IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Wretham, THETFORD, IP24 1RJ

Fenced-in graves by the churchyard wall. For a view of the church see > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1404075.

The plaque at the base of the memorial reads: 'This plaque commemorates the visit by the survivors of 359th fighter group in remembrance of those who served and died in the cause of freedom 3rd August 1985.'

Graves in the south-western section of St Ethelbert's > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1404075 churchyard.

395th Fighter Group (FG) in 368th, 369th, and 370th squadrons and were stationed at East Wretham who flew operations with Republic P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft, later converting to North American P-51 Mustang in April 1944. The 359th Fighter Group returned to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey and was disbanded in November 1945.

Showing the distinctive tower of this remote church, dedicated to St Ethelbert, with the war memorial in the foreground.

The church is dedicated to St Ethelbert; although old, it was extensively rebuilt in 1865.

The church of St Ethelbert > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1404082 with its distinctive saddleback tower was rebuilt in 1865 for the Birch family by the architect George Street and furnishings as well as stained glass > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1758761 date from this time. The only older survival is the Norman south doorway > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1404084. The font was made in 1883 of Corsham stone and the font cover > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1758750 was designed by architect JA Reeve, who based his design upon the medieval one in St Mary's church in Elsing > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/890945. The frescoes on the east wall > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1758744 were painted 150 years ago by the then Rector, Revd JP Whalley, who also painted the font cover > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1758751 and the carved reredos > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1758748. What is believed to be an unusual royal arms - it is for Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603) - in stained glass > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1758756 can be found set into a north wall window, hiding behind the organ > http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1758754 which is a particularly good example of an early instrument built by James Corps in 1866, and is listed as Grade II in the British Institute of Organ Studies' register for historic pipe organs. The floral decoration on the organ case - executed by Revd JP Whalley - was discovered under a thick coat of blue paint which has since been painstakingly removed.