World War II
When we look back over centuries of warfare and ponder on the relative proximity of World War 2 we are reminded that all we take for granted is highly precious. As generations pass our visitor attractions and all those who work hard to demonstrate and interpret those events become increasingly important. In order to be able to, and desire to learn from our mistakes we need to realise the causes and the consequences of both our own actions and the actions of those around us. Read on to find out more about our military history.
East of England
During the Second World War, the East of England played an important role - its flat landscape and proximity to Europe, excellent for the construction of airfields. It was one of the RAF's launching pads for the Battle of Britain, then later for the United States Army Air Force (USAAF). They became part of the 'friendly invasion' of the region - so by 1943, there were over 100,000 US airmen based in Britain. The largest concentration was in the East of England. With them came the 'big band sounds' of US bandleader Glenn Miller. Old airfields and memorials are a reminder of these times.
Yorkshire
The Yorkshire Air Museum (www.yorkshireairmuseum.co.uk/) at Elvington just outside York is now recognised as being one of the leading aviation history Museums’ in Europe. With an extensive collection including a rebuilt Halifax Bomber, a Spitfire and many other rare airframes, this museum takes you back in time with many of the planes housed in restored wartime buildings.
Moving north to just outside the pleasant town of Malton you can be transported back in time to wartime Britain. From the sights and sounds to even the smells, Eden Camp (www.edencamp.co.uk/) is a military museum unlike any other. This completely hands-on museum uses movement, lighting, sound, smells and smoke to evoke the feeling of actually being in a prisoner of war camp. The award winning camp is actually original and was built in 1942.
The seaside town of Withernsea holds a fascinating secret! Deep underground lies a huge underground bunker – still used today as a military defence archive. Tours are available at selected times throughout the year – specific times can be found on the website and visitors with special needs are advised to telephone in advance as the site is not wheelchair accessible.