Long Reach or Down to Earth?

On Thursday 4th July 2013 I attended the Long Reach or Down to Earth? talk by Dr. Graham Cross at the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library. This was the third in a series of talks to celebrate 50 years of The 2nd Air Division Memorial Library. This event was about the importance of 8th Air Force Fighters during World War Two.

The Memorial Library is a unique “living memorial” to nearly 7,000 young Americans in the 2nd Air Division of the US 8th Air Force who lost their lives during the Second World War. Located in the landmark Forum building in the centre of Norwich, the Library have a lending collection of over 4,000 books covering all aspects of American life and culture, and a specialist collection devoted to the history of the 2nd Air Division.

These talks have been a fantastic way to celebrate 50 years of The 2nd Air Division Memorial Library. This was another interesting talk as Dr. Graham Cross told us about the use and tactics of 8th Air Force Fighters during World War Two. VIII Fighter Command was the fighter arm of the Eighth Air Force during World War Two. Its primary mission was to escort the heavy bombers of VIII Bomber Command to their targets in Occupied Europe, providing protection against Luftwaffe interceptors.

From Here Lincoln Came

On Wednesday 19th June 2013 I attended the From Here Lincoln Came: Abraham Lincoln in East Anglia, 1809-2009 talk by Dr Sam Edwards at the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library. This was the second of three talks celebrating the 50th anniversary of the opening of The 2nd Air Division Memorial Library.

The Memorial Library makes available for loan current material covering all aspects of American history, culture, and life. It also includes some specialised material about the Second World War in the air, and material about the special relationship between the people of the United Kingdom, specifically the people of East Anglia, and the people of the United States.

This talk by Dr Sam Edwards from Manchester Metropolitan University was about Abraham Lincoln's links with East Anglia and celebrating his English ancestry. The great, great, great, great, great, great-grandfather of Abraham Lincoln was Richard Lincoln, a resident of Swanton Morley. His son Edward lived in Hingham and due to a family squabble was disinherited. Edward's son Samuel Lincoln was an apprentice weaver before leaving for the New World in 1637.

Dr Sam Edwards told us of attempts to link Abraham Lincoln to his English roots as part of transatlantic politics. There is bust of Abraham Lincoln in St. Andrew's Parish Church of Hingham in Norfolk. This was a very interesting talk at the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library which highlighted the Great Emancipator's East Anglian ancestry.

Finding Fallen Eagles talk by Ian McLachlan

On Wednesday 12th June 2013 I attended the Finding Fallen Eagles talk by Ian McLachlan at the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library. This was the first of three talks celebrating the 50th anniversary of the opening of The 2nd Air Division Memorial Library.

The Memorial Library makes available for loan current material covering all aspects of American history, culture, and life. It also includes some specialised material about the Second World War in the air, and material about the special relationship between the people of the United Kingdom, specifically the people of East Anglia, and the people of the United States.

The Finding Fallen Eagles talk was about the aviation archaeology of US aircraft lost in Norfolk during World War Two. Ian McLachlan is a renowned aviation historian and author who gave us an account of the excavation of the sites as well as details behind the causes of the crashes. He took us through the process of documenting a site, from the initial research to placing the artifacts in museums. He told us about the trials of gaining permission from land owners and the Ministry of Defence as well as dealing with difficult excavation environments.

From these aircraft excavations Ian McLachlan has been able to give us a detailed account of these incidents as well as the people involved therefore we were able to learn about those involved and aspects about their lives. We also heard about his experiences when one of his excavations was featured on Time Team on Channel 4. In February 1944 two American 'Flying Fortresses' crashed into each other only a few miles from their home base, on their way back from a bombing raid over Germany. One of the aircraft tumbled into a marsh at Reedham, Norfolk killing all ten of the crew and gradually became buried in the peat.

This was a very interesting talk by Ian McLachlan at the Norfolk and Norwich Library which was fully booked as the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library celebrated 50 years in the fine city of Norwich. This Autumn Ian McLachlan will be presenting an exciting eight week course called The Friendly Invasion: The US Army Air Force in East Anglia at the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library.

Great American Poems Evening at The Forum

On Tuesday 16th April 2013 I attended the Great American Poems evening at the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library at the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library. This was a night of readings and presentations by scholars from the University of East Anglia. This was a free event for the poetry lovers of Norfolk.

The Memorial Library is a unique “living memorial” to nearly 7,000 young Americans in the 2nd Air Division of the US 8th Air Force who lost their lives during the Second World War. Located in the landmark Forum building in the centre of Norwich, the Library have a lending collection of over 4,000 books covering all aspects of American life and culture, and a specialist collection devoted to the history of the 2nd Air Division.

The wonderful poems chosen for the evening were ‘Safe in their alabaster chambers’ by Emily Dickinson, presented by Kate Anderson. ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost, presented by Philip Wilson. ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’ by T.S. Eliot, presented by Gareth Jones. ‘If We Must Die’ by Claude McKay, presented by Christopher Astwood and ‘I Am Vertical’ by Sylvia Plath, presented by Silvia Panizza.

This was an stimulating and interesting event at the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library which gave us a diverse selection of American poems to enjoy. Safe in their Alabaster Chambers, untouched by morning and untouched by noon. This is Emily Dickinson brilliance and my favourite poem of the five presented at The Forum.