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The 3rd Edition of the USAAF Station 526
Prior to D-Day, the USAAF 416th Bomber
Group at Wethersfield was instrumental in the preparation
for the invasion of Europe and mostly targeted German Coastal
Defences, V-1 Launch Sites, Airfields and Marshalling Yards.
The 416th flew two missions on D-Day to support the Allied
Expeditionary Forces who secured their beachhead and began
their drive towards Germany, the Group's primary role became
one of tactical support for the advancing ground troops.
But are you aware that Wethersfield and all other all USAAF
airfields in Essex and South Suffolk were replenished with
Bomber and Fighter Munitions stored at Bures.
The Bures Forward Ammunition Depot (FAD) was
the largest of the three based in East Anglia.
(1) Bures, Essex (2) Earsham, Norfolk (3) Barnham Nr Thetford,
Suffolk.
From 2014 to 2021, I conducted extensive research
into the history of the United States Army Air Force in Bures,
during the years 1943 to 1945.
During this period, the USAAF initially commandeered all the
land surrounding Butlers Farm along the Earls Colne road,
then later the Minor roads and country lanes to store large
quantities of bombs and other munitions, which were then transported
to airfields in Essex and South Suffolk.
The munitions were primarily transported to Chappel by train
from Liverpool and Immingham Docks.
The trains never stopped at Bures to offload their wagons,
due to the high risk of attracting attention to the adjacent
Ammunition Depot. They
continued to Chappel which was not ideal, as the Luftwaffe
made numerous attempts to destroy the Viaduct and Fuel store
at the Station.
Upon reaching Chappel,
the munitions were either loaded onto waiting lorries for dispersal
to the Bures Forward Ammunition Depot or transported via the
local Halstead branch line to be stored at Earls Colne and White
Colne sidings.
Efficiency dictated that the Essex airfields were primarily
serviced from the Earls Colne yard, rather than traveling to
the Bures Depot.
Surprisingly, there were no official records of the Bures Munitions
Depot maintained by the UK War Department or the USAAF, with
the exception of the station number.
My research even attracted the attention of ex-servicemen in
the United States, who provided additional material.
I heavily relied on interviews with residents of Bures, Pebmarsh,
Colne Engaine, Wakes Colne, White Colne, Earls Colne, and surrounding
areas, extending as far as Braintree and Rayne. While the exact
number of individuals interviewed is unknown, it certainly exceeds
eighty.
This makes the information I have gathered unique and not available
elsewhere.
Unfortunately, most of these contributors have since passed
away, but their memories and insights continue to be invaluable.
After 15 years of extensive research, I was able to publish
a book on this unique subject in 2019.
The book has gained immense interest both domestically and in
the USA and Europe, consequently on June 1st 2024 it underwent
a 4th reprint
Rest assured, 100% of my sales have received positive feedback.
LINK
to a Trial Web Page.
LINK to "the story behind why the book
was launched"
Some
of the contributors the the research
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The
1st Ed (2019) consisted of 102 pages, the 2nd (2021) 124 pages
and finally the 3rd (2022)which has 144 pages.
This additional material was donated by followers of my research.
So that makes an additional 42 pages of new information, since
the book was first published.
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I will provide a free link on purchasing, which will enable
you to download all the updates
which have been received since the 3rd ed book was published
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