Hundreds of people from local areas and further afield attended this popular event held during the weekend of July 15/16 2006 within St Mary’s Church.

Popular former resident Sister Laurence has in conjunction with the Massingham Historical Society created a superb display of photographs and memorabilia relating to this noted Norfolk airfield which possesses strong links with nearby West Raynham. About half of the village church is taken over once a year to accommodate the numerous interesting exhibits. Wartime photographs tend to predominate but other fascinating items include such rarities as the wooden airfield circuit lighting board retrieved from the long demolished control tower. A tea bag saved for over half a century by a Dutch civilian who faced potential starvation at the end of World War Two but for RAF food drops as part of Operation Manna is just one other unusual artefact on show.

Particularly poignant is a long roll of laminated paper which runs down an aisle and lists the names of 482 crewmen who gave their lives while operating at the place known simply as Massingham. It is however pleasing to report that this exhibit drew prolonged attention from a number of young people as they read names of individuals barely into adulthood.

Visitors also listened with awe as veterans of RAF Bomber Command recounted tales of incredible heroism and achievement. People of all ages were profoundly grateful for ABCT involvement at the Sister Laurence RAF Massingham Museum, not least as this formed part of the charity’s first official field trip since its launch in June. Great Massingham, which opened during 1940 and finally closed in 1958 but still sees some private civil flying, is intended to be one of the first airfields in Britain to receive an ABCT memorial in the not too distant future due to considerable local support.