Parham Airfield Museum

Parham Airfield Museum is a museum in Framlingham in Suffolk, England. The airfied was named after the village of Parham famously linked to the Aldeburgh poet George Crabbe.

The museum comprises the 390th Bombardment Group Memorial Air Museum and the Museum of the British Resistance Organisation operating under one Management Committee. It's continued existence relies on volunteer support and donations to help with maintenance necessary to ensure continued preservation of the building and it's contents.

After the War in Europe, runways were broken up and buildings were allowed to dilapidate and, when not pulled apart, were used for farm storage. Among them was the Control Tower, shot up and abandoned after the Americans held a riotous farewell party there in August 1945, Framlingham Station 153, as the 390th bomb group knew the airfield now stood neglected, windowless and derelict.

In 1976 it was then that a small band of determined enthusiasts decided to restore the decaying building as a museum in tribute to the endeavours of the 390th Bomb Group, 8th U.S Army Air Force and other Allied airmen operating from bases throughout East Angla, during the Second World War.

A five year restoration programme began, using volunteer labour and funded from their own resources and the Tower was finally dedicated as the 390th Bombardment Group Memorial Air Museum of the USAAF on 13th May 1981 and, since then, has remained in active contact with, and received steadfast support, from, US veterans, their relatives, supporters and Friends.

The Museum of the British Resistance Organisation was created in 1997, with the opening ceremony being carried out by Lieutenant Colonel J.W. Stuart Edmundsun, TD, RE, one of the founders of the nondescript ‘Most Secret’ GHQ.

Auxiliary Units, as they were officially known. The ‘Auxunits’ were one of Britain’s nine secret services of World War II, alongside better known clandestine organisations such as the Security Service (MI5), the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), and the Special Operations Executive.

External References

* [http://www.bottesfordhistory.org.uk/page_id__146_path__0p3p67p.aspx Parham] — Bottesford DC