Memorial details

Memorial type
Wall
District
South Cambridgeshire
Town
Steeple Morden
County
Cambridgeshire
Country
England
Commemoration
Second World War (1939-1945)
Ceremony
  • Rededicated
    Date: 24th May 2003
    Attended by: HRH The Duke of Gloucester; Vice Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire; High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire; AVM The Venerable Ronald Hesketh, Chaplain in Chief RAF
  • Dedicated
    Date: May 1981
    Attended by: Unknown
  • Rededicated
    Date: May 2000
    Attended by: Lord Lieutenant of the County of Cambridgeshire; The Defence Attache from the Netherlands Embassy; ex-members of the Dutch Resistance; Veterans of the 355th Fighter Group
  • Unveiled
    Date: 24th May 2003
    Attended by: HRH The Duke of Gloucester; Vice Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire; High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire; AVM The Venerable Ronald Hesketh, Chaplain in Chief RAF
  • Show More (3)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
8425

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Current location

On roadside at the entrance to the former airfield
Steeple Morden Airfield
Litlington Road
Steeple Morden
South Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
SG8 0QL
England

OS Grid Ref: TL 30022 42443
Denomination: Undefined

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Description
Angled wall of 5 panels, with two steps across the front on which is a small separately mounted granite block from a blitzed London church. A P51 Mustang propeller is mounted as centrepoint on the wall with badges of the 355th's three squadrons, Second Air Scouting Force and the group crest depicted around it on the central panel of the memorial. Outlines of a Thunderbolt and a Mustang aircraft are depicted on the second & fourth panels respectively with lists of the group's support units. Panels 1 and 5 listing the names are newer additions to the original memorial and depict the insignia of the USAAF 8th Air Force and the RAF Bomber command above the names.
Inscription
First panel: IN MEMORIAM/ (Names)/ LEST WE FORGET Second panel: P - 47 THUNDERBOLT/ MEMORIAL/ 355TH FIGHTER GROUP/ AND/ SUPPORT UNITS/ U.S.A.A.F./ 8TH AIR FORCE/ ACTIVATED ORLANDO FL 12 NOV 42/ ARRIVED UK 6 JUL 43/ FIRST COMBAT MISSION 14 SEP 43/ LAST COMBAT MISSION 25 APR 45/ OVER 1500 E/A DAMAGED-DESTROYED/ DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION 5 APR 44/ OVER 2000 AMERICAN AIRMEN SERVED HERE/ DEDICATED 12 MAY 1981 Centre panel: 355TH/ FIGHTER GROUP Fourth panel: P-51 MUSTANG/ UNITS ASSIGNED OR ATTACHED/ AAF STATION F-122/ 355 FG HQ/ 354 FS/ 357 FS/ 358 FS/ 2 SF/ 1 SG HQ 1104 QM/ 5 SS 1181 MP/ 14 SC 1447 ORD/ 18 WS 1754 ORD/ 151 QM/ 2005 FF/ 441 ASG 2028 FF/ 641 AMS ARC/ 817 AES RAF/ 1066 SC RCAF Fifth panel: IN MEMORIAM/ (Names)/ LEST WE FORGET On granite block in front of memorial, top: THIS/ GRANITE BOULDER/ WAS PART OF THE/ CONTROL TOWER Block, front face: 355TH FIGHTER GROUP/ A.A.F. STATION 122/ STEEPLE MORDEN/ JULY 1943 - JULY 1945
Inscription legible?
yes
Commemorations
  • Second World War (1939-1945)
    Total names on memorial: 246
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 246
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Surname, rank, regiment
    Order of information: Alphabetically by surname
Components
  • Wall
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Stone - Portland
  • Stone of remembrance
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Granite
  • Plinth
    Measurements: Undefined
    Materials: Brick, Marble
Listing information
Condition
History
The existing memorial was extended in 2003 to incorporate an additional panel at each end containing the names of both American and RAF personnel who lost their lives while operating from Steeple Morden and its main base at Bassingbourn.
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Reference
  • EIGHTH AIR FORCE REMEMBERED by FOX, GEORGE H 117-118/1991 Source: Image Library NIWM Published:ISO 1991 WESTMINSTER BRIDGE ROAD, LONDON
  • Airfields of the Eighth Then and Now by Roger A Freeman. After the Battle Publications, 1978.
  • Britain's Aviation Memorials and Mementoes by David J Smith. Patrick Stephens Limited Publishers, 1992.
  • Air Mail - Journal of the Royal Air Forces Association 47/2003 Oct-Dec
  • Intercom Autumn 2003 Published: Air Crew Association
  • CAMBRIDGESHIRE AIRFIELDS IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR by SMITH, GRAHAM 206-207/1997 Source: Image Library UKNIWM Published:COUNTRYSIDE BOOKS NEWBURY

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

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© WMR-8425

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