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WW2 US airbase art in East Anglia to be preserved | WW2 US airbase art in East Anglia to be preserved |
(35 minutes later) | |
Hundreds of examples of World War Two wall art drawn by US bomber crews at airbases in the East of England are to be documented in a new project. | Hundreds of examples of World War Two wall art drawn by US bomber crews at airbases in the East of England are to be documented in a new project. |
Eighth in the East aims to preserve the cartoons, murals and graffiti painted by the crews between 1942 and 1945. | Eighth in the East aims to preserve the cartoons, murals and graffiti painted by the crews between 1942 and 1945. |
The £575,000 Heritage Lottery-funded project also wants to look at the legacy the US Eighth Army Air Force (8th AAF) left for the east. | The £575,000 Heritage Lottery-funded project also wants to look at the legacy the US Eighth Army Air Force (8th AAF) left for the east. |
About 28,000 US personnel occupied 70 airfields over the three years. | About 28,000 US personnel occupied 70 airfields over the three years. |
The study is looking at airfields spread across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. | |
The group said the study could be extended to cover Northamptonshire if further funding was secured. | |
It is hoped new research will uncover clues about what happened to the "Sistine chapel" of wartime airbase artwork in Britain. | |
This was a large mural by the celebrated cartoonist Bruce Bairnsfather, painted at a US base in Northamptonshire in 1944. | This was a large mural by the celebrated cartoonist Bruce Bairnsfather, painted at a US base in Northamptonshire in 1944. |
The 30m mural, in part depicting a ship bringing GIs back to New York, has not been seen since the 1950s. | The 30m mural, in part depicting a ship bringing GIs back to New York, has not been seen since the 1950s. |
The first planes of the newly-formed 8th AAF arrived in East Anglia in May 1942, just months after the bombing of Pearl Harbour in December 1941. | The first planes of the newly-formed 8th AAF arrived in East Anglia in May 1942, just months after the bombing of Pearl Harbour in December 1941. |
David Cain, project manager for Eighth in the East, said that every airbase had wall art in some form, from cartoons to pin-ups. | David Cain, project manager for Eighth in the East, said that every airbase had wall art in some form, from cartoons to pin-ups. |
"It was seen as bringing life to the airbases at the time, but also as leaving their mark because they did not know whether they were coming back or not." | "It was seen as bringing life to the airbases at the time, but also as leaving their mark because they did not know whether they were coming back or not." |
Much of the wall art was painted on bricks or corrugated iron, which has posed a new problem for the project. | Much of the wall art was painted on bricks or corrugated iron, which has posed a new problem for the project. |
"There isn't a lot of knowledge about preserving on brick or corrugated iron," said Mr Cain. | "There isn't a lot of knowledge about preserving on brick or corrugated iron," said Mr Cain. |
"More is known about preserving medieval art than World War Two wall art." | "More is known about preserving medieval art than World War Two wall art." |
The Eighth in the East project was set up to record the impact of the Americans on the East during WW2 before all evidence is lost. | The Eighth in the East project was set up to record the impact of the Americans on the East during WW2 before all evidence is lost. |
As well as airbase art, volunteers with the project will gather wartime memories and survey surviving military buildings and runways. | As well as airbase art, volunteers with the project will gather wartime memories and survey surviving military buildings and runways. |
"What's interesting is that we're talking to a lot of people who were children at the time," said Mr Cain. | "What's interesting is that we're talking to a lot of people who were children at the time," said Mr Cain. |
"It's the children's experiences of the war that's coming through." | "It's the children's experiences of the war that's coming through." |
Eighth in the East is due to run for three years. | Eighth in the East is due to run for three years. |