Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.
On the border of Felsham, Rattlesden and Brettenham lie the remains of a World War 2 USAF airfield that was operational between 1943 and 1945. Today it is used by a gliding club.
If you walk along Moore's Lane and look east and south you will see the original main runway and other hard areas where planes were parked. Much of the airfield has been re-claimed for agricultural use and it can be difficult to re-construct in your mind the layout of the original wartime plan, but with some effort it is possible to imagine the sight and sound of heavy bombers taking off and landing in this remote spot. It is a flat and rather exposed area but it is always interesting to see the gliders being winched up and circling the skies on a 'fluffy cloud day'.
The airfield was built in 1942 for the RAF and had three intersecting concrete runways, a perimeter track and hardstands for over fifty aircraft.
It remained without a combat unit until the 447th Bombardment Group arrived from Nebraska on 29th November 1943. The 447th was assigned a group tail code: a "Square-K" and flew its first mission on Christmas Eve 1943.
Between December 1943 - May 1944 the group was primarily engaged in preparations for the invasion by attacking submarine pens, naval units, German industrial targets, ports and V 1 sites, as well as airfields and marshalling yards. In June 1944 they gave direct support to the Normandy invasion and then the breakout at St-Lo.
They assisted in the liberation of Brest in September 1944 and made supply drops to the French resistance.
They gave general support to the airborne landings of September before, in October, resuming their part in the strategic air offensive, concentrating on oil targets until December 1944 when they took part n the Ardennes battle by bombing marshalling yards, rail bridges and communications centres in the battle zone. Then the group resumed operations against oil, transport and communications targets until the end of hostilities.
The 447th left Rattlesden in August 1945 having flown 257 missions and losing 153 aircraft
Source of information: Thanks to Nick Catford
