Places in Suffolk with historical links Masters of the Air

Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks’ Masters of the Air brings to life the true story of the American Eight Air Force, which came to be known as the Mighty Eighth.

The ten-part series is now available to watch on Apple TV, and stars Barry Keoghan, Ben Radcliffe, and Ncuti Gatwa of Doctor Who fame.

Actor Tom Hanks is one of the executive producers of Masters of the Air. Image: PA (Image: PA)Steven Spielberg is an executive producer of Masters of the Air. Image: PA (Image: PA)

During the Second World War, East Anglia became home to more than 350,000 United States Army Air Force (USAAF) personnel.

This ‘friendly invasion’ saw rural Suffolk suddenly introduced to all-American treats and culture – from chewing to gum to peanut butter, Coca Cola to jitterbugging and the music of Glenn Miller.

To this day, many places in Suffolk still show the signs of the friendships and camaraderie that sprang up between the servicemen so far from home, and the locals who welcomed them.

Which places in Suffolk have connections with Masters of the Air?

The Rose Garden was funded by royalties donated by John Tate Appleby, after the publication of his book Suffolk Summer. Image: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)

The Appleby Rose Garden in the Abbey Gardens, Bury St Edmunds

John Tate Appleby arrived in Lavenham from Arkansas in 1945, as part of the 487th Bomb Group.

Inspired by his seven months in Suffolk, Appleby penned the book Suffolk Summer.

The royalties from this were donated to fund the rose garden, as a lasting memorial to the airmen who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

The Athenaeum, Bury St Edmunds

The Athenaeum, Bury St Edmunds. (Image: Newsquest)

As John Appleby says in his book Suffolk Summer, ‘The Athenaeum Canteen made a unique contribution to the people of Bury St Edmunds and to the entertainment of the troops stationed there’.

By the time The Athenaeum Canteen was closed in 1945, almost a million and a half servicemen and women had passed through its doors.

Greene King Brewery, Bury St Edmunds

The Greene King Brewery in Bury St Edmunds. Image: Charlotte Bond (Image: Charlotte Bond)

The Greene King Brewery was kept in business during the war thanks to Academy Award winning actor Jimmy Stewart, who ordered trucks of Greene King’s lager every week for the thirsty air crews of the 453rd Bombardment Group stationed at Old Buckenham in Norfolk.

The Corn Exchange, Bury St Edmunds

The Corn Exchange was a favourite for GIs based in and around Bury St Edmunds. Image: Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)

The Corn Exchange was a favourite for GIs based in and around the town.

US service personnel would hold parties for local children, paid for out of their own pockets. The venue also held dinners for returning servicemen and on VJ Day, there was dancing until midnight.

Rougham Control Tower and Aviation Museum

Rougham Control Tower and Aviation Museum. Image: Phil Morley (Image: Phil Morley)

Originally known as RAF Bury St Edmunds, the control tower is a former RAF station, built between 1941 and 1942. The first USAAF group to use the station was the 47th Bombardment Group (Light), which arrived from North Carolina in September 1942.

The 47th was equipped with the Douglas A-20 ‘Havoc’ bomber, but the group quickly moved to RAF Horham, as Bury St. Edmunds was still under construction.

The station is now an aviation museum which houses all manner of memorabilia, including the wedding dress of British aircraft inspector Edith Miller, who married GI B17 bomber Tom Miller on May 12, 1944.

The Airmen’s Bar in The Swan at Lavenham Hotel and Spa

The Swan became the local for many servicemen stationed at RAF Lavenham. Image: Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)

Located some four miles from the former RAF Lavenham (also known as Cockfield), The Swan became the local watering hole for many servicemen.

More than 1,000 signatures adorn the walls of the Airmen’s Bar, with dedicated columns for the army, the US Eighth Air Force, the wider US Air Force and the RAF.

The Airmen's Bar, which became a popular haunt among servicemen stationed at RAF Lavenham. Image: The Hotel Folk (Image: The Hotel Folk)

Signatures of servicemen stationed at RAF Lavenham during WWII, displayed in The Airmen's Bar at The Swan at Lavenham Hotel & Spa. Image: The Hotel Folk (Image: The Hotel Folk)The record of the infamous boot challenge, on display in The Airmen's Bar at The Swan at Lavenham Hotel & Spa. Image: The Hotel Folk (Image: The Hotel Folk)

Visitors would sometimes take on the infamous boot challenge, downing the contents of a three-and-a-half pint glass boot in the quickest time. The records still hang on the bar’s wall, showing that Mick Wilson was the reigning champion in 1940 with an impressive time of 22 seconds.

James Sanders, general manager at The Swan, said: “We are so proud of our hotel’s history and the part it played for servicemen during The Friendly Invasion.

“It’s fantastic that such big names in Hollywood have decided to shine a light on our corner of the country and the difference the bomber boys made during World War II.

“We hope that this will show viewers far and wide what East Anglia has to offer.”