October Newsletter
Hello,
Ridgewell Airfield Museum opens again Sunday, October 11th, and we'd love to see you! This will be our final open day of 2026 until we close for the winter. The museum will open again to the public in March 2027.
From 11am to 4pm, you'll find refreshed displays, real stories from the airfield's wartime past, and a new shop area with some lovely goodies to take home. The kettle will be on, bacon rolls will be sizzling, and there'll be cake too.
Entry is free. Our volunteers will be around all day to chat and share the history that makes this place so special, so whether it's your first visit or a long-overdue return, Sunday’s the day.
Historical Walk
On Saturday, September 26, our volunteers, Sarah Allen and Cami Kenworthy, facilitated a historical walk around Ridgewell. A large group of walkers joined us on a beautiful autumn day to explore the area's rich wartime history.
Participants had the opportunity to use our new QR code website throughout the walk. This innovative resource provided access to stories, historical information about each site visited, photographs, and quotations from notable figures including Chaplain James Good Brown, John Comer (author of Combat Crew), and Lt. Leven Ferrin, Cami Kenworthy's grandfather.
Along the route, we highlighted many historic buildings, including the chapel where James Good Brown wrote his book The Mighty Men of the 381st: Heroes All.
A special highlight of the day was meeting a group of jeep and airmen reenactors. Together, we enjoyed coffee, tea, and doughnuts on the site of the historic runway, bringing the history of Ridgewell to life.
The walk concluded back at the museum, where participants browsed our collections and enjoyed more coffee, tea, and biscuits. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the event such a success.
We enjoyed the experience so much that we are already planning another historical walk for early spring. We look forward to welcoming both returning and new participants.
Thanks again to Paul Bingley, Mike Peters, and David Sutton, whose knowledge of Ridgewell and the airfield shaped our walking tour. Many of the stories we shared — and much of the understanding of where things once stood — came directly from their research and experience. We’re also grateful for the books that informed our work, including Bomb Group by Paul and Mike, Chaplain Brown’s The Mighty Men of the 381st, and Combat Crew by John Comer.
Walkers looking at the Chapel where James Good Brown wrote his diary
Re-enactors played music and served coffee, tea, and doughnuts to the walkers.
Fundraising Update
Many of you have been following the progress of our GoFundMe to raise funds to purchase the flight jacket and flight mask.
Here’s the exciting news: We are delighted to share that the WWII flight jacket has now been successfully purchased and will become a permanent part of the Ridgewell Airfield Museum collection.
This acquisition was made possible through a combination of generous donations received through this fundraiser and additional funds contributed by the museum. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who supported the campaign and helped preserve this important piece of history.
Thank you for your kindness, encouragement, and support. Your donations are helping to preserve the history of Ridgewell and bring it to life for future visitors.
We look forward to sharing the jacket with visitors and telling its story for years to come.
Thank you again for helping make this important addition to the museum's collection possible.
Accessing Past Newsletters
Love our emails but can’t find them later? We’ve got you covered. Click the link below to access all newsletters from this year and future editions. Because this archive is behind a membership wall, you’ll need the link to enter.
New Video Section
We have recently added a new Videos section to our website.
This page features videos from several of our veterans, sharing their experiences and personal stories in their own words.
We invite you to take a look and learn more about the people behind the history:
If you would like to contribute a video featuring your own veteran, please contact Sarah Allen at sjallen906@gmail.com.
These first-hand accounts are an important part of preserving the history of Ridgewell and ensuring that future generations can hear these remarkable stories directly from those who lived them.
2026 At a Glance
Visits
As the open days come to a close this October, we remember the great work that has been done this year. This year, we were honoured to welcome Casey Bukowski for his 102nd birthday. It was a truly historic visit and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate his remarkable contribution to the Ridgewell story. Joining the celebration was Jean, another remarkable figure in Ridgewell's history, who helped construct the original runways during the war. Having both Casey and Jean with us made the occasion especially memorable and provided a unique opportunity to reflect on the people whose efforts shaped Ridgewell's legacy.
We were also delighted to host many veterans' families throughout the year, including Helen and Jim Nazarro. Jim is the nephew of General Joe Nazzaro. General Nazzaro commanded the 381st Bomb Group until January 1944, when he became Deputy Director of Operations for the U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe. He went on to enjoy a distinguished military career, ultimately achieving the rank of four-star general. Jim kindly shared his personal memories of his uncle, providing valuable insight into both the man and his military service. His recollections can be found on our blog website.
To all the veterans' families who visited us this year, thank you. Your memories, stories, and family histories play an invaluable role in preserving the legacy of Ridgewell for future generations.
New Shop
Our new memorabilia shop has enjoyed a successful first year. It provides visitors with a meaningful way to remember both Ridgewell and the history it represents. Income from shop sales helps support the ongoing upkeep and preservation of the museum building.
Museum Preservation
Our volunteers have continued to make significant improvements to the museum. This year, they installed a new toilet, created additional storage space, and painted the ceiling to help protect it from moisture damage. These projects have enhanced both the visitor experience and the long-term preservation of the collection.
However, work is never truly finished on a building that was originally intended to be a temporary wartime structure. Looking ahead, we hope to raise funds to clad the exterior with feather-edge boarding to provide greater protection from the changing English weather. We also hope to install gutters in the future to help safeguard the building for years to come.
Recurring PayPal Membership Payments
Your membership subscriptions directly support the preservation of this important historic site, and we encourage everyone to renew their membership today.
Did you know you can set up your PayPal membership payment as a recurring payment? Once enabled, your membership will renew automatically each year, saving you the hassle of remembering renewal dates and payment details.
When making your payment through PayPal, simply select the “Make this a recurring payment” option to renew your membership automatically.
Why not set it up today and help support Ridgewell Airfield Museum without interruption? Click here to set that up.
Thank you for your continued support of this important historic place. Everything you do helps us preserve Ridgewell’s legacy and share it with future generations.
Take care, The Ridgewell Airfield Museum Team
Your Support Keeps History Alive
Ridgewell Airfield Museum is volunteer-run and receives no external funding. The doors stay open because of the people who support us, through memberships, donations, and simply turning up.
There's always more to do. This winter brought repairs to the roof, and ahead of us there's a growing collection to care for and new stories still coming to light. If you'd like to be part of that, a membership or donation of any size genuinely helps.
Please consider donating today.