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| The 78th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Force, who were based at RAF Duxford, hosted a party for local children on Christmas Day 1943 Picture: SUBMITTED |
IMPERIAL War Museum Duxford is to host a very special children's Christmas party, organised by the 48th Fighter Wing of the United States Air Force in Europe in association with the Starlight Children's Foundation.
To be held on Saturday December 5, this Christmas extravaganza will provide a very special memory for terminally ill children from Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.
Starlight Children's Foundation has invited seventy children from the Dolphin Ward at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow to attend. As it is the only Christmas party for the Dolphin Ward this year, the children are very excited, and many will be bringing their siblings and families to enjoy the day together.
Starlight grants once-in-a-lifetime wish for seriously and terminally ill children, restoring the magic and fun of childhood and giving the whole family happy memories to share, whatever the future holds.
The children will enjoy a range of hands-on seasonal activities, including arts and crafts and carol singing. They will have the opportunity to tour the stunning American Air Museum, meeting service personnel from the 48th Fighter Wing. And no Christmas party would be complete without a visit from Santa!
This very special party continues the tradition of Anglo-American relations that dates back to the Second World War.
On Christmas Day 1943, the 78th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Force
(USAAF), who were based at RAF Duxford, hosted a party for local children, a tradition that they continued the following year and which has been the inspiration for this year's Christmas party.
The men of the 78th Fighter Wing continued their wartime philanthropy by 'adopting' seven children who had been orphaned during the Second World War. The Duxford
Diary from the time states: "Seven children who had lost one or both parents during the
war were 'adopted' by Duxford units. The $400 for each child paid for school and two
meals a day for four years".
Imperial War Museum Duxford is just south of Cambridge at junction 10 of the M11.
Ample free parking is available. For further information, visit www.iwm.org.uk/duxford or call 01223 835 000.
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