The village of Grafton Underwood was a place of intense activity during World War II specifically between 1943 and 1945. There was an airbase there that covered approximately 500 acres and housed up to 3,000 Air Force personnel. Our 92 year old friend, Jim Sweeney, flew B-17s out of Grafton Underwood. The photo at the top is a memorial to the 384th Bombardment Group, Jim's group. We also went to St. James Church dating back to the 12th century that has a stained glass window commemorating the 384th Bombardment Group. We carried an old photo of Jim and showed it to the people of Grafton Underwood. They were all very kind and had great respect for our armed forces. We went to lunch near Grafton Underwood and found a poster which was identical to the placard below. We then went to Kettering to the Tourist Bureau and were able to purchase one for Jim. We think he will be pleased. It was a very emotional visit and a moving tribute to the brave men and women who fought for freedom. The village also has an official crossing for ducks! Some place special!
2 comments:
Thank you for sending me the link. I haven't been here, and yet it isn't far from where we live, so I will make sure we do. Isn't that window beautiful.
We owe so much to people like Jim. I just cannot begin to imagine how terrible it was for them. I hope he enjoyed his poster.
I forgot to mention to you that Jim passed away this year and yes, he loved the poster that we gave him and he was very touched that we went and took photos for him. They are all special people. Hope you do get to Grafton Underwood. The stained glass window is wonderful and the whole village is very special. You are lucky to live in England. It's a special place for us.
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