Bungay Heroes

The town of Bungay is in the north of the county of Suffolk in the UK. In 1942, two miles south of the town, an airfield was constructed. Initially it was allocated to the Eighth Air Force as a bomber base and given the US Station number 125.

The field was first used in October/November 1942 by B-25C Mitchells of 428 Bomb Sqn of the 310th BG, followed on 3rd December by 329 Squadron of the 93rd BG (Ted’s Travelling Circus – named after the CO, Colonel Ted Timberlake), which flew B24 Liberators.

On 4th November 1943, the 446th BG (Heavy) arrived at Bungay. They had the motto: “Voler Venger Vaincre” – Fly Avenge Vanquish and gained the nickname “The Bungay Buckaroos”.  Commanded by Colonel Jacob J Brogger, this group had four squadrons of B-24 Liberators – the 704th, 705th, 706th and 707th. The 446th’s first mission was flown on 16th December 1943, when the target was Bremen. On returning, two B-24s crash landed on or near base and were written off. This was followed by a mission to Osnabruck on 22nd December, when the first losses were sustained over enemy territory.

Typical of the many acts of heroism performed by 446 BG pilots was that of 2nd Lt Cecil T Miller of the 704th Bomb Sqn on 24 February 1944. His crippled B-24H 42-7574 was returning from Gotha with a badly holed port wing. The crew, with the exception of the pilot, co-pilot and navigator, baled out over Flixton. These three headed for the emergency runway at nearby RAF Woodbridge, but whilst circling the airfield all four engines cut due to lack of fuel. Miller ordered the other two to jump, and veered the B-24 away from barracks before it crashed. Miller died in the crash and was subsequently posthumously awarded the Silver Star.

The 446th Group’s last raid was flown on 25th April 1945, by which time they had clocked up 273 combat missions delivering 16,800 tons of bombs. Total losses amounted to 58 aircraft in action, and 28 due to other operational causes.  The Group left for the USA in July of the same year.

After the war the airfield was gradually run down and closed in 1956. It was subsequently used by a parachute club and private aircraft. But the runways were broken up in 1984.

In 1972 half a dozen enthusiasts got together and formed the Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Society. In 1975 they opened a small museum in a Nissen hut behind Flixton Post Office which was run by a former WW2 fighter pilot.

But such was the interest bigger premises were needed. The landlord of Flixton’s local pub came to the rescue and offered two small meadows and a barn behind the pub.Today the museum boasts an impressive collection of aircraft and equipment together with displays and exhibitions of RAF units – and a world war two Nissen hut dedicated to the 446th (H) Bomb Group USAAF.

On display are uniforms, medals and badges worn and donated by members of the 446th B.G. who served at Flixton. Other artifacts include photographic displays of aircraft, engines, a B24 rear gun turret, wheel and oleo, 50 calibre machine guns and items found on the base in the 90s.

A memorial at the museum is dedicated to the memory of the 456 airmen of the 446th killed in action and to those serving at Flixton from 1943 – 1945. It was unveiled by Bill Davenport, President of the 446th. Bomb Group Association in 1993 during a Group reunion.

In the spring of 1986 a new set of oak gates were hung at St Mary’s Church, Flixton, which stands close to the old airfield. These were bought with donations from veterans of the 446th BG to replace those originally presented in 1945 by the Americans at Flixton. A small memorial plaque carries the inscription: “These gates were presented in memory of the men of the 446th Bombardment Group, USAAF, who gave their lives in the defence of freedom, 1941-1945”.