On the north side of the road, affixed to the gate of the south churchyard.

A small rectangular metal plaque, inscribed in English in white lettering. The plaque remembers the men of the 446^th U.S. Bomb Group who were stationed at RAF Bungay during World War II.

The 446th was assigned to the 20th Combat Bombardment Wing and the group tail code was a "Circle-H". Its operational squadrons were:

• 704th Bombardment Squadron (FL)
• 705th Bombardment Squadron (HN)
• 706th Bombardment Squadron (RT)
• 707th Bombardment Squadron (JU)

The 446th operated chiefly against strategic objectives on the Continent from December 1943 until April 1945. Targets included U-boat installations at Kiel, the port at Bremen, a chemical plant at Ludwigshafen, ball-bearing works at Berlin, aero-engine plants at Rostock, aircraft factories at Munich, marshaling yards at Coblenz, motor works at Ulm, and oil refineries at Hamburg.

Besides strategic missions, the group often carried out support and interdictory operations. It supported the Normandy landings in June 1944 by attacking strong points, bridges, airfields, transportation, and other targets in France. It aided ground forces at Caen and Saint-Lô during July by hitting bridges, gun batteries, and enemy troops. Dropped supplies to Allied troops near Nijmegen during the airborne attack on the Netherlands in September. Bombed marshaling yards, bridges, and road junctions during the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 - January 1945. Dropped supplies to airborne and ground troops near Wesel during the Allied assault across the Rhine in March 1945.

The 446th Bomb Group flew its last combat mission on 25 April, attacking a bridge near Salzburg. It returned to Sioux Falls AAF, South Dakota, during June and July 1945, being inactivated there on 18 August 1945.

Source of information: www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk, en.wikipedia.org

Source of image: www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk

THESE GATES WERE PRESENTED

IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THE

446TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP USAAF

WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES

IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

1941 - 1945