A Return To Parham And To Station 153By When a man reaches the eighth decade of his life and is granted an opportunity of returning to the most exciting place of his young years, emotions flow like a river. I was barely 19 years of age when reaching Station 153 near Parham, England. My mark of distinction, if one wishes to call it that, was being a ball turret gunner on a B-l7 Flying Fortress. The 390th Bomb Group airbase with four bomber squadrons dominated my attention. But, I could step aside from the duties of war when observing farmers tilling the nearby fields and hearing the bells of the Parham Church. Now, so many years later, I returned once again to hear the bells of St. Mary The Virgin Church and permit distant memories to piece together the scattered remains of our WWII base. Our base is now quiet. The roar of engines no longer fills the air, and young American flyers who once dashed to and fro on bicycles and jeeps are absent from the roadways. The airfield runways are now planted in crops by Peter Kindred whose father, Percy Kindred, farmed the land before our war-time base carved out a large piece of his farm. My return accompanied Bill Pennebaker and Richard Drain who flew with our 390th Group. Our purpose was to represent our Group in the dedication ceremony of the restored bells of St. Mary The Virgin Church. Local citizens, after a great effort, have restored the bells that hung “dead” in their medieval frames for half a century. A measure of support was given by members of the 390th Group and included a new bell dedicated to those who served at our local airbase.
The Church of St. Mary has a rich and long history dating to the 1300s and the church bells have been an important part of that history. Words fail me in an attempt to relate the wonder and meaning when hearing those centuries-old bells ring once again. May these bells ring throughout the distant centuries to carry forth the message that Christ lives and to welcome the faithful to worship. The July 2, 2006 service of celebration to mark the dedication of the Parham Bells was beautiful and encased in deep meaning. As the bells rang out, one could almost feel the presence of the great numbers of generations that have been present in this church down through the ages, including young Americans who served in the cause of freedom. Emotionally, I found it difficult to fulfill my obligation of reading the 44th Chapter of Ecclesiastics (verses 1-15) that emphasized the value of those who have preceded us. Much history and so many memories. I wish every member of the 390th Bomb Group could have been present as The Reverend Cannon Harry Edwards, Rector of St. Mary, so ably expressed the significance of the bells and the role of the 390th Group. It was a fairyland setting and an equally intriguing story. The centuries-old stone church nestled at the edge of a historic village inhabited with ladies and gentlemen, rang out the blended tones of old and new bells - some from the 1300s and others recently added, including one inscribed with a remembrance of those who served with the 390 Bomb Group in WWII. In this way the 670 young American men who gave their lives for freedom will be honored and remembered. Sheep grazing in nearby fields and pigeons cooing in the distance added to this scene of tranquility in a high tech world. May it never change but continue to inspire God’s children down through the ages. It seems that Bill, Richard, and I had an opportunity at the bells dedication social to meet almost everyone of the large gathering, including various members of the bells project - Adam and Susan Paul, Simon and Audrey Cottrell, Martin and Angela Riley, and Peter and Kath Kindred. We were in awe of these gracious and humble folks who represented so much history and tradition.
An interesting incident occurred during the bells dedication social. Lord Mark Marlesford and I were visiting and he mentioned a situation that occurred during WWII. A bear owned by one of our 390th members had gotten into the beehives of his grandmother and ate all the honey. Of course, this had to be Bill Pennebaker’s bear that had been described in earlier stories. I replied that perhaps he would wish to file a claim, and I would be pleased to introduce him to the bear’s owner. This brought an interesting conversation between Bill and Lord Marlesford. How interesting that after more than 60 years the story of an American bear and an English Lady was brought to a conclusion.
Preceding the Sunday evening bells dedication service were three days to be remembered with gratitude and thanks. Bill, Richard and I are deeply grateful for the special hospitality shown us during our few days in a land of exceptional beauty and friendly people. The Kindreds (Peter and Tom) transported us to and from the Heathrow Airport in London and we cannot begin to adequately express our thanks for this contribution to our memorable visit. Our evenings in the homes of the Kindreds and the Rileys were a most enjoyable experience. My host, Martin and Angela Riley, could not have been more gracious. This was a memorable visit in the homes of very special people. We found the 390th Bomb Group control tower and related museum in top shape and manned by Mick Tipple and his energetic and friendly crew. We were hosted by the museum volunteers to a tasty and pleasurable lunch prepared by Kath Kindred, Greta Tipple and other members of the museum family. There was a contagious spirit of enthusiasm among the volunteers at the museum. This place brings back many memories, and I take great pleasure in seeing how well everything is being maintained and enhanced. On Saturday, Bill, Richard, and I, along with Reverend Harry Edwards, were hosted by Simon Cottrell, a key member of the Parham Bells committee, to a delightful lunch of fish and chips at the Crown Inn. Lunch was followed by a Fete at Parham Hall, the home of Adam and Susan Paul. They were gracious hosts and showed us their exceptional flower and vegetable gardens. Their one-half- acre walled vegetable garden was the finest I have seen at a private home. On Saturday evening, Martin and Angela Riley hosted Bill, Richard and I along with the Cottrells, and Kindreds to a lovely dinner at their home. This return to Parham and to Station 153 where I served so long ago has been a highlight of my late years. Our gracious English hosts made it so. Norm |
