New memorials for former Fersfield and Pulham airfields

Not two former airfields from the First and Second World War are set to be honoured with new memorials.

The Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust plans to unveil granite memorials at Fersfield, near Diss and Pulham St Mary, near Long Stratton.

Ceremonies will take place on Friday, November 8 and Saturday, November 9.

RAF Fersfield, pictured in 1946 (Image: Public Domain)

Fersfield opened during in April 1944, and was designed as a bomber airfield.

It became best known for its participation in Operation Aphrodite, whereby Boeing B-17s filled with high explosives were converted into radio-controlled flying bombs.

This was an extremely dangerous duty, and one casualty was Joseph Kennedy, brother of future US President John F. Kennedy, who died during a mission.

B17 Flying Fortress aircraft were packed with explosives to be used as drones in the latter stages of the Second World War (Image: Public Domain) When the Americans left, Fersfield switched briefly to Royal Air Force control before closing in March, 1946.

It was used as a motor racing track in the 1950s before being taken over by agriculture and light industry.

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Pulham St Mary became one of Britain’s most famous airship stations.

A modern-day aerial picture of Fersfield (Image: Mike Page) After it opened in 1916, half way through the First World War, its craft carried out maritime patrols to look for enemy shipping.

For a decade after the war ended in 1918, it was used for experimental work and building the craft, which were filled with highly-inflammable hydrogen gas to generate lift.

One famous episode in Pulham’s history was the arrival of airship R34 on its pioneering return leg flight from the USA to Britain in July 1919.

An airship pictured at Pulham St Mary in the 1920s (Image: Public Domain) Airship research was ended in 1930 after the R101 crashed and burst into flames with the loss of 48 lives near Paris, while on a flight to India.

Pulham survived as an ammunition dump, until it closed in February 1958.

Not much now survives of the airfield but one of the two main airship sheds still stands at Cardington in Bedfordshire after being transferred there in the late 1920s.

The village sign at Pulham St Mary features an airship (Image: Nick Butcher) The Fersfield ceremony takes place on Friday, November 8 (10.30am) on Airfield Road,  north east of Fersfield village, where the nearest postcode is IP22 2FF.

The Pulham ceremony takes place on Saturday, November 9 (10.30am) alongside The Pennoyer Centre, Station Road, Pulham St Mary, IP21 4QT.