WOMEN'S INSTITUTE

Women’s Institute
The speaker at Old Buckenham WI's July meeting was Glenn R Gray, the American Fulbright Librarian at the Norwich Library. Before the meeting, Glenn visited the Village Hall’s Memorial Room where he was very interested to hear about its history. He was particularly interested in the exhibits housed there and in the American Roll of Honour.

In his talk to the WI members, he explained the setting up of the American Library in Norwich. During the Second World War the United States Eighth Air Force despatched 3000 bombers and fighters on a day's operations involving more than 20,000 airmen. In practical terms the 2nd Air Division was an air force within an air force. Its primary purpose was the operation of the B-24 Liberator bombers in the strategic bombardment of Nazi Germany. At full strength it controlled fourteen heavy bomber airfields in Norfolk and north-east Suffolk plus five fighter airfields situated further south. Hundreds of missions were flown, more than 1,500 aircraft were lost and nearly 7,000 airmen from the 2nd Air Division perished.

As the war drew to a close, thought was given to honouring the fallen and three senior officers at Headquarters conceived the idea of a memorial in Norfolk. All personnel were requested to support an appeal fund and £20,916 was raised. To administer the fund and to plan its use, a Trust was formed with American and British governors and they decided on a dedicated library room within the Norwich Central Library.
Post-war shortages delayed building and it was not until 1963 that the Norwich American Library was opened. It housed the Roll of Honour listing all the names of those who were killed in action serving with the Division, as well as a large book stock devoted to American subjects. Sadly, the original library was destroyed by fire but the replacement in the Forum is even more distinguished as a unique "living memorial".
Over the past fifty years veterans of the 2nd Air Division Association have been major supporters of the Trust and have held several of their reunions in Norwich. The library room is not only a memorial but serves as an educational and friendship bridge between the two nations.
The Memorial Library houses a unique collection of over 4,000 books covering all aspects of American life and culture The collection includes the latest travel guides, biographies as well as books on cookery, crafts, history, art, military subjects and aviation. This collection is continually updated and any book is available on loan to any member of Norfolk Libraries.
Glenn also explained that his position was supported by the Fulbright Foundation which enables USA scholars to obtain posts abroad and also to fund other scholars to visit the USA.

Glenn Gray was thanked by Jean Wade for his talk. Jean was particularly interested in the subject as she said her father was engaged on helping to build some of the US airfields in Norfolk.

Another guest at our July meeting was Eileen Bowhill from Attleborough WI who gave her report on the recent AGM she had attended at Cardiff on behalf of four neighbouring WIs.

The next WI meeting on Thursday 21 September will be “Ah, that would be telling” by Paul Davies and Ivy Collins. The competition will be for a home-made bookmark.