WARTIME Warrington was remembered at the annual RAF Burtonwood Nostalgia Weekend.
RAF Burtonwood Association in partnership with Gulliver’s World presented their annual Burtonwood Nostalgia Festival. The event is organised by the RAFBA as a 1940’s-90’s Anglo-American weekend to commemorate the RAF/USAF air base and the personnel based there.
At the event visitors, who enjoyed mixed weather, were treated to some wonderful exhibits with many classic cars on show, the police and fire service were on hand with their vehicles too. The Merseyside and Cheshire Blood Bikes crew helped to explain the fantastic work they do for hospitals.
There were military displays including Rolling Thunder Vietnam Experience team who showed off their US war paraphernalia, and there were many military vehicles including a working field gun and transport from World War 2. Also entertaining folk were the American Civil War re-enactors.
Musical entertainment was provided throughout the day with various period themed acts performing and the strains of Glenn Miller and Vera Lynn were never far away. On Saturday night a great old fashioned jive evening proved very popular. Several marching bands including the Cheshire Police and the Air Cadet bands entertained a happy crowd.
The influence of the base on Warrington and the local community was hugely significant and included 7500 marriages to GIs during its history.
RAF Burtonwood represents a special link between US troops and people of the UK, not all of whom were stationed soldiers but also including the many civilians whose lives were permanently changed by the base.The association exists to preserve the memory of the base and has been fortunate to acquire many artefacts including equipment actually used at the base and other relevant period items.
Meanwhile the Burtonwood Association’s Heritage centre based at Gullivers World, provides educational packages for school groups, visits for children’s groups, visits for adult groups, talks and presentations on subjects such as the Berlin Airlift, life on the homefront, rationing and evacuees and the effect of the war on Warrington and its people.
