Hopefully someone reading this is local enough to be there, or passs on to people who will be. I’ve copied from Facebook so non-FBers don’t have to go there:
80th Anniversary of RAF Andrews Field
On Sunday 29th September we will be commemorating at Andrewsfield the 80th Anniversary of the airfield being handed over to the RAF. On 1 October W/Cdr S.P. Richards arrived to become the Station Commander. On 9th October 133 (Polish) Wing HQ arrived with an advance party of 129 Squadron. The following days saw the arrival of elements of 306 and 315 (Polish) Squadrons. This marked the start of the Polish Air Force presence at RAF Andrews Field. Later in 1944 and in 1945 303, 309 and 316 (Polish) Squadrons would be operating from this base.
On this day we will be remembering all who were part of those squadrons as well as their support units. A major feature of the day will be the unveiling of a granite memorial plaque which was carved by a stonemason in Poland. This plaque then made the journey to Andrewsfield, as this airfield is now known, arriving from Poland only last week. The accompanying photo is one taken on a mobile not long after the plaque arrived.
Below is an outline of the event which you are all welcome to attend.
11:00 Service at St James Church, Great Saling, postcode CM7 5GY (what3words, ‘vent.decanter.dates’) parking is available on The Street, Great Saling)
13:00 Event starts at Andrewsfield
13:00-14:30 Exhibition opens for viewing, including Polish Heritage Flight
14:30-15:00 Flypast by Spitfire Mk XVI, RW382, known as the “Suffolk Spitfire”
15:15 Unveiling of plaque ceremony
16:00 Talks in Marquee
18:00 Close
In addition there will be a Tiger Moth and a Piper Cub on display in USAAF colours. Aircraft of this type were used by the Polish Armed Forces.
The address of Andrewsfield is:
Saling Airfield, Stebbing,
Great Dunmow, Essex
CM6 3TH
Tel: 01371 856744
At this point we must thank the landowner, Robert Bucknell for the huge support which he has given to this project which remembers the Polish men and women who served on this airfield.
We also have to thank Carol Cooper, the Chief Flying Instructor at Andrewsfield Aviation Limited and Mike Rowland the airfield manager for allowing this commemorative event to take place.
We must also thank the Polish Heritage Flight and Remember The Heroes for the support they have given to the Polish projects at Andrewsfield.
Photo from IWM collection:
MH 6842 – North American Mustang
Mark IIIs of No. 309 Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron lining up for take off from Andrews Field, Essex, on a long-range bomber escort
The Polish Air Force Memorial Committee
Wish I could be there!
By: adrian_gray - 28th September 2024 at 11:22
On the USAAF side, of course, there’s “Flak Bait”. I find it startling that there’s at least 3 surviving WW2 aircraft that my Dad might have seen still extant (in varying levels of completeness) – the Cosford Dornier, will we ever see it on display, Flak Bait, and there’s a Spitfire V – maybe even AB910, that saw service at Great Sampford.
By: hypersonic - 28th September 2024 at 10:42
I’m also sorry I won’t be able to attend. Stuck at work in Wiltshire.
The thing that stands out for me is the legendary 303 Sqn, of Battle of Britain fame, who operated from there later in WWII. Having formed at RAF Northolt in 1940.
H
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September 28, 2024 at 9:18 am