Within the church.

Three-light stained glass window with images depicted in each light. Shown on the left-hand light are the Union Flag and Stars and Stripes above two hands in handshake. On the center light, are three B17 bombers and beneath this, is a cross with a crown above a dove. The right-hand light shows the insignia of the 401^st Bomber Group. This window was removed from the chapel at Deenethorpe airbase and installed here at the end of the war. The memorial window commemorates the 401st Bomber Group that was stationed at RAF Deenethorpe during World War II. Weldon is just about 3 miles to the west of RAF Deenethorpe.

With the opening of the airfield in Deenethorpe, in October 1943, the 401st Bombardment Group (Heavy), arrived from Great Falls AAB, Montana, in November. The 401st was assigned to the 94th Combat Bombardment Wing of the 1st Bombardment Division. Its tail code was Triangle-S.

The 401st Bomb Group consisted of the following operational squadrons flying Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses :

• 612th Bombardment Squadron (SC)
• 613th Bombardment Squadron (IN)
• 614th Bombardment Squadron (IW)
• 615th Bombardment Squadron (IY)

The 401st BG operated chiefly against strategic targets, bombing industries, submarine facilities, shipyards, missile sites, marshaling yards, and airfields; beginning in October 1944, concentrated on oil reserves. The Group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for striking telling blows against German aircraft production on 11 January and 20 February 1944.

In addition to strategic missions, group operations included attacks on transportation, airfields, and fortifications prior to the Normandy invasion and on D-Day, June 1944; support for ground operations during the breakthrough at Saint-Lô in July, the siege of Brest in August, and the airborne attack on the Netherlands in September 1944.

The Group flew missions against enemy forces during the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 - January 1945, by assaulting transportation targets and communications centers in the battle area; and support for the airborne attack across the Rhine in March 1945.

After V-E Day, the group departed from Deenethorpe in August 1945 and returned to Sioux Falls AAF where the unit was inactivated, personnel demobilized and B-17 aircraft sent to storage.

The 401st Bombardment Group had flown 255 combat missions from Deenethorpe airfield.

Source of information: www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk, Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register, en.wikipedia.org

Source of photo: Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register

Center light:

DUTY WITHOUT HATE

IN MEMORIAM 

OUR COMRADES OF THE 

401ST BOMBARDMENT

Righ-hand light:

401ST BOMBER GROUP 

1939-1945

TO WELDON PARISH CHURCH

 "HE HATH DELIVERED MY SOUL

 IN PEACE FROM THE BATTLE

THAT WAS AGAINST ME

FOR THERE WERE MANY WITH ME"