The Eighth in the East

I attended the 8theast at Shipdham today and I must say it was very good, several stands from different organisations etc.
Spent a good couple of hours chatting to like minded people, tea coffee and home made cakes too !
Was well worth the visit and I had a quick look round the airfield too.
Stephen

Hi All,

Sorry it has taken us a while to get on here, but we are at last up and running. Our website was launched a few weeks ago now and is slowly taking shape, so please do have a look. There are also details on there about how to sign up to our newsletter and how to contact us with your comments. The website address is www.8theast.org

We also have a facebook group that is regularly updated. That can be found at www.facebook.com/8theast

I am also hoping to post updates about the project and our plans here, so as many people as possible can keep up to date with what we are doing.

Thanks,

Hannah Potter
Community Archaeologist
Eighth in the East

Hi Hannah

Great to see you on the forum and thanks for the first update. I look forward to seeing more as the project moves forward.

Great to meet up with you and David at the ARG HQ at the weekend.

Kind regards

Richard

If anyone is interested, we were featured on page 11 of the Observer yesterday (Sun 18th May) with a quote from our community archaeologist Hannah Potter. You can read some of the article online here:
www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/17/artwork-yanks-left-behind

There is also a nice gallery of images here: www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/17/artwork-yanks-left-behind

If anyone is interested in joining our archaeology mailing list, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Thanks!

Archaeology Training day: Martlesham Heath Airfield, Suffolk (February 2015)

Have you always had an interest in archaeology?
Want to learn new skills and help out the Eighth in the East project?
Live close to Martlesham Airfield, Suffolk? We want to hear from you!

On Sunday 1st February 2015 we will be running a free day-long course providing an introduction to recording your local airfield. This course will be held at Martlesham Heath Control Tower Museum from 11am until around 3pm.
The morning will be spent at the museum learning how to conduct a building survey, followed by an afternoon where you can test your new recording skills and explore airfield buildings nearby.

It is hoped that on the completion of this course you will be able to use your new skills to record other airfield buildings across East Anglia with the overall aim of inputting this data into the County Council Historic Environment Record where the information will sit alongside other historic sites- castles, archaeological find spots, historic buildings etc.
No previous experience is necessary! We will provide all the equipment you will need to carry out the survey, as well as explaining how to fill in one of our recording forms.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first serve basis. To book please email the Eighth in the East Community Archaeologist- Martin This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or ring 01986 873516. Further details will be provided upon booking.
To find out more about future and past events take a look at: www.8theast.org

A WALK THROUGH HISTORY
WALK 2 PARHAM AIRFIELD.
SUNDAY 11TH JANUARY 2015 10AM.
Parham Airfield Museum, dedicated to the 390th BG, will be open
on the day for visitors and refreshments. Parking is at the Museum,
Parham, Suffolk, IP13 9AF
If you’re interested in landscape history, airfield archaeology, or just
fancy the chance to have a walk in the unique landscape of a World
War Two airfield, then this walk is for you.
Join us as we lead a walk through the 8th USAAF airfield at Parham,
home to the 390th Bomb Group during World War Two.
Distance 3½ miles. Terrain - Easy.
!
What to bring- Outdoor shoes and clothing appropriate to the weather.
!
Cost- Free
www.8theast.org

Hethel Airfield
Archaeological Building Recording
A Free Community Archaeology Event

• Have you always had an interest in archaeology?
• Want to learn new skills and help out the Eighth in the East project?
• Live close to Shipdham Airfield?
We want to hear from you!

From Monday February 9th until Friday 21st February 2015 we will be recording the surviving airfield buildings at Hethel Airfield.
And we need your help!
The days will be quite relaxed and run from 10am-2:30pm. You can join us for either the morning or afternoon sessions or both, It’s up to you.
No previous experience necessary.

Further details will be provided upon booking.
To book please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
or ring 01986 873516
To find out more about future and past events take a look at: www.8theast.org

Eighth in the East have a training day at IWM Duxford:

*The Eighth in the East*
> *Free Archaeology Training Day: The Archaeology ofAirfields and
> Building Recording Techniques
>
> *
> *Come along to IWM Duxford to learn how to recordand preserve your
> local airfield.
>
> *The Eighth in the East is a three-year HeritageLottery Funded
> project which aims to promote and record the builtand social legacy
> of the 8th United States Army Air Force during theirtime here in the
> East of England in World War 2.
>
> Many of the airfield buildings that were the homesand workplaces of
> the air force personnel have gone. The buildingsthat survive were
> never meant to last 70 years and are now on theverge of being lost.
> We want to record these buildings before theydisappear and we need
> your help to do this!
>
> The Community Archaeologist from the Eighth in theEast project has
> been training local communities across East Angliain how to record
> the surviving airfield archaeology and buildings,now its Duxford’s
> turn to host a training day for Jigsaw groupmembers. On *Sunday 26th
> July* the Eighth in the East will be running a *freeday-long course*
> providing an introduction to *recording WW2 airfieldbuildings*. This
> course will be held at the *Imperial War Museum,Duxford from 11am
> until around 4pm.*
>
> The morning will be spent at the museum learning howto conduct a
> building survey, followed by an afternoon where youcan test your new
> recording skills and explore airfield buildingsnearby. The building
> recording process is very simple and comprises justa small amount of
> paperwork and a few photographs for each building,no detailed drawing
> is required. We also have the extremely helpful 1945mapping of the
> airfields; detailing the location, construction typeand original use
> of each building to aid you in your survey work. Itis hoped that on
> the completion of this course you will be able touse your new skills
> to record your local airfield.
>
> All of the training, paperwork and equipment youneed to undertake the
> survey will be provided by the Eighth in the Eastteam and help will
> be on hand at all times prior to, during andfollowing any survey
> work. We can also cover all of your “out of pocket”expenses:
> printing, travel costs, food and child care. Many ofthe airfield
> buildings are overgrown in the summer period and thebest time to
> survey is in the dry winter months when undergrowthis at its lowest.
>
> The data produced from your survey work will bein-putted onto the
> Cambridgeshire County Council Historic EnvironmentRecord and all your
> hard work will enhance our understanding of thesedisappearing sites.
> In helping out the Eighth in the East project wewant you to learn new
> archaeological skills and at the same time help topreserve your local
> history.
>
> The training day is free for "JigsawCambridgeshire affiliated group
> members". Places are limited and will beallocated on a first come
> first serve basis. *T**o book please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or
> ring
> 07856 267936. Further details will be provided uponbooking. To find
> out more about future and past events take a lookat: www.8theast.org
>
> --
> Kind regards,
>
> Martin Cuthbert BA (Hons) ACIfA
>
> Community Archaeologist
> The Eighth in the East Project
> Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund
>
> Mob: 07856 267936
> Office: 01986 873516
>
> Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
>
> Address:
> Eighth in the East
> Third Floor
> The Cut
> New Cut
> Halesworth
> Suffolk
> IP19 8BY
>
> Twitter: @8theast
> Website: www.8theast.org
> New Heritage Solutions - Community Interest Company.Company No:
> 7352488

Hi All,

You may have already seen our recent post about interpretation boards. I've posted it here just in case you missed it. We're still looking for site nominations so make sure you get your suggestions in before the 6th September deadline!

INTERPRETATION BOARD NOMINATIONS

The Eighth in the East have funding to erect interpretation boards at a number of sites across the region. These professionally-designed panels will tell the social and landscape history of the Eighth Air Force whilst helping to share local stories that may otherwise be forgotten.

If you know a site, urban or rural, that has a wartime link to the Eighth Air Force in the East of England then we want to know. It may be a site on a public footpath that overlooks an airfield, or a social space popular with American servicemen during the war, such as a pub or cinema. Whatever your idea, this is a great opportunity to share your local history with new audiences. As long as the site meets our set of criteria (which you can read below), then you can nominate it.

Once the submission period ends, a shortlist of nominated sites will be posted on our website with the public then able to vote on their favourite suggestions. Following further consultations, interpretation boards will be placed at the five sites with the most votes.

Please submit your nominations to our website with a short explanation of why you think your site would be a good place for an interpretation board. You can also upload a photo to support your nomination.

Our Criteria

1. The purpose of the interpretation boards is to find history in new places and for this reason we are not looking to place panels at existing museum sites.

2. Nominations have to relate to the history of the Eighth Air Force in the East of England during WWII.

3. Where possible, permission to erect a board will have already been obtained from the land owner before a site is nominated.

4. The interpretation boards are not intended to act as memorial, but rather as a way of sharing the social and landscape history of the Eighth in the East of England with a larger audience. Please bear this in mind when nominating sites.

The closing date for submission is Sunday 6th September with the shortlist to be announced shortly after this date.

Please don’t hesitate to drop us a line at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions.

Read More: www.8theast.org/interpretation-boards/
Submit your nomination here: www.8theast.org/education-learning/submit-your-own/