Posted By Kevin M. Pearson on July 05, 2007 at 06:48:37:
In Reply to: how to travel to Deopham Green posted by Karen Cotter on July 04, 2007 at 17:32:33:
Hi Karen: It’s been over ten years since I was at Deopham Green, but it is relatively close to Cambridge -- about an hour by car.
The A-11 motorway runs right by Deopham Green. I would buy an Ordinance Survey Map 1:50,000 of this part of England. These are very detailed maps and if just 25 feet of runway are still left at an old airfield, it will be listed on the map. All building, too, are listed on these maps. You can also get free OSMs on-line at http://getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getamap/frames.htm
Here are two contacts for Deopham Green:
Martin J. Jeffery Thornwood Great Ellington Attleborough, Northants NR17 2NE United Kingdom
United States Contact: Gene Hoffman
200 Nieto Ave.
Long Beach, CA 90803-5508
Phone: 562.438.7138
Web page: http://www.missingplanes.com/ (Two miles north of Attleborough. Ag land. Artwork with “Robin Hood” theme – bomb group motto – in Norfolk County Council building on premises of airfield.)
Martin was listed as the Friends of the Eighth (FOTE) contact a few years ago. These Brits help folks like us tour the old stations. I would look Martin up and see if he would be willing to meet with you (maybe even pick you up in Cambridge) and tour you around the old station, which is now an RAF base. Gene is or was the US contact and I would call him first to see if Martin is still the FOTE contact and if he is, Gene could give you his phone number
There are a couple of other 8th AF bases I would highly recommend you visit. Bassingbourn is just a few miles from Cambridge and was home to the 91st BG of Memphis Belle fame. It is now the Depot for the Queen’s Regiment, but a small group called the East Anglian Aviation Society have made a museum out of the former control tower with a lot of neat and interesting stuff. Three of the four C-2 hangars used during the war are intact, the H-Block Billets, and the Nissen huts where pilot and navigator briefings are still intact.
c/o Bassingbourn Barracks
Royston
Herts
SG8 5LX
Phone: 01763 243500
Contact Ray Jude - 01799 527932, Chris Murphy - 01763 243500
The 78th Fighter Group was based out of Duxford and this airfield is now home to the Imperial War Museum’s Aviation Section just 7 km south of Cambridge. This is a must see. The American Air Museum is located here and there are many buildings that are original and many era planes. You could easily spend a full day here.
Of course, no trip to Cambridge would be complete without a trip to Maddingly Cemetary just a few miles north and west of Cambridge. I can assure you you will not leave with a dry eye. The Chapel will move you.
While in Cambridge, please visit The Eagle Pub. When you see the ceiling and memorabilia, you will know why.
8 Bene’t Street
Cambridge CB2 3AN
Phone: 01223505020
I also recommend a visit to Thorpe Abbotts, Diss, Norfolk that was home to the 100th Bomb Group. The Tower has been restored along with a couple of buildings and there are many artifacts from the era. Contact these folks
Ron Batley, Chairman of the museum, 011.44.1379.740759
Jean Harvey – 011.44. 1379.870837
Michael Plummer – 011.44.1063.457841
Museum, weekends – 011.44.1379.740708
If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Kevin M. Pearson
Phone: 940.723.2741
Cell: 940.782.6285