Parham Airfield Museum Newsletter March 2015 Page 1

390th Bombardment Group Memorial Museum & Museum of the British Resistance Organisation

Parham Airfield Museum

Newsletter

2014 was a very memorable and successful year for the museum. The new extension, “The Moller Building” has made

a wonderful addition to our facilities. Constructed in the 1940’s style of a wartime building and decorated in original

cream and green military paintwork. It has a modern library with computers for research as well as a large display of

a B17 and the roles of its crew members. It has a digital photo display of life on the base and includes a large tea room

with a selection of souvenirs, gifts and prints to buy. A collection of framed paintings, prints and photos from the

390th and the British Resistance Organisation are on display around the walls.

We have seen increased visitor numbers and much positive feedback about our new facilities. The new café area has

certainly improved our capacity to host large groups.

President’s Report

The Moller Building The Cafe

Official Opening and Dedication of the Moller Building - 28 June 2014

A service was led by the Reverend Deirdre West and included readings by Tim Brett (Chairman of PAM), Frank Drain

(Vice President 390th Memorial Foundation, Tucson) and John Warwicker (Founder of the BRO Museum). Before

the unveiling of the plaque, the service culminated in the following dedication:

We dedicate this building in memory of the 740 men who left this airfield in 1943-45 never to return, to those who

survived active service and to those in the Auxiliary Units. The building is dedicated with gratitude to the benefac-

tors whose generosity of time and money made it possible. May all the visitors here, young and old, remember the

past, learn from it , and be grateful for the peace and safety in which we live, which was purchased at such cost by

others who made the ultimate sacrifice. We ask this in the name of the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit.

Cutting the ribbon

continued on page 2

Parham Airfield Museum Newsletter March 2015 Page 2

The ribbon was cut by our resident veteran, Leroy Keeping, helped by Frank Drain and BRO veterans. The service

was attended by over 250 people, including veterans, descendants and volunteers.

Special visits during the year

Poppies at the Control Tower

Inspired by the display at the Tower of London, Judy Moore organised a poppy event at Parham Airfield Museum.

Hundreds of local school children each made a cardboard poppy, and wrote on it the name of a serviceman from

Station 153 who lost his life. The 740 poppies were planted in the ground outside the museum and a remembrance

service was held on 8th November. School children took part in the service and Steve Smith, one of the museum

volunteers played “The Last Post” on his trumpet.

Frank and Karen Drain made a special visit in order to take part in the Opening

Ceremony, representing Dick, a close friend of the museum for many years.

Judge James Hill visited in the spring, en route to the Normandy beaches. He went

to the headquarters building and located his old office door!

Later in the year we had a visit from Glenn Hale and his daughter Diane Moody,

seen in the picture on the left. Diane kindly donated 20 copies of her book “Of

Windmills and War” to the museum. Glenn recalled his stories to the local press

with great detail and enthusiasm and celebrated his 91st birthday whilst he was

here!

Poppies at the Tower of London Poppies at the Control Tower

Administration

As was highlighted last year, we do not have the resources to send the traditional “Framlingham times” to members

now, however, we have received positive feedback on our change to an emailed newsletter. Some of the email ad-

dresses we have been given seem to be incorrect; if you are interested in receiving future emailed newsletters, please

email parhamairfield@yahoo.co.uk so that we can verify addresses.

Bank charges are continuing to rise, especially for currency conversions. We have to pay a fixed fee of approximately

$10 to convert a Dollar cheque to Stirling, so where possible we would discourage the use of cheques for small pay-

ments. We sincerely thank all members who have continued to support the museum by paying voluntary subscrip-

tions; the work here continues and we have invested heavily in the museum to modernise its facilities. We have lis-

tened to members who wanted to make donations on line, and we now have a Paypal account where you can donate

quickly and securely. Our PayPal address is parhamairfield@yahoo.co.uk and full instructions for how to make a do-

nation can be found on our website www.parhamairfieldmuseum.co.uk/membership. Please note that we receive

100% of donations sent to “friends and family” but we have to pay a fee when you select “pay for an item or service”.

And finally …..

We are sad to report the deaths during the past year of Peter Howard and Tom Perkins.

Peter was our local District and County Councillor, who advised us on repair and renovation of the control tower

building. He donated part of his locality budget to help finance the BRO bunker, and has always been a good friend to

the museum.

Tom was a long standing volunteer at the museum, serving on the committee as Secretary. He enjoyed interacting

with the public and will be greatly missed by all at the museum.

Peter Kindred

Parham Airfield Museum Newsletter March 2015 Page 3

A Few of our Visitors

390th Bomb Group veteran Leroy

Keeping talking to Sgt Andrew Wilder

from RAF Mildenhall on the occasion

of the dedication of the Moller Building

on 28 June 2014.

Catherine Harris, granddaughter of

Captain Richard Harris visited the mu-

seum on 23 July 2014. She is seen here

holding a photograph of her Grandfa-

ther.

Members of Woodbridge Rotary Club who visited the museum on

28 July 2014.

Did you know?

You can now buy many items from the museum’s shop, including limited editions signed 390th prints, online in our

ebay store.

The link to the shop is www.ebay.co.uk/usr/parham-airfield-museum and many of the lighter items can be posted

worldwide.

In August 2014 we welcomed back 390th veteran Glenn Hale and

his daughter Diane Moody from Nashville, Tennessee. Glenn was

a co-pilot in the 570th Squadron and made his return visit at the

grand old age of 91. Glenn enjoyed looking around the base and

seeing all of the improvements to the museum since his last visit

in 1995.

Diane has written a novel “Of Windmills & War”, in which she

used her father’s experiences to tell the story of a co-pilot based at

the 390th. It also features details of ‘Operation Chowhound’ mis-

sions, which dropped many tons of food parcels in the still unlib-

erated parts of the Netherlands, where the Dutch people were

starving. Diane has kindly donated copies of her book, signed by

herself and her father, to be sold in the museum shop and our

online shop on Ebay.

Parham Airfield Museum Newsletter March 2015 Page 4

I am pleased to report that the museum has had a very successful 2014 season, with well over 5,000 visitors record-

ed. The main event of this season was the dedication of the new Moller Building, with at least 300 people present at

the ceremony. The present day American Air Force was represented at this event by a contingent of USAF personnel

from RAF Mildenhall.

The shortage of volunteers situation has improved by the addition of Steve and Jenny Smith, Nigel and Kathy Staf-

ford and Geoff Axford to our ranks. We have had many offers of support for any future events we may hold which

include a range of military vehicles and the Mustang (car) owners club, as well as a variety of military vehicles from

our sister museum the 95th Bomb Group at Horham.

As well as high visitor numbers, the remarks in the Visitor’s Book reflect the excellent of the museum and the dedica-

tion and knowledge of the volunteers. We have hosted two training days at the museum organised by the Eighth in

the East. The first of these was an archaeology training day which included an airfield walk and was attended by 90

people. The second was a training day for staff from various local museums and was also very well attended.

Our web site is getting some very positive comments and our Facebook group membership is approaching 700 with

members in Holland, France, Spain, Sweden, Poland, the Middle East and of course the UK and USA.

In September, Annie Sommazzi, who is the learning officer for the Eighth in the East, delivered a number of learning

packs developed for children. Our museum was chosen to field test these by the organisation.

We hope to hold various events at the museum in the future including talks, presentations and various social events

which will generate income for us. The first of these is scheduled for the weekend of 10th/11th October, with a mili-

tary vehicle display, softball game and BBQ on the Saturday and a Tea Dance on the Sunday. Both events have been

kindly organised by Kevin Martin-Wiles.

We already have 12 visits scheduled by groups or organisations for the forthcoming season and no doubt more will be

added as the year goes on.

During her three month placement with the museum, our research intern Hannah has digitised a significant amount

of our archive material, photos and documents. It is hoped that this process will be continued over the coming

months and possibly years.

Finally I would like to thank all our members, both at home and abroad, for their support and generous donations,. A

special thank you goes to our dedicated band of volunteers, who have worked so hard and given so freely of their

time, to ensure that the museum is ready for the forthcoming season.

Tim Brett

Chairman’s Report

On Sunday 11 January 2015, ninety walkers joined the Eighth in the East Heritage walk at Parham Airfield. The walk

mixed the history of the airfield with the changing landscape and explored the ancient buildings to be found in the

area. The 3 mile walk was led by Community Archaeologist Martin Cuthbert, with support from Peter Kindred and

John Curtis from Parham Airfield Museum.

Eighth in the East Heritage Walk

The walkers at the Headquarters

building

The walkers at a hardstand One of the remaining airfield

buildings

Parham Airfield Museum Newsletter March 2015 Page 5

The biggest event of the year has been of course, the completion of the long awaited café and toilet block, something

that we all benefit from. Not only in raising the visitor experience but also giving us somewhere to get warm!

It was also the hundredth anniversary of the start of the First World War and to mark this, we constructed a mock-up

trench filled with weapons and shells from the period. Many thanks to John, without whose skill, this would not have

been possible. On the wall are mounted a variety of postcards used at the time and below a selection of medals and

cap badges.

In the main room we are still trying to find new and interesting ways of showing the Resistance material, but are lim-

ited by what space we have. Hopefully we will find something new for the new year.

Staffing was again a problem, especially in the summer when we are open twice a week. However, we have been

joined by three more volunteers, but even so more will always be welcome, especially if you are skilled in IT, design

publicity, archiving etc. A great deal of time and work is spent just to keep the museum going from day to day so any

help is appreciated. What do you get in return? A great bunch of people to work with and a chance to tell the public

this wonderful story. The highlight of my year must have been meeting an actual veteran of the Resistance and the

lowest was unblocking a drain by hand when the bunker flooded.

At the moment, the main room is full of items from the bunker, nothing is left there over winter. This is part of our

constant battle against rust, moths and general deterioration, to preserve the exhibits and keep alive the memory of

the men and women of the BRO. Over the last few years, thanks to the sterling work of the volunteers and especially

my co curator Chris, we have managed to create a museum to be proud of. Thanks too must go to the 390th volun-

teers for their help and support. The problem is now where do we go from here? There is only so much we can do

with the Resistance material that we have. I would like to expand into other aspects of the war on the home front, it

would help to show the conditions the BRO operated under, but space is limited. I think I can speak for all the staff at

Parham when I say that we will all do our best to provide a museum that will make people want to come again to see

the story of Churchill’s Secret Army.

George Brown

A copy of the latest British Resistance Organisation newsletter is attached to this newsletter.

The museum’s library is now fully functional with the successful transfer

of all the books, documents, magazines and photograph albums from the

old library taking place last year. The new library has both heating and

air conditioning and more shelves will be added this year to accommo-

date the ever increasing number of books and donated written material.

It is equipped with two computer terminals both of which are equipped

with a desktop computer, flat screen monitor and a scanner/printer.

Both are connected to the internet which allows researchers to access

further information relating to their chosen subject.

The process of digitising our archives has begun and we now have the

Operational History of the 390th Bomb Group and several photo albums

on a searchable database available on the computers. The digitising of

the archives is an ongoing process.

Since it opened, as well as general enquiries, it has been used by an Ox-

ford graduate to research material for a thesis and families of veterans

who served in the 390th Bomb Group or the British Resistance Organi-

sation, to obtain further information and details of their service.

If you wish to undertake any research which relates to the 390th Bomb

Group or the British Resistance Organisation please get in touch using

the contacts details shown on the last page of the this newsletter.

The Percy Kindred Library

British Resistance Museum Report

Parham Airfield Museum Newsletter March 2015 Page 6

Curator’s Curios Curator Barrry Walton shares some of his favourite artefacts with us:

This splendid cigarette case belonged to Kenneth R Weaver, a mechanic

in the 570th Squadron. It was presented to the museum by his son

Leroy Weaver. Leroy’s Mother was an English girl and his Father Ken-

neth was an American GI who returned to the USA in 1945.

The full story of how Leroy found his Father 50 years after the war, can

be found in “The Percy Kindred Library” at Parham Museum.

These canvas bags were sent over to England from ‘The British War

Relief Society Inc USA’. This one contained shoe brushes and polish.

The label reads “Sincere good wishes from a friend in the USA”.

WW2 RAF Coastal Command Irving jacket with yellow hood.

The yellow hood was intended to increase the visibility of a downed airman in

the sea.

These jackets were also used on Aircraft Carriers.

Kindly donated by Ian Jones

Opening Hours:

Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday from the first Sunday

in April to the last Sunday in October from 11.00 to 17.00

Wednesdays in June, July & August from 11.00 to 16.00

Admission: Free

President: Peter Kindred

Chairman: Tim Brett

Museum Curator: Barry Walton

BRO Curator: George Brown

Parham Airfield Museum

Parham

Framlingham

Suffolk

IP13 9AF

Telephone: 01728 621373

Email: parhamairfield@yahoo.co.uk

Website: www.parhamairfieldmuseum.co.uk

Facebook: Parham Airfield Museum

Twitter: @ParhamMuseum

We have decided that as we have replaced the ‘Framlingham Times’ with a newsletter in electronic form which can be sent by

email, that a membership fee will no longer apply. Membership is open to everybody whether you are a veteran, a family

member or just an interested person and is FREE to join, although we would like to encourage donations towards the upkeep

of the museum.

If you would like to become a member and receive our newsletter please contact us, details below:

Museum of the British Resistance Organisation Newsletter

October 2014

Will Ward

cdward@supanet.com

News from the BROM

A good deal to report as it is some time since I last wrote. First a welcome to Geoff

Axford, grandson of Dorset Auxilier Stanley Axford, leader of the Shipton Gorge

Patrol, who has recently joined the duty roster at the BROM. As you may imagine, he

now lives rather closer to the museum than Dorset! Many thanks for your help in

presenting the Aux Units story to the museum visitors.

Speaking of visitors, Richard Rusted, the grandson of Metfield Group leader Hedley

Rusted visited to try and find out more about his family history. He discovered that

Hedley’s brother Kenneth and Maurice were also members of the patrol. In June, the

granddaughter of Lakenheath patrol member Sydney Rolph visited the museum,

having only learnt of his Aux Units involvement at his funeral. His brother Alva was

also involved with the patrol that was sometimes known as Thetford as well. Though

part of Norfolk Aux Units, it was actually in Suffolk!

Other visitors included the son of Woodbridge Group Commander Captain Beeton

and Captain Albert Pond (ex RTR and age 91), looking to find his father-in-law,

Percy Ruben Neale, who was in Dallinghoo patrol. Captain Pond had just come from

Leiston School, where he had been recounting his experiences during the liberation of

Auschwitz. Frederick Calver, who was a member of the Halesworth patrol, visited in

July. Like many early members who left to join the forces (in this case the Royal

Marines), his name does not feature on the nominal roll which was first compiled

around 1942.

The big event was the open day to celebrate the new building. I unfortunately wasn’t

able to attend, so missed a talk from John Warwicker on Aux Units, along with Don

Handscombe formerly of Thundersley patrol and Terling patrol member John

Thurgood who had also popped in to celebrate his 92nd

birthday earlier in the year!

Ebay tracker

A recent auction in Eastbourne saw copies of The Countryman’s Diary and the 1937

Calendar sell for £1020 each. They had belonged to Louis Pugh, Tenterden Patrol,

and Auxilier in Kent. Also sold were various other items including photos of him in

the RAF after his service with Aux Units. There were examples of the various booby

trap switches, some of which were quickly resold by Militaria dealers.

An Aux Units badge, very well worn, sold for in excess of £400. Reportedly this wasn’t Louis Pugh’s (remember he had left to join the RAF), but was Ray Smith’s badge, the Patrol Leader.

Churchill’s Secret Auxiliary Units in Norfolk and Suffolk by Evelyn Simak and

Adrian Pye is surely a must have for anyone interested in the BRO Museum.

Published by Lavenham Press in 2013 (ISBN 978-0-9558797-7-7), I got my copy as a

much anticipated Christmas present. The 200 pages are packed with information

about all the Norfolk and Suffolk patrols, including numerous original photos and

views of the operational bases as they are today. It draws extensively on the BRO

Museum archive and the original research work done by John Warwicker, Andy

Taylor and Colin Durrant, but adds considerably to their work as well. There is also

coverage of the Special Duties sites, including the amazingly preserved Norwich Zero

station. The price is quite reasonable at £15.99 for such a detail filled book. Highly

recommended.

.

John Warwicker’s Churchill’s Underground Army is now back in print from Frontline

Books. This is a hardback edition – from all good booksellers…

Evelyn Simak and Adrian Pye have also released “Churchill’s Most Secret Special

Duties Branch”, also from Lavenham Press ISBN978-0-9558797-8-4. This features

the secret wireless network operated by the Auxiliary Units and draws extensively on

the BROM archives, particularly the work done by former Royal Signals Sergeant

Arthur Gabbitas to record the details of both personnel and outstations. It also

includes transcripts by Barbara Culleton produced for the museum from Beatrice

Temple’s original wartime diaries of her time with Aux Units Special Duties. In

addition contemporary drawings by an ATS operator provide a rare colour insight to

life in a zero station. The book finishes with a detailed listing of known SD wireless

stations throughout the country. There is lots of newly accessible material covering

this fascinating story.

Continuing the Special Duties theme, but at the other end of the spectrum, “Chirnside

1” is the story of the Bewley Down outstation manned by Douglas Ingrams, who later

became a Special Duties IO. Longer term follows will remember John Warwicker’s

account of his trip to see Douglas’s son David at Bewley Down. Since then, new

owner, Hugh May, has undertaken extensive research and restoration to full working

order of the many secret mechanisms controlling doors and counterbalances in this

fascinating bunker. While this is a “single site study”, the meticulous approach means

that much can be learnt about the whole Special Duties organisation. You won’t be

disappointed I’m sure. It is privately published and on sale at £16.50, though

availability is limited to local bookshops and just a couple of outlets further afield, of

which the Parham Airfield Museum shop is one.

Events

A new feature – to try and give advance warning of some of the Aux Units related

events happening through the year. They do seem to be kept rather quiet…

Coleshill House

Two types of events are running this year. The normal guided walks as in previous

years (11th

November is the last for 2014). These last around two hours and cost £5

for adults, £2.50 for children, book on 01793 762209. Start times vary between 10am

and 2pm, more details on the National Trust’s Coleshill website.

They are also holding open days (well half days – times are 2-5pm) for their new

replica OB. No charge for these, but donation welcome. The last for the year is 12th

October. These are rather lower key than the big events of previous years, though the

new exhibitions will be open on the site.

November 9th

is the date for the Remembrance parade at the Cenotaph. Obviously

there was a formal Aux Units presence for the first time in 2013, which it is hoped

will be repeated. This is a big day out for any veteran and all the more so given that

all the surviving Auxiliers are in their 90s. Any that do wish to take part, or family

supporters, should contact auxpoppymarch@gmail.com to register their intention as

soon as possible as the event is many months in the planning. It is understood that this

year the marchers will be joined by Lucy Fleming, daughter of the first Aux Units IO,

Peter Fleming, celebrated author and adventurer who later served with SOE as well.

Obituaries

From his son came news of the death on 12th

November 2013 at 90 years of age of

Roy Coleman of the Cymmer, Port Talbot patrol in Wales. A Senior Scout he was

recruited by the local Scoutmaster, Wally Thomas who was the patrol’s leader. He

was in touch with John Warwicker until just a couple of weeks before his death and

had only finally had to miss marching in the Cenotaph Remembrance parade 2 days

before, having hoped to be there. John had recorded his recruitment in Churchill’s

Underground Army. Roy did more than his fair share, as he worked in the pit during

the day abnd continued in the ordinary Home Guard as cover, while serving with

Auxiliary Units. He kept his Tommy Gun in a box under his bed to hide it from his

mother. The patrol had the local railway junction among their targets. Roy finally

received his Defence Medal in the 1990s.

John recalled that Roy was an engaging and outgoing individual, a happy man and

one who easily made friends for a lifetime. In John’s words “He was a dear friend; a

dedicated and grateful supporter of the Museum of the British Resistance

Organisation at Parham; and it was a great pleasure to meet him - and fellow coal

miner, Trevor Miners - at the final reunion and Open Day held there some years ago.”

A book of Roy’s life, “From Cregan to Corwg – a Valley boy’s story” is available

from the South Wales Miners museum ( www.swmm.co.uk/shop/mining-books/ )

Dorset researcher John Pidgeon reported the passing after a short illness on 16th

August 2013 of Robert Downton, Langton Herring patrol. His unit was based on

the patrol leaders coastal estate in south Dorset, with the OB in a small wood. Bob

recalled that the hatch workings were a constant problem, and that it was very cold.

So like many patrols, they drank their emergency rum! Still it was an improvement on

the first OB they had, which was constantly flooded. He was trained at Coleshill

House and also at Buckland Newton.

He attended the unveiling of a memorial stone for a fellow Dorset patrol from

Langton Matravers and explained how his sons didn’t believe his stories of what had

happened during the war.

Robert Dowton recalling his own wartime Tommy Gun at the Langton Matravers

memorial unveiling event in 2012.

John also passed on news of the death in November 2013 of Maurice Herbert

Clasby, member of the Cosham patrol, Hampshire, at the age of 91. He had married

a Somerset girl in 1949 and lived in Taunton for last years of his life.

On 22nd

February 2014, Ron Martin, formerly of Haricot Patrol (Hastingleigh)

passed away at the age of 97 years. Farm worker Ron joined in 1942, with four others

in the patrol and an OB in the ruins of Evington Manor. Like many he said nothing of

his wartime service, keeping it secret, even from his two brothers, and only started

talking about after the millennium. Ron had wanted to join the RAF but wasn’t able

because of his reserved occupation, so he felt that he was doing his bit by serving with

Auxiliary Units.

Ron Martin, Hastingleigh Auxilier, pictured in 2011.

Cecil Thornalley, former Auxilier with the Dalby Patrol (3A) in Lincolnshire died

13th February 2014 at the age of 93 years, writes Somerset researcher Tim Wray.

Cecil (Albert Cecil) was his nana's cousin, and he was personally recruited by Capt

Hamilton-Hill (later SOE) who made his Lincolnshire HQ at Dalby Hall, which is a

small village near the town of Alford, next door to the Dexthorpe Farm where the

Thornalley's farmed.

Cecil was the Patrol Corporal and his elder brother George was Sergeant. Group

Commander was Frank Dawson, who worked for a drive-belt manufacturer in

Lincoln, and who owned Dalby Hall and rented Dexthorpe to the

Thornalleys. Younger brother William Thornalley was with the Well Patrol (3B.)

When Tim was a boy he would try to engage his nana in conversation about the war,

and very quickly the talk turned to these three boy cousins who did absolutely nothing

for the war-effort. Little did she know!

Cecil features in Mark Sansom's great book on the Lincolnshire Aux Units, and he

enjoyed driving and walking around Lincolnshire hunting for OBs with the late Eddie

Welberry and Mark. He received his Defence Medal in 2002, then the last survivor of

his patrol.

In later life Cecil and Lucy lived in Woodhall Spa, almost directly opposite to the

Golf Club where Tony Jacklin first made his name. Cecil had been in the nursing

home close to home for some years where Lucy was able to visit him regularly. But

before this Cecil usually spent part of his day playing snooker in the Conservative

Club with a beer not far away.

Bathampton Patrol Auxilier Bob Millard was a true larger than life character who

passed away on March 15th

2014 at the age of 91. He had joined the Auxiliary Units

in Bath, where there were two groups of patrols, one “town” and the other

“Admiralty”, formed from the civilian personnel of the Admiralty evacuated to the

city. Bob rather enjoyed the fact that his patrol knew all about the nearby Admiralty

OB, but not the reverse. Back in the 1990s he wrote to me with pages of carefully

drawn illustrations of how to compile various home made explosive devices, all of

which he had made during the war. He later took to the computer age, compiling

extensive research files of information on the Bath units and the weapons and

explosives they used. He supported the museum and gave much information to inform

John Warwicker’s publications, and then later did the same again to support the Aux

Unit News and CART websites among others.

Bob Millard in 1940

He was always delighted to share his stories about Aux Units, though perhaps fewer

were aware that he had gone on to serve in the Fleet Air Arm, twice being rescued

from the sea making him a member of the Goldfish Club with Bar! His exploits

included raids on the Tirpitz off Norway and serving in the Pacific, being subject to a

Kamikaze attack while on HMS Formidable. The latter was notable as despite

extensive damage, the armoured deck was repaired with wood and concrete with light

steel plates tack welded over to allow aircraft to operate again within 6 hours. After

the war, he became a teacher at what would become Loughborough University and

also became a diving instructor, running the College’s Sub Aqua club.

Bob Millard as a Naval Aviator

John Warwicker wrote to express condolences on behalf of all who knew him at the

museum. Bob had been keen to march at the Remembrance parade at the Cenotaph,

but ill health thwarted his plans at the last minute. On the 24th

August, a small group

of friends and family met to remember his life at a memorial.

Many more details are available online, including links to other obituaries at

www.coleshillhouse.com/latest-news-and-blog/auxiliary-unit-legend-passes-away

John also provided the following details of the sad passing of Dr Will Edmundson,

on 8th May 2014. He and his wife, Sarah, lived at Earl Soham, near to Framlingham

and Parham, since his retirement as a local General Practitioner.

It will be recalled that Herman Kindred, the farmer of much of the former Parham

airfield, was the main contributor to those early researches. Herman was a patient and

friend of Will Edmundson and as Herman's involvement with the AUs Operation

Section situated at nearby Stratford St Andrew became known, Will hinted that his

father, Colonel J.W. Stuart Edmundson, TD, had also been connected with the Aux

Units.

As a result, Stuart was approached and also agreed to provide a special insight to the

early days of the Operational Section of the Aux Units, for which he was responsible

from the very earliest days, in both Devon and Cornwall as Intelligence Officer.

Will became a Patron of Parham Airfield Museum, together with his brother Marcus

and Will's interest in developments with the Museum of the British Resistance

Organisation never diminished, even following the death of his father seven or so

years ago. This support was greatly appreciated by BROM activists and he will be

sadly missed at Parham.

Dr Will Edmundson was a well known and much loved figure in the Framlingham

area. His private cremation was followed by a fully attended Memorial Service at Earl

Soham Church on Saturday, 31st May. John Warwicker, also a one time patient, was,

thanks to the Auxiliary Units' connection, a friend of the Edmundson family for nearly

twenty years and was present, together with President Peter Kindred and BROM

activist Chris Pratt. Condolences were passed to his wife, Sarah and her family.

Dr Will Edmudson leaves two sons, Patrick and Guy, as well as Sarah, his wife.

May they Rest in Peace