My dad was based at Tibenham. He was not on an air crew, but don't know exactly what his job was. The only thing he talked about was James Stewart's humble personality. I vaguely remember him mentioning Kassel when he was talking with a friend of his. Never talked about it with me or my brothers. Thank you for the informative video.
Thank You for sharing my Dad was UK Merchant Navy crossing a perilous Atlantic I know these kind of Bombers B-24’s would often accompany them for protection until the ships used could defend themselves. They most likely saved my Dads life. Its so nice to see James Stewart come back with the other veterans he truly was just one of the lads. Thank you all who served Lest We Forget.
Thanks for keeping the history of the 445th alive. I enjoyed your book. It personalized the mission. My relative was on the lead plane. He’s an MIA case we are still trying to recover. Also when I was a kid I went up in a glider flown by another relative who flew in the war for the “other”side. He flew a Fieseler Storch on the eastern front.
Thank you for keeping the memories and history of these fliers, ground crew and airfield alive. It is not a week that goes by that I don’t think about the efforts and sacrifices my parents generation did for all of us. Cheers from Texas
I have read this book and it is excellent. Really makes u realise the bravery of all Aircrew in WW2. As a result of reading this book,i intend to visit Tibenham.
Thank you for this Eric, very interesting. I stayed at the airfield many times in the early 1980's when learning to fly gliders in the summer months. I too found the history of the base fascinating (my father was in the RAF at the same time - although mostly in India/Burma), and went on many walks around the surrounding peri-tracks, looking for signs of the original buildings. I too had heard stories about the terrible loss the base suffered on one particular raid, but did not know the detail until listening to your video here, thank you and i will look out for your book. As an aside, on one of my visits (weekly holiday there), a few of us went to Norwich one night, but I was staying at the local pub, so was dropped off on one of the peri-tracks at about 11.30pm, to walk the mile or so off the base to the local village. It was only in the complete darkness you realise how large those peri-tracks and runways are, and I soon got disorientated and lost! It took me over an hour in the darkness to find my way . . . and it was difficult not to think about all the brave men that lost their lives there.
Thanks for this video. I learned a few moments ago after scouring the internet that my deceased uncle, who was Killed In Action on 3/20/1945, was assigned to the 701 Bombardment Squadron, 445th Bombardment Group, as a Sergeant. He was stationed at this base and later shot down over the North Sea or Tyrrhenian Sea. Thank you for allowing me to walk in his shoes for a brief moment.
My father was in the 703rd BS, 445th BG. Shot down 1 April, 1944, with half the crew killed. My father ended up in Stalag 17 for 13 months, before the guards started marching the POWs west, towards Patton and away from the approaching Russians advancing from the east.
Minor correction: My dad, mom and I visited in the spring of 1968 and the glider club was already there. In fact, we were told, that was the only reason Tibenham was spared. Most of the other airbases had been taken down, the concrete hard stands were broken up and used as riprap in road and harbor construction. My dad was a tail gunner and waist gunner on a B-24, got there in the fall of 1944. Story he was told was that Jimmy Stewart was caught sneaking onto bombing missions and the brass moved him to London because they were afraid he'd get shot down and Hitler would parade him through Berlin for PR reasons.
My dad was based at Tibenham.
He was not on an air crew, but don't know exactly what his job was. The only thing he talked about was James Stewart's humble personality.
I vaguely remember him mentioning Kassel when he was talking with a friend of his. Never talked about it with me or my brothers.
Thank you for the informative video.
Thank You for sharing my Dad was UK Merchant Navy crossing a perilous Atlantic I know these kind of Bombers B-24’s would often accompany them for protection until the ships used could defend themselves. They most likely saved my Dads life. Its so nice to see James Stewart come back with the other veterans he truly was just one of the lads. Thank you all who served Lest We Forget.
Thank you for this video. My father was there and serviced his time there. He never talked about what happened there. LT William James Luce.
Thanks for keeping the history of the 445th alive.
I enjoyed your book. It personalized the mission.
My relative was on the lead plane. He’s an MIA case we are still trying to recover.
Also when I was a kid I went up in a glider flown by another relative who flew in the war for the “other”side. He flew a Fieseler Storch on the eastern front.
Thank you for keeping the memories and history of these fliers, ground crew and airfield alive. It is not a week that goes by that I don’t think about the efforts and sacrifices my parents generation did for all of us. Cheers from Texas
I have read this book and it is excellent. Really makes u realise the bravery of all Aircrew in WW2.
As a result of reading this book,i intend to visit Tibenham.
Unbelievable, humbling, staggering bravery and loss.
Great stuff - thank you Eric. Much respect to these young men who faught and died for our freedom.
Thank you for this Eric, very interesting. I stayed at the airfield many times in the early 1980's when learning to fly gliders in the summer months. I too found the history of the base fascinating (my father was in the RAF at the same time - although mostly in India/Burma), and went on many walks around the surrounding peri-tracks, looking for signs of the original buildings. I too had heard stories about the terrible loss the base suffered on one particular raid, but did not know the detail until listening to your video here, thank you and i will look out for your book.
As an aside, on one of my visits (weekly holiday there), a few of us went to Norwich one night, but I was staying at the local pub, so was dropped off on one of the peri-tracks at about 11.30pm, to walk the mile or so off the base to the local village. It was only in the complete darkness you realise how large those peri-tracks and runways are, and I soon got disorientated and lost! It took me over an hour in the darkness to find my way . . . and it was difficult not to think about all the brave men that lost their lives there.
Thanks for this video. I learned a few moments ago after scouring the internet that my deceased uncle, who was Killed In Action on 3/20/1945, was assigned to the 701 Bombardment Squadron, 445th Bombardment Group, as a Sergeant. He was stationed at this base and later shot down over the North Sea or Tyrrhenian Sea. Thank you for allowing me to walk in his shoes for a brief moment.
what was his name ? I can probably give you more info.
@@ngcchairman3888 His name was Sgt. George V. McGuiness.
Enjoyed that thanks. Wish I'd seen these bases while they were more intact in the 70s.
My father was in the 703rd BS, 445th BG.
Shot down 1 April, 1944, with half the crew killed.
My father ended up in Stalag 17 for 13 months, before the guards started marching the POWs west, towards Patton and away from the approaching Russians advancing from the east.
Minor correction: My dad, mom and I visited in the spring of 1968 and the glider club was already there. In fact, we were told, that was the only reason Tibenham was spared. Most of the other airbases had been taken down, the concrete hard stands were broken up and used as riprap in road and harbor construction. My dad was a tail gunner and waist gunner on a B-24, got there in the fall of 1944. Story he was told was that Jimmy Stewart was caught sneaking onto bombing missions and the brass moved him to London because they were afraid he'd get shot down and Hitler would parade him through Berlin for PR reasons.
Excellent speaking voice very interesting topic thanks
My first ever flight was out of Tibenham 😊
Thank you for this . I’ve just started gliding at Tibenham.
very interesting and well put together
Very interesting. Thank you for posting.
Well done... Thanks so much...
Very informative. Thank you.
Fascinating and so sad.
Brilliant piece of history is there anything left of the base today 🙏🤲🤝R.I.P to all who lost there lives in action and in service 🙏🤝
Cool
Do you tell the story of the attack on the control tower by "The buzzing twins" in your history talks?
Not heard that story do you have a copy of it somewhere?
The incident is highlighted in chapter 12 of Starr Smith's book on Jimmy Stewart.
@@simontillman3463 thanks I have the book I had forgotten about it
If you only had two crews to a hut where did the majority of the 3000 personal live and sleep ?