The 394^th BG Remembered at Boreham

The annual Remembrance Sunday service was held at the Boreham airfield roadside memorial on the 12th November 2006. The service was conducted by the Reverend John Mann who, in his address, recalled seeing the aircraft as a young boy from his home in 1944, and hearing the thunder of the engines of the Group’s Marauders leaving and returning from missions.  Eric Probert laid a wreath on behalf of the 394th BG Association. After the 2 minutes silence, Christine Horton, a Lay Reader from Boreham Church, lead the prayers which included the following prayer from Gene Sidwell, President of the 394th Bomb Group Association and a former Operations Officer with the Group here at Boreham in 1944, whose granddaughter has just returned safely from a tour of duty in Iraq as a helicopter pilot.

"Almighty God, we invoke a blessing upon this occasion.  Make us aware of the deeper significance of this meeting as we remember those members of the 394th Bombardment Group who gave their lives during World War II in their willingness to serve and strive for unity and peace with all men of good will.  Their success in war has allowed both of our nations to continue in peace to believe in the worth and dignity of the individual, the rule of law, basic human rights, free speech, free press and numerous other liberties." (*)

The Guard of Honour was provided by the Air Training Corps 276 Squadron (Chelmsford) who are seen in in the photograph in front of the memorial with the 394th BG Association wreath and the Rev. John Mann and Christine Horton. Other “friends” of the Association who attended were Tony Fewell and Brian Targrass, and the helicopter of the Essex Police Air Support Unit provided a flypast.

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