大象传媒

On 26th August 1944, two Flying Fortress Aircraft belonging to the 390th Bombardment Group (H) of the U.S. Army Airforce based at PARHAM Airfield near Framlingham in Suffolk, were on the way to destroy enemy defences around the Port of Brest. The 2 Aircraft collided and crashed at the hamlet of Friends Green near the village of WESTON north Hertfordshire. This is my personal memory of that day.

I was 13 years old and although the war had started 5 years previously it had not affected me very much. Admittedly my father had been called up for the Army and as far as I was concerned, sent miles away. Subsequently I realised he was posted at the most 30 miles, but it seemed a long way to me.

However, due to ill health my father was soon discharged and life continued as normal, he returned to his job as Gardener at Weston Manor. We did have evacuees living with us, but to me this was a bonus as I had lots more children to play with, but looking back I am not sure my mother would agree, as she already had myself, my baby sister and my Grandfather to look after.

On the morning of 26th August 1944 I was setting off for my Saturday morning job helping our local baker Mr Blaxill, to deliver bread around the village. Shutting the door and walking down our garden path I was watching the formation of planes overhead when I saw them collide. This all happened nearly 60 years ago but to me it is still a vivid picture in my head that I will never forget. As the parachutes were falling to the ground the debris from the planes were setting them and the poor airmen alight. My screaming bought my family outside and when we realised where the planes and bombs were falling we suddenly remembered that my Grandfather had earlier left to go mushrooming. Realising he would be in the direction of the falling planes, my father hurriedly cycled off to look for him.

When they returned a good while later my Grandfather told us that he had indeed been in a field close to the crash, It appears that he jumped into the nearest ditch and had waited until all the banging stopped. He then proceeded to continue his hunt for mushrooms and when my father had found him he could not understand what all the fuss was about.

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