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| 4 miles North East of Mattishall at Frans Green are
the remains of some World War II air fields. Its hard
to imagine how it must have been during those dark and
troubled times. The landing strips have now all been
swallowed up by farming and local businesses. Chicken
and turkey sheds now cover must of them and the hangers
are now barns or out-houses. Long gone are the sounds
of a military presence. This was the home of the United
States of America 466th Bomber Group although recorded
as 'stationed at Attlebridge'. |
| Below is a photo of the Memorial dedicated to those
of the USAAF 466th Bomber Command who served there. |
| If you have trouble reading the
inscription then see the copy below.... |
| SITE
OF UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCE STATION 120 |
| ATTLEBRIDGE
AIRFIELD MARCH 1944 - JULY 1945 |
| FROM THIS
BASE THE 466th BOMBER GROUP (H) A UNIT OF THE |
| EIGHTH AIR
FORCE SECOND AIR DIVISION, FLEW 231 COMBAT |
| MISSIONS
IN B-24 "LIBERATOR" AIRCRAFT. THE
AIR OFFENSIVE |
| WAS OVER
THE CONTINENT; NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, |
| RHINELAND,
ARDENNES-ALSACE AND CENTRAL EUROPE. |
| THIS MEMORIAL
WAS DEDICATED 12th JUNE 1992 |
| IN MEMORY
OF THOSE WHO SERVED |
|
| This site opened as a grass field satellite of Swanton
Morley in June 1941. It has been the base and home to
many Squadrons both British and American, the first
being the 88 Squadron who flew their Blenheims on their
first mission in August 1941 aiding 2 Group from Swanton
Morley in their anti-shipping campaign. They flew their
last Blenheim operation on October 26th 1941 with very
low level flying on a 4,000-ton motor vessel with four
other merchant ships guarded by three flak ships off
the Hague. |
The Blenheims were replaced by Bostons in November
1941. The Bostons were out most days, usually fighter-escorted
during Circus operations, attacking Continental targets.
In suitable weather the 88 Squadron mounted some fast,
low-level attacks on power stations. In August they
took part in the Dieppe raid. On September 30th 1942
they moved to Oulton.
They were moved because the Americans were coming. They
arrived in September 1942 when the 319th Bomb Group
moved in with the Martin Marauder in early form. They
left in November amid great secrecy.
Runway laying carried on to bring the airfield to full
station status. |
.jpg) |
An aerial view of the air-field, known
as Attlebridge, between Frans Green and Western Longville. |
| In march 1943 2 Group was further expanding. New
squadrons had to be accommodated as RAF and USAAF
clambered for airfields. No 320 Royal Netherlands
Navy Squadron was the next to occupy the base this
time with the North American Mitchell. Despite their
wish to employ Mitchells on low-level work the aeroplane
was unsuitable. In May 320 Squadron was ordered to
stop low flying over Norfolk where B-24s needed to
practice for the Ploesti raid. In June 1943 the 320
Squadron undertook to fly some deep air-sea rescue
sweeps. On August 17 1943 they flew their first bombing
mission attacking marshaling yards at Calais. On the
19th they bombed Poix airfield and on the 20th came
the Flushing raid. They moved out on the 2nd September
to Dunsford to be closer to their scene of action. |
| The airfield laid quiet again, closed for massive
extension and modification. Typhoons of the 247 Squadron
had briefly used the station in August 1943. |
| The Americans returned and in March 1994 B-24Hs of
the 466th Bomb Group arrived. The work-up was rapid,
the need urgent, and on the their first raid on March
22 1944 they went to Berlin. It was the longest initial
assault ever flown by any unit in the history of the
European Theatre and one of the heaviest bombardments
on record of the German Capital. The morning of D-Day
found them bombing gun emplacements on the Normandy
shore. They aided the breakout from St Lô and
when fuel was short in September 1944, ferried supplies
to France. From March 22 to August 9, 1944 the group
attacked 41 targets in Germany and 59 targets in occupied
continental Europe. During this period the gunners were
credited with destroying 25 enemy aircraft. The group
flew 231 combat missions with 5,693 sorties, dropping
nearly 13,000 tons of bombs. |
| The total losses for the 466th Bomber Command from
March 22, 1944 to April 25,1945 were, 333 Killed In
Action, 171 Prisoners Of War, 8 evaded 27 interred. |
| A special event took place on the afternoon of Friday
August 18 a flight of B-24 Liberators, including a red
and white zig-zag lead ship from the 466th Bomb Group
collected Major Glenn Miller and the entire American
Band of the AEF from RAF Airfield of Twinwood Farm just
north of Bedford and after stopping of at Steeple Morden
near Royston (where he gave a performance for the 355th
Fighter Group and members of the 91st Bomb Group from
nearby bomber base at Bassington) they loaded their
instruments, music stands etc, on board the B-24s which
flew them to their home base Attlebridge (actually sited
between Frans Green and Western Longville). |
| Glenn Miller and the band along with special guests
Rudy Starita's Orchestra and Hollywood film star Col.
James Stewart, performed in the Northern Hanger. Among
the numbers played were 'In the Mood' and many other
hits. This concert was a 100-mission party for officers
and enlisted personnel and was attended by 10,000
from this base and others in the area. The band stayed
overnight on the base and Glenn retired to the Officers
Mess where he was asked by a Capt. John Woolnough
if he could have his photograph taken with him to
send to his brother who was a great fan of the band.
So that there would be no other requests Glenn Miller
agreed provided the picture could be taken somewhere
out of the limelight. The only room they could fine
unlocked was the toilet, its was reported that Miller
was much amused by this and this turned out to be
a unique picture of Miller and Woolnough taken by
Sergeant Russell Clements. |
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A lot of the wartime buildings remain
and have been converted into out buildings.This one
is on the site of the Old Headquarters and Briefing
Rooms. |
| © Ray Taylor |
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