Grafton Underwood airbase museum dream one step closer

A project to create a museum and visitor centre at the site of a Second World War airbase near Kettering has moved one step closer thanks to the dedication of volunteers

The 384th Bomb Group was based at Grafton Underwood between 1943 and 1945 with about 4,000 personnel living and working from 'Station 106'.

To move their dream to a reality the Friends of the 384th group has set up a non-profit community bank account to enable them to take a step forward with their plans.

Work has already started clearing scrub and overgrowth from around the former Operations Block which will be used as the centrepiece of the complex.

Neill Howarth, chairman of the Friends of the 384th, said: "It has been an unbelievable last two years with everything that has been going on.

"Thankfully, Boughton Estate, who own the land and buildings, allowed pre-development site clearance by a dedicated team of volunteers to take place. This has helped to put us in a position to move forward."

Grafton Underwood airbase was built in 1941 and, in May 1942, was the first airfield in England to receive an 8th Airforce flying unit.

The airfield became home to a succession of bomb groups including the 15th, 97th, 305th and 96th before finally settling with the 384th Bomb Group who were there for a full two years.

Over the years, many US Airmen and families have made the pilgrimage back to the county to visit the Geddington Road Memorial, first erected in 1977, and the stained-glass window situated in St James the Apostle Church in Grafton Underwood.

Both memorials are dedicated to the 1,579 members of the 384th Bomb Group who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Neill said: "When you sit and think about it, the loss of 1,579 personnel in the space of two years is simply shocking. There were about 3,500 to 4,000 personnel at Grafton Underwood Station 106 - aircrews completing their tours went home but ground staff and admin stayed for more than two years.

"There is so much interest in the airfield from children and grandchildren of those who were actually there, and they love it when they can walk where their fathers and grandfathers once walked.”

Fundraising will now begin to enable the purchase the site buildings and erect a new Nissan hut on the original site of the group headquarters’ hut. This will act as a visitor’s centre while massive restoration work commences on the operations block and the Norden bombsight buildings.

This year sees the hotly anticipated release of the Spielberg / Hanks ‘Masters of the Air’ series, based on the 8th Airforce in East Anglia, which could spark even more interest in Northamptonshire's former American airbases.

Neill added: “We are desperate for the museum to happen. The Americans are incredibly patriotic and when they come over, they feel so much connection and are simply blown away by the possibility of a museum. I would like to say a huge thank you to Boughton Estates, who are generously allowing this exciting project to take place.”

The group are looking for donations and volunteers - both skilled and unskilled - who are interested in contributing to the project.

To volunteer contact Neill Howarth via ‘Friends of the 384th’ on Facebook, by FB Messenger or by emailing [email protected].

The Americans began the fight back in Europe at Grafton Underwood, launching the very first B-17 bomber raids from the site.

They were engaged in daylight bombing raids over Germany as part of the Allies’ efforts to destroy the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe by bombing aircraft assembly plants, ground strafing aircraft and hitting associated industrial sites.

The group were awarded two distinguished unit citations, the first was awarded to the 1st Bomb Division as a whole for flying without fighter protection to bomb aircraft factories at Oschersleben on January 11, 1944, the second was for bravery under fire when leading the 41st Combat wing on a mission to bomb an aircraft factory and airfield at Oberpfaffenhofen, Southern Germany on April 24, 1944.

The last bombs dropped by the 8th Airforce in East Anglia were also from aeroplanes flying from Grafton Underwood on April 25, 1945.