Event - Airmen killed in village crash are gone but not forgotten (Staunton)

THE remarkable lives and tragic deaths of seven men killed in a Second World War plane crash are depicted through a new public information board.

The interpretation board has been installed yards from the memorial to the seven men who were killed when their Lancaster Bomber crashed into a field in Staunton.

The board also tells the tale of how each of the men were tracked down, as featured in last week’s Grantham Journal.

It all began when Annie Hogg’s grandfather, Sid Baggaley, found part of the wreckage of the plane.

Annie said: “I would love for him to be able to see it as he would have been so proud but it is nice for me, as his granddaughter, to be able to carry it on.”

The information board was paid for thanks to a grant from Nottinghamshire County Council’s Local Improvement Scheme.

Coun Richard Butler said: “Hopefully this will be here for many generations to come and future generations will be able to look back and remember what happened.”

Sunday, February 19, will see Snowdrop Sunday return to Staunton for the first time in four years. People will be invited along to Staunton Hall where to see the memorial, an exhibition on “The Last Crew of the Lancaster W4270” and much more.

Annie said: “Our whole research team will be there so people will be able to talk to everyone involved in the project about how we did it.”

Next year will be the 70th anniversary of the crash and Annie is hoping an event can be organised to mark the occasion.

She said: “Hopefully we might be able to get all of the relatives of the men together next year. I would love to do that.”

l Admission for Snowdrop Sunday is £3.50 with children under 12 entering for free. Parking is free and all proceeds will go towards helping repair the church tower. The event will run from 11am until 4pm.

From: http://www.granthamjournal.co.uk/community/community-news/airmen_killed_in_village_crash_are_gone_but_not_forgotten_1_3469222

Event – Snowdrop Sunday (Staunton)

What could be better on a frosty winter’s day than strolling through acres of aconites and snowdrops in the wonderful ancient grounds of Staunton Hall? Explore the woodlands or walk down by the lake, and then warm up with some of the hot refreshments on offer.

 

Every few years the grounds of Staunton Hall are opened to the public for Snowdrop Sunday, and this year the aim is to raise funds for the repair of St Mary’s Church Tower.

 

In addition to the beautiful walks there are several exhibitions to see. Tom Drury was the joiner in Staunton for many years and left as part of his legacy to the village his collection of Wheelwright’s Tools and Bygones. His small museum will be open to visitors to see on the day.

 

Much is known and recorded about Staunton’s civil war connections, and that Colonel William Staunton was away fighting as the Roundheads attempted to shoot through the front door and Mrs Staunton had to flee out of the back of the Hall. But Staunton has other forgotten history, some of which is currently being investigated.

 

On display will be some of the recently discovered earlier history of the Staunton Estate. This includes the rediscovery of the position of the Medieval Dovecote and Chapel, and part of a Romano British farmstead; the layout of which has just started to appear in a magnetometry survey being carried out on one of the fields. This shows possible remains of settlement as well as paddocks and lanes and although this investigation is only part way through, you can see the results so far as well as some of the fragments of pottery that led the team to investigate this site.

 

You may also be able to help with a conundrum, and make suggestions for an unusual feature which appears on the front lawn; this feature is beautifully drawn on a Georgian plan but wasn’t labelled, so we don’t quite know what it is!

 

12 years have passed since Staunton resident Sid Baggaley instigated the investigation into a WW11 bomber crash that he witnessed. The research into this has been updated at several stages but now has almost reached its conclusion. Relatives of all 7 men have now been found and their story made into a new exhibition which shows photos of all the crew. The original memorial has been refurbished and with a grant from N.C.C. a new interpretation board has been installed to tell the background and let visitors learn more about the young men so tragically killed.

 

In keeping with the WW11 theme, several members of the living history group ‘Summer of ‘44’ will have some original wartime vehicles on display and will be wearing authentic WW11 clothing and uniforms.

 

Come and learn more about these rediscoveries, along with  the  rare chance to wander amongst the wonderful display of snowdrops and aconites at Staunton on Sunday 19^th February 2012, 11 a.m.  - 4 p.m.