USAF Memorial Ceremony, Grafton Underwood

COMMEMORATION

On Friday 22nd May, Northamptonshire County Council will be holding a ceremony at Grafton Underwood Aerodrome to commemorate the handing over, seventy years ago, of the base from the United States Army Air Force 384th Bomber Group back to the Royal Air Force.

The ceremony will commence at 11am with a service of remembrance, and will be followed by a flypast at 11.50am of the last airworthy Flying Fortress B17 bomber in the UK, the “Sally B”, from Duxford.

Grafton Underwood’s place in history is an important one. The first raid of the war by 8th Air Force bombers took off from Grafton Underwood on 17th August 1942 and the last raid of the war, against the tank factories in Pilsen, took off from Grafton on 25th April 1945. 316 missions were flown from the base and 1,652 personnel lost their lives.

The County Council felt that it was fitting that, seventy years on, the sacrifices of the men and women who served at Grafton should be remembered.

All residents of Grafton Underwood, Geddington and the surrounding villages are welcome to attend.

PLEASE NOTE:
Although the event starts at 11am, the road between Grafton Underwood and Geddington will be closed to traffic from 10am to 12.30pm.

Please either come to the site on foot or arrive in your car before 10am, when limited parking will be available at Acre Land Farm.
The road will not be re-opened to traffic until 12.30 pm.