Great Ashfield — 385th Bomb Group Memorials
Great Ashfield, Suffolk
Help us verify this location. This memorial's position is not yet precisely confirmed. If you have local knowledge, photographs, or documentary evidence of the exact site, we'd love to hear from you.
Photographs
Location
All Saints Church, Elmswell Road, Great Ashfield, IP31 3HQ
All Saints Church is open to visitors. The airfield gate plaque is at the church perimeter. The former airfield is now largely agricultural land.
Aircraft & Operation Details
Crew
Memorial Details
Memorial Care
PCC confirmed as maintainer of church memorials (IWM records). Airfield gate plaque has no confirmed maintainer.
Local Contacts
These local organisations are connected to this memorial and may be able to help with information or visits.
Maintains the altar/reredos and stained glass window memorials inside All Saints Church
Local remembrance and memorial support
Local authority with interest in the former airfield site
Primary custodian of the 385th BG's history; extensive photo archive at 385thbga.com
Documents the history of Great Ashfield airfield and surrounding area
US non-profit monitoring and documenting American war memorials in Europe
Further Reading
The 385th BGA maintains extensive records of the group's operations from Great Ashfield (USAAF Station 155), Suffolk. The group flew 296 combat missions between June 1943 and May 1945, losing 129 B-17s and 400+ men. Notable operations include targets across Germany, France, and occupied Europe. Their final sorties were humanitarian food drops over Holland in Operation Chowhound, May 1945.
296 missions; 129 aircraft lost; 400+ killed; Glenn Miller performed at the base on reaching 200 missions; last missions were food drops over Holland (Operation Chowhound)
Local history documentation of the Great Ashfield airfield and its connection with the 385th Bomb Group. The airfield was sold off in 1955 after the war. Some deteriorated wartime buildings remain on what is now largely agricultural land.
Airfield sold 1955; some wartime structures remain
Sources
- IWM War Memorials Register — WMR-4673 (altar/reredos)(iwm_wmr)
- IWM War Memorials Register — WMR-4674 (gate plaque)(iwm_wmr)
- IWM War Memorials Register — WMR-4676 (stained glass window)(iwm_wmr)
- 385th Bomb Group Association(association_website)
- American Air Museum in Britain(website)
- Suffolk Heritage Explorer — MSF24399(heritage_register)
Credits & Acknowledgements
Nearby Memorials
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