£20,000 Second World War project sets out to honour legacy of American airmen

A £20,000 project looking at the impact that American airmen had on south Norfolk and the region during the Second World War has launched.

Called The Friendly Invasion (TFI) Project, the initiative hopes to showcase the rich history of the 300,000-plus airmen who came to the region, leaving an indelible mark on its landscape, culture and people.

The project, which is funded by a £20,000 grant from the Pride in Place initiative, is part of a collaboration across East Anglia.

Inspired by the recent Apple+ series Masters of the Air, the project hopes to create a lasting legacy and ensure the stories of what was a pivotal era in the region’s history is not forgotten.

Thorpe Abbotts featured in Masters of the Air as the real-life location of the 100th Bomb Group’s airfield during the conflict.

South Norfolk councillor Graham Minshull, a former member of the Armed Forces, who spoke at the launch evening of the project at the 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum in the village, said it would be an extensive undertaking.

“The arrival of the American airmen, dubbed the ‘Friendly Invasion’, was a transformative period for East Anglia,” he said.

“This project is dedicated to honouring their contributions and preserving their memory for generations to come.”

Over the next year, the project hopes to start a new series of heritage walking tours around the region through its links with local history groups in Diss, Harleston, Wymondham and Aylsham as well as a cycling or driving tour of the Haverlingland area.

In association with the Visit East of England website, it wants to produce a central visitor hub, serving as a comprehensive archive of the Friendly Invasion story and a guide to those bomb group museums still in operation.

As well as this, organisers want to engage with local heritage groups, recruit and train volunteers for the project’s activities and stage commemorative events in the area.

To find out more, go online to thefriendlyinvasion.org.uk.

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