America in Suffolk

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America in Suffolk

American aircraft For several years from 1942 America was in Suffolk. Airfields sprung up all over Eastern England, 19 in Suffolk alone. Every day the sky seemed full of aircraft. Young Americans were brought together with rural communities in England, members of both groups having rarely travelled abroad or seen a foreigner before.

The heroism and sacrifices of those young men are remembered to this day, as are the friendships that grew up and which have endured. A number of wartime associations have been established in our area in their honour.

On this page you can find out about the former USAAF bases in this area, discover what is there now, and learn how the bases and their crews are commemorated.

There are exhibits and memorials at several bases which bring back memories of those days and trace their impact on the local communities, and vice versa.

Roase garden in the Abbey Gardens, Bury St Edmunds One man who particularly responded to the opportunities afforded by being stationed in rural England was Technical Sargeant John Appleby. Based at Lavenham and Thorpe Abbotts in 1945, he spent his leisure time exploring the area by bicycle and grew to love it. He recorded his memories in the book Suffolk Summer which is still in print to this day. His book is a record of the trials and enjoyment of brass rubbing in the Churches of Suffolk, and the friends he made in and around Bury St Edmunds. The book and a trail leaflet reproducing John Appleby's rides around Suffolk are available from the Tourist Information Centre and Park Keepers Hut in the Abbey Gardens.

During the Second World War an American Forces Chaplain frequently preached in the Cathedral and St Mary's Church in Bury St Edmunds. He told local people about a new church which was to be built in San Morino, California and was to be dedicated to St Edmund.

The borough council sent a piece of stone from the Abbey ruins, suitably inscribed, together with two carved pieces of stone to be incorporated into the new church. Its first service, which concluded with the Corner Stone Laying ceremony took place on 15 June 1952.

USAAF Airbases in Suffolk and North Essex
Location	What is there now
Bungay (built at Flixton) 310th and 446th Bomb Group	Ross Poultry Farm Memorial plaque on church gates and Roll of Honour plaque in Community Centre. Material in Flixton Aviation Museum.
Bury St Edmunds (built at Rougham) 47th, 322nd and 94th Bomb Group	Light industrial estate. Control tower museum. Memorial rose garden in Abbey Gardens, Bury St Edmunds donated by Sgt. John Appleby. In the rose garden - 94th Bomb Group Memorial, metal seat made from B17 wing, wooden seat dedicated by 94th BGA. Plaque in Mayor's Parlour 94th Bomb Group Memorial Association
Debach (4m NW Woodbridge) 493rd Bomb Group	Agricultural land. Flag and plaque in Clopton Church. Stone memorial at original 493BG HQ location. Control tower, several buildings and parts of runways still exist. Plans to turn control tower into museum.
Debden (Near Haverhill) 4th Fighter Group	Army base: Carver Barracks.
Eye 490th Bomb Group	Light industry and agricultural land. Much of the runway and hardstanding areas are still intact. Memorial in Brome village.
Framlingham (built in Parham and Great Glemham) 95th and 390th Bomb Group	Agricultural land. Hangar. Control tower museum.
Gt Ashfield (10m ENE Bury St Edmunds) 385th Bomb Group	Agricultural land. Memorial plaque and stone in Gt Ashfield churchyard. Memorial nave and Book of Remembrance in church.
Halesworth 56th Fighter Group, later 489th Bomb Group, 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron & 496th Fighter Training Group	Turkey farm and agricultural land. Memorials on airfield and in Holton Church.
Honington (10m NE Bury St Edmunds) 364th Fighter Group and Air Depot - 1st S.A.D.	Operational RAF Station. Memorial at Airfield. Seat in Rose Garden, Bury St Edmunds. Plaque in Mayor's Parlour.
Horham (7m SE Diss) 47th, 323rd and 95th Bomb Group	Agricultural land and mushroom farm. Memorial in village. Flag in Stradbroke Church.
Knettishall (10m NE Bury St Edmunds) 388th Bomb Group	Agricultural land. Hangar and a few buildings still remain. Memorial stone at old entrance, Coney Weston. 388th Bomb Group Association
Lavenham (8m S Bury St Edmunds) 487th Bomb Group	Agricultural land. Control tower still stands. Plaques in town square, within church and at Swan Hotel.
Leiston (4m E Saxmundham) 358th and 357th Fighter Group	The airfield site is now owned by the Cakes and Ale Holiday Park. A memorial to the Yoxford Boys' can be seen in reception. For more information visit the Friends of Leiston Arifield website
Martlesham Heath (4m NE Ipswich) 356th Fighter Group	New village and telecommunications research station. Famous RAF base in Battle of Britain. Control tower still stands.
Mendlesham (6m NE Stowmarket) 34th Bomb Group	Television transmitter, light industry and agricultural land. Memorial on A140 roadside.
Metfield (5m NW Halesworth) 353th Fighter Group and 491st Bomb Group	Agricultural land. Memorial wall.
Rattlesden (6m E Bury St Edmunds) 322nd(part) and 447th Bomb Group	Agricultural land, flying/gliding club. Hangar and control tower still stand. Memorial stone on airfield. BG plaque in Rattlesden church. 447th Bomb Group Association
Raydon (3m SE Hadleigh) 357th, 358th and 353rd Fighter Group	Agricultural land. Hangar and few buildings still remain. New church doors as memorial.
Ridgewell (5m SE Haverhill) 381st Bomb Group	Agricultural land. Plaque at the old gate. Few buildings remain.
Sudbury 486th Bomb Group	Agricultural land. Plaque on Sudbury Town Hall. Memorial stones at church and on airfield.
Little Walden 409th Light Bomb Group, 361st Fighter Group, 493rd Bomb Group	Light engineering units. Runways still remain.
Wattisham (10m SE Bury St Edmunds) 68th Observation Group, 479th Fighter Group and Air Depot	Operational Army Air Corps base. Plaque in HQ building. Museum in 1944 Romney hut. Open Sundays April to October, weekdays by appointment. Tel. +44 (0)1449 728940.
Note on post war bases:	There are currently two USAF bases in Suffolk, at Mildenhall and Lakenheath, both approximately 11 miles from Bury St Edmunds. These bases were however not used by US forces during World War Two. There were also post war bases at Woodbridge and Bentwaters but these are no longer operational. Information on local post war bases is available on Lakenheath, Mildenhall, Shepherds Grove, and Tuddenham.

More information on the wider history of the work of the USAAF and USAFE with particular reference to Britain and Suffolk can be found under the following headings: