Debach was one of the last 8th Air Force heavy bomber stations to be occupied by the American 8th Army Air Force. Debach is situated 3 miles north-west of Woodbridge with some of the sites located in the adjoining village of Burgh. The pronunciation of Debach was always a problem for uninitiated Americans, who invariably referred to "Dee-bark" - locals have always pronounced it as "Deb-idge".
Come and join us as a visitor, Military vehicle owner or re-enactor. Camping is free at the weekend for military vehicle owners and re-enactors. We have new shower! The museum building will be open and it free. We have had as many as 114 military vehicles at previous road runs. The Control Tower Museum will normally be open 11:00am to 4:00pm on the last Sundays in the months of.
Come and join us as a visitor, Military vehicle owner or re-enactor. Camping is free at the weekend for military vehicle owners and re-enactors. We have new shower! The museum building will be open and it free. We have had as many as 114 military vehicles at previous road runs. The Control Tower Museum will normally be open 11:00am to 4:00pm on the last Sundays in the months of.
Services
The land on which the airfield was built was farmed by the Taylor Family from as far back as 1913 and continued until the site was selected by the RAF as a proposed airfield and requisitioned by compulsory purchase. During 1942-1944, the 820th & 829th Engineer Battalion (Aviation) of the US Army occupied the area and started construction work.
One large part of the project at Debach Museum was to research the data of the men and women who served at Debach during the War years. This has taken Darren Jelley three years to build up all this information. We are very pleased to say that the Personnel Roster is now available here. We would also like to thank David Schmitt for his help in compiling these records.
In 1944 I visited an aunt in Hillside Cottage, Clopton and spent much time visiting the aircrew Nissan huts below Hillside. In 1945 as a member of the 432 ATC squadron at Woodbridge I was lucky to visit, in uniform, the Control Tower and was welcomed by the USAF and had a total of 5 flights with the squadron.
The tower had been left to deteriorate up until 2000 when it was then decided it should be brought back to its former glory. Over the past few years, with the help from Volunteers, it has been set out to resemble how it looked when the Americans were stationed within its walls.
This room would have been yet another office but it was felt, it would be more informative to re-create a typical RAF plotting room such as those used in the Battle of Britain in controlling the spitfires and hurricane fighters.Most of the other rooms have their original use, with many mannequins dressed in the uniforms of the 8th Army Air Force.
This room would have been yet another office but it was felt, it would be more informative to re-create a typical RAF plotting room such as those used in the Battle of Britain in controlling the spitfires and hurricane fighters.Most of the other rooms have their original use, with many mannequins dressed in the uniforms of the 8th Army Air Force.
This large Nissen hut has been restored and now contains numerous displays depicting times of war and after the war when POWs and displaced persons inhabited the Airfield. The hospital display features typical "field" operating equipment, medical supplies, instruments and apparatus used in the 1940s.
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Linda Challis
Apr 14, 2019
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