandi
John C Curry
James E O’Marre (Mappe?)
Samuel Ransach
Charles R Goss
Raymond G Larkins (Jackins?)
Newell J Barscomb
Rupert (?) E Thornton Jr
Gary M Poole
Wesley A St John
John W SheelyGordon G Bentle
Warren J  Lessen (Larson?)
Charles J Spielor
John (?) Salter (?)
John E Mathews Jr
William C Jenkins
Pascoe G Rowe
Victor J Burger
Richard F Nordstrom (?)
John A Watt
Jack B Prather (Pruther?)
Eugene B Mills
Harlin E Bond
Fred R Bachmann
William H Norden (?)
Roy L Runyon (yar?)
Marvin C Ruyssell
Paul E Tunney
John W Gillaly
Harold J Hansen
John P Martin
John A Newman
H H Littlefield
Paul Schmidt
Clarence B Miller
William H Seiffert
Ralph L Averell (Austell?)
Dean W Davison
Duane H Dunning
Philip B DiDonato
Melvin T Ribblett
Ralph W Allen
J C Mink
William D Browne
Oliver R Halliman
Richard G Urdier (?)
John L Andrews
Robert L McVay
Kenneth C Kirk
Robert E Clodfelter (?)
Walter T Borran
James T Clark
William M Love (Cove?)
Byron L Spinks
Melvin H Sahs (?)

copied by CPH Wilson
Thetford

Copy transcribed by Laurie Atkins
7 August 2015

Hainford 2015

Hainford Village Hall

52.71740, 1.30041
TG 23006 18414

Photos taken 29 June 2015

Yesterday, a new memorial was dedicated in the Hainford Village Hall, Commemorating the crash of the Hookem Cow on 14 April 2015, it incorporates a model hand-made by a Dutch gentlemen who lives in the village. A beautiful remembrance, and a lovely ceremony. Many thanks to Trevor Hewitt.

Lavenham on VE Day

Loads happening over the VE Day weekend, but I learned that a new plaque was to be unveiled at the Control Tower on the Lavenham airfield, so I went along to that.

Messages

I have been trying to respond to a comment kindly sent by Paul. I'm not able to reply--don't you just love google's blogger? So, here's my reply:

I'm so sorry to have missed you, Paul! I remember exactly when I speaking to the two gentlemen. This project has been such a joy, and it seems that it's going to be going on for some time. Thank you so much for getting in touch. If I can help you with your visits, do let me know, and if you see that we are at the same event again, do please introduce yourself.

IWM American Air Museum in Britain

I was at the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library today for a presentation by the AAM team. It's a very exciting project, and they are hoping for many, many contributors. Have a look--you may be able to help.

American Air Museum in Britain

Another One!

This memorial is on a private estate, so isn't generally accessible to the public, but I received a very kind invitation to view it. I've taken a couple of photos for you:

Beautiful, isn't it? It's propeller blade from B17 Pathfinder 42-97556, Shatzi, flown by the Donald MacGregor crew. On the night of 11/12 April, 1944, it was shot down by a German intruder, Two men were killed. In 1989, Donald MacGregor attended an informal ceremony here, and a time capsule was placed in the base of the memorial.

A full account of the crash can be found in the Ian McLachlan/Russell Zorn book, 

Eighth Air Force Bomber Stories.

Flixton Handover

Here I am with Huby Fairhead, Curator of the Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum, handing over a copy of the database. Huby is hugely knowledgeable concerning the 8th Air Force in this area, and it's always a pleasure to spend time with him. The museum was very busy today--lots of steam enthusiasts!

Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum

Rattlesden Thoughts

I was posting to the AAM again today, this time some information about Rattlesden. The Control Tower is now being used as a clubhouse for the Rattlesden Gliding Club. We visited in July of 2013, which was a flying day for them, and they very kindly took us to the clubhouse, which you can only approach via the runway, and let us look around. On the clubhouse is a brass memorial for Robert Edward Femoyer, a Medal of Honor recipient. You can read about him here--if you follow the links at the bottom of the entry, you'll get the full story.

American Air Museum, Robert Femoyer

At Rattlesden Gliding Club

2nd Lt Robert Edward Femoyer
photo courtesy of findagrave.com
American Air Museum, Robert Femoyer

The Database goes to Parham!

On Easter Sunday, I drove out to Parham. It was their first open day of the season, and I wanted to be there!  Many thanks to John Curtis and Tim Brett for making me so welcome. That's John in the photo, an enthusiastic volunteer. He, his wife, and his son all give their time to the Parham Airfield Museum. Parham/Framlingham was home to the 390th Bombardment Group.

American Museum in Britain entries

Here is what I've been doing today. I've added this memorial, the memorial in nearby St Barnabas church, and the plane, the "Lady Jane."  I've also added information to the crew. Regrettably, I can't find one of the crew members in the AAM database, so  I'll add Johnie J Jones, Flight Engineer, when I add the others I find are missing.

Lady Jane Memorial

Carlton Colville 2015

Today, in the cold and grey weather, there was a short ceremony remembering 2nd Lt. Robert Portsch and Staff Sergeant Douglas Seavert, who died when their plane crashed 70 years ago in a field near the village. It is so touching that, after all these years, the boys are still remembered.

Heavenly Body Crash

One of my Facebook readers sent this to me yesterday. Although the memorial isn't in Norfolk or Suffolk, it does commemorate a crash that involved a crew from Station 134, Brome/Eye. The "Heavenly Body" from the 490th Bomb Group. Thank you, Chris!

Chris says it is between Nailstone and Ibstock, Leicestershire. (Americans, this is pronounced Lester!). Here's the local history page from leicestershirevillages.com: Heavenly Body Crash

And a couple of other sites: Airfield Information Exchange, AAF blog

Presentation to the 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum

I was at the 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum today, to give them a copy of the Norfolk Suffolk Memorial database. The weather was gorgeous, and I was able to climb to the top of the control tower for a fantastic view of the open fields. It's an amazing thing to stand in these places, and try to imagine what would have been happening 70 years ago.

Here I am with Ron Batley, the Curator of the museum. They are a great crew of volunteers at this museum, and it's always a joy to be with them.

During my visit, Ron showed me their latest acquisition: a wooden cross which had originally marked the grave of two American Airmen in Germany. It had been in the village churchyard, and then stored for safekeeping. It's quite a story--from the crash, to what happened to the crew, right up to last year, when the cross was brought here with the help of the American Air Force.

Inside Mildenhall story

Aviation Trails Story