I'm an American vet, I brought my uncle to the states years ago, he was a tail Gunner on a Lancaster with 12 squadron raf. I took him to my local vfw, and we had some ww2 bomber crew in the post. When they found out he was raf, they all gathered around, and school his hand, and they all said they wouldn't ever want to go over at night and alone, like the Brits did, and he said the same thing about them going over in daylight. They all started swapping stories, and I became a fly on the wall. We were there for 12 hrs, until 6am. They cooked steaks in the kitchen of the post, and drank until dawn. When we were walking home, very unsteadily, he said that it was the best night he had spent in years.
And look at the tossers the the late teenagers and early twenties are now.protesting about anything and wanting to wipe away history that doesn't suit their own agenda.
Steve a lot of the old US air force stations in the UK have memorials to those who flew or died here. Also a lot of the nearby churches have memorials to the nearby US Air force men as well . The British will never forget the sacrifices the American servicemen made.
And I remember noting the graves of other denominations, aged in their teens from Poland, and other lands. If you believe in peace, go there. Expect to be converted in some way or another. God Bless America. ✝️✝️✝️
You beat me to it. Norfolk had 32 air bases, most were USAF, Linclonshire was mostly RAF Bomber Command bases, but Norfolk had a large number of USAF bases, and as you rightly say, they all have Memorials to the bomb groups and men that flew from them. Some have small museum and heritage centres, and yes, many of the churches have memorials, as well as graves of American airmen who returned home fatally wounded in action. It would be good for you to come over on a long vacation and explore the region. Alternatively, a good book to get is Norfolk Airfields Of World War 2. I have several books in the series regarding WW2 airfields, they make very good reading, even where some famous film stars were based and flew from, James Stewart being one of them.
I was based quite near to the cemetery in the 1970s whilst serving in the British Army. Our regiment often visited it to pay our respects for our American brothers. We will remember them.
I'm British and have no connection to anyone buried there but I visited the cemetery in April last year. The Visitor's Book shows that people have visited from all over the world, not just the USA and UK.
I also am british but never knew this existed-We are conscious of our pacts with other countries and its great that we commemorate other allies-I wonder if there is a ghurkha one or a sikh one ?
@@susanlindarice I Susan. Some info for you. Gurkha's burial site. Hillingdon London Sikh burial site. Brookwood military cemetery. In Surrey. Hope this is helpful. from 🇬🇧 an old cockney gal 🕊️and❤️ to you
I have visited here as a tribute to all the USAF air crews & military that paid the ultimate sacrifice. Like most cemeteries it is serene and well maintained but also beautiful. The rows & rows of headstones are heartbreaking and the loss to the families & friends stateside are all apparent. A small piece of USA in the green quiet Cambridgeshire countryside from a grateful U.K. 🇬🇧🇺🇸
If memory serves me correct, the visitor's book include the signatures of HM Queen Elizabeth, at least one US President - Dear Ike Eisenhower ( Who is also remembered here with great respect, fondness and gratitude) and many other notable Wartime and Post-war Political and military leaders.
My dad was a German POW. Captured in France and shipped to the USA. He passed a few years ago at 94. Shortly after, I randomly clicked on an old news reel on UA-cam entitled Three Thousand German Prisoners. Imagine the feeling I had when at 32 seconds in, my young and handsome dad turned to look into the camera, directly at me. I miss him dearly. He was a very loving and emotional old German.
@@sheene71 If most Germans didn't want the war there wouldn't of been a War.Most Germans drove Jews from their houses,and abandoned them to the SS Most Germans were complicit in the holocaust and incineration of their neighbours and friends.😊
@@sheene71 No they didn't. My step-dad was German. He was conscripted at fourteen as was his school mate. His school mate was killed and the memory never left my step-dad. What a colossal waste of so many lives.
I'm ex forces and I'm a member of a motorcycle club. We are a military club and a mixture of Army and RAF at present. We visit this cemetery to pay our respects each year.
I'm ENGLISH and I've never heard of this AMERICAN cemetery before but Damn this would bring a tear to a glass eye *THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE CHAPS* LEST WE FORGET 🇬🇧🇺🇲
This was so moving, it brought a tear to my eyes. We will never forget the sacrifices made by these brave young men who came to our aid, in our hour of need. RIP 🙏
It was moving for me as an Royal Air Force veteran to see how moved you were watching this about your countrymen, those brave young Americans who gave their lives for their country and mine.
There is also a pub in Cambridge centre called The Eagle which has a ceiling in the bar covered in the signatures and graffiti of allied air service personnel stationed there during WWII. It has been preserved and can still be seen today if you pop in for a pint. You can also sit at the table where Watson and Crick announced the discovery of the structure of DNA to the world.
@@tallthinkev I had a meal in The Eagle last week :) It's still visited by American airmen (and women) who are based at the two remaining American airfields in Britain, Mildenhall and Lakenheath.
Been passed this cemetery many times so pease full for all those young men who are now at rest who made that ultimate sacrifice and never made it home. God bless them all 🙏
I live in UK, In Cambridge on Nov 11th I went to the American Cemetery Memorial. It was such a Beautiful Peaceful place, so many who gave their lives for us to live in peace.
I used to live 5 minutes from this beautiful place, drove past it every day on my commute to work. I remember one year during a particularly ferocious storm a tree came down and blocked the entrance to the cemetery. There was a local tree surgeon who was caught in the resultant traffic, who immediately went to work removing it. Myself and a few other motorists got out of our cars and helped.
This beautiful place brings tears to your eyes, I have been a few times as it’s less than half an hour away. I can’t go there and see all those perfect white crosses for all those brave souls it never ceases to cause tears. May it remind everyone just how awful wars are. Remember them always. Bless them all.
Really touching, and emotional story. As an 80 year old Brit, I didn't know about this cemetery. I always believed, the American policy, of returning servicemen killed in battle to the US, was the norm. I'm so glad to hear that these young men are remembered for their sacrifice in Britain.This is the place school trips should be visiting these days, so the young generation of today, is reminded, who made this sacrifice for them, and future generations.
My father was 20 years old when he went over to England to serve. He was the bombardier on the crew he was part of. He was stationed in Deenethorpe with the 401st BG. On his crew's last run on Politz, they lost two engines due to flack and decided to try and make it to Sweden (which was a neutral country) rather than trying to make it back to England, and spent the rest of the war in Sweden. The USAAF didn't get the plane back until the end of the war. I'm thankful that the pilot made the decision to go to Sweden rather than trying to limp back to England. The other planes in the squadron did make it back, but the planes were all badly damaged, and I know that one of the bombardiers was killed in that battle.
Hallo Steve. I'm 85 years old and was born and grew up in Cambridge, so I have many memories of the War Years and the immediate Post-War years. During that time Cambridge was surrounded by airbases, many of which were occupied by USAF forces (in fact Lakenheath, which is about 10 Miles East of Cambridge still is). These bases were the ones from which those courageous men left on their daylight bombing raids into Nazi-occupied Europe, so my childhood memories include, for instance, seeing and hearing the bombers in the sky above me and of encountering the men out and about in the Town. I often wonder how many of them finally got to be back with their families again, and how many are still with us at Madingley... Back in the 80's my wife and I were involved with a student exchange organisation, and we used to host many of the students. By that time, I lived 40 miles from Cambridge, but I always made a point of taking the American students to Madingley at some time during their year with us. It was always a very poignant occasion. I never told them where we were going until we arrived. It was always the case that I would go there with two or three brash noisy, somewhat irresponsible teenagers and leave with two or three quiet, reflective, humble young men. You no doubt know of our pledge, "We Will Remember Them". For many of us here, especially of my generation, they are not just a few words we mumble once or twice in November, then forget until the following year; it is a pledge that we live by throughout our lives, and those brave souls at Madingley are included.... because their sacrifice meant that we could live to be 85. " They shall not grow old, As we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, Nor the years condemn; At the going down of the Sun And in the morning - WE WILL REMEMBER THEM!"
Look up Tony Foulds of who tended to a u.s. memorial stone in Sheffield England for most of his life , its a moving story of u.s. airmen that crashed in a field avoiding the local children playing . We must never forget .
As the son of a British Airborne soldier, I have listened to a few stories when my father was alive. This history should be kept alive for future generations and include the various countries that were our allies and fought with us. I did not know this place existed and I would love to visit myself, we owe so much to so many.
I have been there many, many times as it isn’t too far from me and if I ever go out that way on my motorbike I always stop and take a walk around. It’s very humbling to see the graves and names of so many young men who gave their lives so that we might enjoy the freedom we have today. They will never know the debt that we owe them RIP.
I live just over the border in Norfolk and we have 4 airfields within 5 miles of us. I have been to Madingly twice and it's a very moving experience, so many young men gave their all for us.
Steve, I live in the East of England. Here there were tens of thousands of American airmen who served in this area across many many airfields. These would be largely be in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire. I assure you that are remembered and so respected for their bravery, their service and all too often sacrifice. There are still organised excursions from the USA with very old veterans reliving their experiences. It is so emotional. My late mum was born in 1923 and lived in the area. Before she married my dad she would tell of stories of dances and social events attended by the airmen and she would get to know faces and the odd name. She would always tell me very sad stories that ‘Chuck won’t be coming anymore’ and ‘Larry was missing’, euphemisms for being KIA. All were largely very young men in their late teens or early twenties. I remember watching the Memphis Belle movie with her and she just said out loud, that is exactly like they were🎉!! I live very close to RAF/USAAF Lakenheath and I am so proud to see (and hear!) those wonderful B52’s and other large aircraft in our skies. To all friends in the US be assured we so cherish our friends and loyal allies in the USA. We ask god to bless all whether past or present in their difficult and arduous duties.
In most towns and cities across Europe the unknown soldiers are honoured by the local community and are treated as family member of a local family so they are never forgotten .
I’ve visited the cemetery. It is in the Cambridge countryside. A lovely area, England’s green and pleasant land. The cemetery is immaculately kept. On a sunny day it is an oasis of birdsong and peace. I’m so proud that Cambridge University gave these meadows to the boys who came so far from home and fell in the war, to their families, to their loved ones. A corner of a foreign field for them, but given with love and respect.
My uncles served in the US Army in the ETO, thank God they all returned. One my Uncle Walt was severely wounded and was treated in the UK for over a year before coming home for more treatment. Both of them always said how much they loved the UK and how wonderful her people were and how hard they had it during the war. This video brings tears to my eyes, its so touching that the UK takes such good care of our men who never returned home.
It is not really in the centre of Cambridge, as stated, but on the outskirts near the Extra Mural Department of the University. It is a beautiful but very solemn place to visit. There is also a German war cemetery in Cannock Chase in the midlands, where about 5000 Germans and Austrians are buried. We visited the Champagne area of France a few years ago and there are many cemeteries there for the various nationalities who fought there in the First World War, some enormous and some containing perhaps twenty graves of men from one unit. All very poignant.
Hi Steve. I too have never heard of this cemetery, the story of the pilots who lost their lives found myself holding back my tears. The cemetery is a fitting gesture to those American men, boys really when you think about it who, in different circumstances would have led more or less normal lives for young men/boys their age. Instead circumstances led them to a strange small foreign island from which they set off without question or hesitation to do their duty for America and the free world. Tragically this duty lead to them paying the ultimate sacrifice and who paid this price would never see their sweethearts, families or parents again.I hope one day you do get to visit this cemetery.
At Santa Pod which is a drag racing venue there is a memorial near the start line. It was an American air base near Poddington. I think Memphis Bell was based there and/ or at least one of the crash landing scenes in the film was based on an actual event at the base.
We gave the americans so much, language, law, government systems etc, but they repaid us tenfold in our time of need, this had me teared up, what a beautiful place. This is what i think of when we talk about the special relationship. I will make visiting here a must before i pass away.
I Lived quite near here before I retired and used to pass it on my way to work. I stopped off here one day and found it very emotional. It was a balmy summer day and it was so peaceful. I placed my hands on as many of the headstones as possible in the time I had and whispered a heartfelt thank you to each of the brave souls that slept there. I hope they are all now reunited with their loved ones.
i visited this cemetery in the early 1970s its on the A14 huntingdon cambridge road i was a truck driver then and parked up in the very long layby that used to be just passed the cemetery a favourite parking spot for truckers in them days. what shook me was the young age of the gunners in a B 17 18 and 19 years old god bless them. R I P.
Brought a tear to my eyes as well 😢. Any time I see a war cemetery no matter what nationality it brings home what they gave...the ultimate sacrifice. Bless them 🙏
If you have a chance you might be interested in story of Raimund Sanders Draper, an American pilot serving with the RAF who sacrificed his life to save a school, which is now named in his honour.
We brits are eternally grateful for our American brothers and sisters who came to a foreign land and fought along side us to preserve freedom and rid the world of tyranny. May they all rest in peace!
That's a beautiful cemetery. There are so many more equally beautiful across Europe. When you consider how many died it will make you stop and think. Or cry. Or pray. Whatever hits the spot.
I've been to this cemetery a few times over the years. The people who look after the grounds take great pride in their jobs. The first time I visited I was a child and the graves were of people much older, the last time I went I was ten years older than most of them. We are so grateful for what these men and women did for our country and other countries on the European continent. We don't forget.
I found that very moving! I am English and enjoy your channel! My mum died in 2019 aged 95 and was in the WRAF and we talked about her experiences a lot! I had an uncle that on his first bombing raid did not come back and his body was not found! It is so touching to hear of this wonderful man that came back to pay his respects to his fallen comrades! The world cannot thank all of that era enough for the sacrifice some folks had to make for us today! I say thank you to them all and may they R.I.P 😢
Also check out Cemetery Margraten in the Netherlands. Another WW2 American cemetery. Every year on May 4th we remember the fallen soldiers. Dutch and foreign. For the longest time WW2 vets would come to the Netherlands every year for May 4th and 5th. The 5th is when we celebrate our freedom. I like how it's 2 days. One day for respect and when at 8 PM the whole country is silent for 2 minutes. And the next day for celebration. The whole country is decorating and dressed in orange (national color), and there are flee markets and music festivals all over.
I have visited to pay my respects, it is a very peaceful and wonderfully kept memorial to those brave service men who gave their lives for our freedom. RAF veteran thanking the USA for the valient service personnel who flew from these isles and the men who landed on the beaches of Normandy. RIP fallen warriors your sacrifice will never be forgotten.
There are USAAF memorials all over East Anglia. Some former airfields have been turned into museums, run by volunteers. At Hethel near Norwich there's a memorial in the churchyard which states the number of casualties for aircrews based at Hethel. Absolutely horrific. At Norwich library there is a USAAF memorial room where one can find a copy of the Declaration of Independence ("We the people,......"), American books and magazines.
I had colleagues visit from NY a few years back, they found I live near Bletchley Park and got excited about spending a couple of hours there. Had a few more hours to kill before the team dinner so, without saying where I was taking them, took them to the cemetary - about 45 minute drive ... we were late for dinner.
Im from Cambridge this cemetery is beautiful and a true commemoration of those fallen heroes. Many US volunteers came to fight in the battle of Britain and flew planes to protect Britain from invasion from the Germans. I love our American brothers and sisters and we should always stand united especially in the dark days we find ourselves in currently. ❤
There are a number of US vet cemeteries in the Philippines also. I am sure ditto in other places. I will be at the one in Angeles city for the annual Anzac parade on 25th April.
When I visited the cemetery many years ago, the most powerful image that was left in my mind was just how peaceful and beautiful the grounds were, the crosses placed in perfect lines, and the sheer number of them...
Yes it is so beautiful and peaceful there, Steve. It rests on top of what is arguably the highest point for miles around, with a view to the North, across the Fens towards the City of Ely, which also sits on the next highest point to the North. On a bright, clear day it is possible to see Ely Cathedral, known as 'The Ship of The Fens', it's white roof shining like a beacon, 16 Miles away.
I visited about a month ago and some of the stories I read about are unbelievable any US visitors to U.K. should visit if possible,the place is immaculate
My grandad helped document the men when they came in. He moved over from Ireland to sign up to fight but was too young so he worked for the Americans. 🙏🏻
As a resident of Cambridge, I may be somewhat biased in saying a visit to Cambridge should be considered for any trip to the UK. There's trains to-and-from London every 25 minutes or so from 6AM until past midnight, and the journey is only around 45 minutes from King's Cross Station, so a visit can easily be done in a single day. The city is beautiful with the old university buildings, the river (that's great to punt down during summer), and of course the multitude of nearby museums (Fitzwilliam, Scott Polar Institute). Duxford is incredible, but it's a good 25-30 minutes by car so you'd probably need to get a taxi.
@@TheMightyHams As someone who used to deliver regularly into Cambridge going by train is the best option the traffic can be very bad, and that’s being generous but it’s still a grand city though
oh it is a MUST vist place it sit on a hill next to a windmill very pacefull place, also look out for the The Glenn Miller Museum - Experience Bedfordshire about 10 miles away. then you have Lakenheath US airbase about 30 miles away and the Imperial War Museum Duxford is a must vist has well
Hi .One thing that might interest you if you do visit the U.K.is the Brookwood American Cemetery and Memorial ,it is owned and maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission and beautifully maintained at that . The plot contains a Chapel and a reception building . The Graves are arranged in four groups around a flagpole flying of course the Stars and Stripes . The chapel is beautiful and the walls within are inscribed with the names of American Heroes who died at sea and have no known Grave . Please come and see it if you can . Brookwood is in the County of Surrey , not far from Cambridge . The Cemetery is HUGE and you will need help . [ Help is at hand throughout the Cemetery ] . Good Luck with it all , not a wasted journey I can assure you of that .
What a beautiful memorial to amazing heroes. I am English, and my mum who lived through WW2, always said 'without the Americans we would not have won the war'. What touching stories they made cry.
My mum told me about a black American GI who help her mum carry heavy suitcases. She thanked him and he saluted. She told my mum and her brother to pray for his safety.❤
I was born at the end of WW2 and was brought up to honour the memory of my mother's three brothers of six who fought in the war. The three who did not return are all interred overseas, one in France, one in Belgium and one in Egypt. I have visited the graves in France and Belgium and it was very emotional. The one in Egypt has no known grave and is recorded only on the El Alamein memorial there. If you visit Europe, a visit to the Menin Gate at Ieper for the 8pm commemorative service each and every day will be a memory to treasure.
I worked at a hotel in Cambridge in the 1970s. One of our guests was an American who had helped create this war cemetery. He was visiting England after so many years just to see how the graves and monuments were being cared for. I accompanied him on the visit. He was deeply moved by how well everything was being kept and respected. He was a lovely man and honourable veteran.
A must visit for everyone. It overwhelmed me, the vast numbers involved and the respectful outlay in which it presents itself. I was born in 1962 and yet felt so close to those there. A tremendous sadness but also respect to those brothers in arms and our friends who travelled so far to help us in the greatest hour of need. My respect and heartfelt gratitude to the American people now and then for giving me the freedom to live my life the way I do and have. Thankyou and respectfully grateful.
As I've written in other of your videos, I lived in London during a university study-abroad term back in 1994. I went to Cambridge during that time & visited this cemetery. Completely moving. I broke down in tears standing amongst the graves. Our two countries have a special relationship - this being a perfect example, as well as the American Memorial Chapel in St. Paul's in London, and the fact they fly an 1940's American flag inside of Bath Abbey.
Hi I live a few miles away from this cemetery and I've visited it. It is kept in a beautiful condition and the view from there is stunning. It's very moving,as are all military cemeteries. I took my eldest son there some years ago( we took the tourist bus from the centre of Cambridge) and he was moved too. If you can make it to the UK then a visit to the cemetery is recommended.
The USAF B-17 "mi amigo" crashed in early 1944,in a Sheffield park after being attacked by Luftwaffe fighters over Denmark,the pilot avoided a group of children playing in the park at the cost of all the crew including himself, there is a shrine to the crew there to this day, 🇬🇧🤝🇺🇸
Just down the road from me. Took my 14yr old daughter there to experience the amazing calmness and grace. It is truly astonishing when you first realise the relief on the stonework is not a texture but the names of all that fell. Have been several times, it is beautifully kept and is a proud testament to our two countries shared loss and victories. This chap has more respect for my country in his little finger than Brandon does in his entire senile body. I urge any American, Canadian. Kiwi, Aussie, Indian … on and on, who visit Cambridge to spend a little time there, it is very humbling. Not a religious person myself, but i can tell you it is etherial. Our two nations have a very long and intricate history. We stand and fall together. 🇬🇧👍🇺🇸 Great video
There is another memorial to the American aircrews in the etched glass panels along the approach to the entrance of the American aviation section at the Duxford home of the Imperial War Museum. Very thought provoking.
I live in Wiltshire UK. Our local hospital at Salisbury was built in 1942 by the Americans in preparation for D day.. Obviously it has been massively expanded since but original wards connected with passageways can still be seen 80 years later. The passageways are big enough for jeeps laden with 4 injured soldiers to drive directly inside. It is recorded that they treated 10,000 patents
I'm an American vet, I brought my uncle to the states years ago, he was a tail Gunner on a Lancaster with 12 squadron raf. I took him to my local vfw, and we had some ww2 bomber crew in the post. When they found out he was raf, they all gathered around, and school his hand, and they all said they wouldn't ever want to go over at night and alone, like the Brits did, and he said the same thing about them going over in daylight. They all started swapping stories, and I became a fly on the wall. We were there for 12 hrs, until 6am. They cooked steaks in the kitchen of the post, and drank until dawn. When we were walking home, very unsteadily, he said that it was the best night he had spent in years.
Nice post.
And look at the tossers the the late teenagers and early twenties are now.protesting about anything and wanting to wipe away history that doesn't suit their own agenda.
That's brilliant.We were,are,and will always be brothers in arms my friend.
What a fantastic experience for all of them. 🇬🇧❤️🇺🇸
'Lest we forget'.
May all those US servicemen who forever sleep in England's soil rest in peace.
May they rest in peace, knowing they are as loved and respected as they would have been anywhere in the US!
@@Mark_Bickertonthey are hated by all of Europe and defeated the wrong enemy
These men came here and fought for our freedom, the least we can do is show them due respect.
Steve a lot of the old US air force stations in the UK have memorials to those who flew or died here. Also a lot of the nearby churches have memorials to the nearby US Air force men as well . The British will never forget the sacrifices the American servicemen made.
There's one around three miles from where I am typing this.
@@w0033944 Same here, I live in Suffolk.
And I remember noting the graves of other denominations, aged in their teens from Poland, and other lands.
If you believe in peace, go there. Expect to be converted in some way or another.
God Bless America. ✝️✝️✝️
👏
You beat me to it. Norfolk had 32 air bases, most were USAF, Linclonshire was mostly RAF Bomber Command bases, but Norfolk had a large number of USAF bases, and as you rightly say, they all have Memorials to the bomb groups and men that flew from them. Some have small museum and heritage centres, and yes, many of the churches have memorials, as well as graves of American airmen who returned home fatally wounded in action.
It would be good for you to come over on a long vacation and explore the region. Alternatively, a good book to get is Norfolk Airfields Of World War 2. I have several books in the series regarding WW2 airfields, they make very good reading, even where some famous film stars were based and flew from, James Stewart being one of them.
I was based quite near to the cemetery in the 1970s whilst serving in the British Army. Our regiment often visited it to pay our respects for our American brothers. We will remember them.
Amen
If you go by train ftom London you can then get the HoHo bus right to the Madingly Cemetery. HOHO IS hop on/off bus. Good luck.
I'm British and have no connection to anyone buried there but I visited the cemetery in April last year. The Visitor's Book shows that people have visited from all over the world, not just the USA and UK.
I also am british but never knew this existed-We are conscious of our pacts with other countries and its great that we commemorate other allies-I wonder if there is a ghurkha one or a sikh one ?
@@susanlindarice I Susan. Some info for you. Gurkha's burial site. Hillingdon London Sikh burial site. Brookwood military cemetery. In Surrey. Hope this is helpful. from 🇬🇧 an old cockney gal 🕊️and❤️ to you
@@MarieFletcher-tw7io wow thank you-i'm an old gal too-love and peace
I have visited here as a tribute to all the USAF air crews & military that paid the ultimate sacrifice. Like most cemeteries it is serene and well maintained but also beautiful. The rows & rows of headstones are heartbreaking and the loss to the families & friends stateside are all apparent. A small piece of USA in the green quiet Cambridgeshire countryside from a grateful U.K. 🇬🇧🇺🇸
If memory serves me correct, the visitor's book include the signatures of HM Queen Elizabeth, at least one US President - Dear Ike Eisenhower ( Who is also remembered here with great respect, fondness and gratitude) and many other notable Wartime and Post-war Political and military leaders.
My dad was a German POW. Captured in France and shipped to the USA.
He passed a few years ago at 94. Shortly after, I randomly clicked on an old news reel on UA-cam entitled Three Thousand German Prisoners. Imagine the feeling I had when at 32 seconds in, my young and handsome dad turned to look into the camera, directly at me.
I miss him dearly. He was a very loving and emotional old German.
Im English and respects to your german father i bet most germans NEVER wanted the war , just hope we learn from it .
@@sheene71 If most Germans didn't want the war there wouldn't of been a War.Most Germans drove Jews from their houses,and abandoned them to the SS Most Germans were complicit in the holocaust and incineration of their neighbours and friends.😊
@@sheene71 No they didn't. My step-dad was German. He was conscripted at fourteen as was his school mate. His school mate was killed and the memory never left my step-dad. What a colossal waste of so many lives.
I'm ex forces and I'm a member of a motorcycle club. We are a military club and a mixture of Army and RAF at present. We visit this cemetery to pay our respects each year.
I'm ENGLISH and I've never heard of this AMERICAN cemetery before but Damn this would bring a tear to a glass eye
*THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE CHAPS*
LEST WE FORGET 🇬🇧🇺🇲
Ten thousand real men RIP God bless to all of you
This was so moving, it brought a tear to my eyes. We will never forget the sacrifices made by these brave young men who came to our aid, in our hour of need. RIP 🙏
I’ve been there when I was stationed in England in the 60s, Beautiful,amazing Cemetery!
It was moving for me as an Royal Air Force veteran to see how moved you were watching this about your countrymen, those brave young Americans who gave their lives for their country and mine.
Its just round the corner from me. Its a beautiful place. Sad to see the youth that's buried there.
That's What Real American Patriotism, LOOKS LIKE And I as a British Person will never Forget. LEST WE FORGET.
"There is no greater love than for a man to lay down his life for his friends"
There is also a pub in Cambridge centre called The Eagle which has a ceiling in the bar covered in the signatures and graffiti of allied air service personnel stationed there during WWII. It has been preserved and can still be seen today if you pop in for a pint. You can also sit at the table where Watson and Crick announced the discovery of the structure of DNA to the world.
A bloody expensive because of it!
@@tallthinkev I had a meal in The Eagle last week :)
It's still visited by American airmen (and women) who are based at the two remaining American airfields in Britain, Mildenhall and Lakenheath.
Yes! A must-see!
Yes been in there a few times 🍺🍺
Been passed this cemetery many times so pease full for all those young men who are now at rest who made that ultimate sacrifice and never made it home. God bless them all 🙏
I live in UK, In Cambridge on Nov 11th I went to the American Cemetery Memorial.
It was such a Beautiful Peaceful place, so many who gave their lives for us to live in peace.
I used to live 5 minutes from this beautiful place, drove past it every day on my commute to work. I remember one year during a particularly ferocious storm a tree came down and blocked the entrance to the cemetery. There was a local tree surgeon who was caught in the resultant traffic, who immediately went to work removing it. Myself and a few other motorists got out of our cars and helped.
This beautiful place brings tears to your eyes, I have been a few times as it’s less than half an hour away. I can’t go there and see all those perfect white crosses for all those brave souls it never ceases to cause tears. May it remind everyone just how awful wars are. Remember them always. Bless them all.
Steve i live really close to this place but have never visted, after your video i think ill walk down there and check it out now thankyou
Really touching, and emotional story. As an 80 year old Brit, I didn't know about this cemetery. I always believed, the American policy, of returning servicemen killed in battle to the US, was the norm. I'm so glad to hear that these young men are remembered for their sacrifice in Britain.This is the place school trips should be visiting these days, so the young generation of today, is reminded, who made this sacrifice for them, and future generations.
Visited this beautiful cemetery with my RAF son, it is just stunning to see how beautifully kept it is. A fitting tribute to those who did not return.
I’ve driven past it lots of times. It looks absolutely beautiful, and very peaceful.
watching this with tears in my eyes We will never forget those who sacrifed their lives for us
My father was 20 years old when he went over to England to serve. He was the bombardier on the crew he was part of. He was stationed in Deenethorpe with the 401st BG. On his crew's last run on Politz, they lost two engines due to flack and decided to try and make it to Sweden (which was a neutral country) rather than trying to make it back to England, and spent the rest of the war in Sweden. The USAAF didn't get the plane back until the end of the war. I'm thankful that the pilot made the decision to go to Sweden rather than trying to limp back to England. The other planes in the squadron did make it back, but the planes were all badly damaged, and I know that one of the bombardiers was killed in that battle.
Hallo Steve. I'm 85 years old and was born and grew up in Cambridge, so I have many memories of the War Years and the immediate Post-War years.
During that time Cambridge was surrounded by airbases, many of which were occupied by USAF forces (in fact Lakenheath, which is about 10 Miles East of Cambridge still is). These bases were the ones from which those courageous men left on their daylight bombing raids into Nazi-occupied Europe, so my childhood memories include, for instance, seeing and hearing the bombers in the sky above me and of encountering the men out and about in the Town.
I often wonder how many of them finally got to be back with their families again, and how many are still with us at Madingley...
Back in the 80's my wife and I were involved with a student exchange organisation, and we used to host many of the students. By that time, I lived 40 miles from Cambridge, but I always made a point of taking the American students to Madingley at some time during their year with us.
It was always a very poignant occasion. I never told them where we were going until we arrived. It was always the case that I would go there with two or three brash noisy, somewhat irresponsible teenagers and leave with two or three quiet, reflective, humble young men.
You no doubt know of our pledge, "We Will Remember Them". For many of us here, especially of my generation, they are not just a few words we mumble once or twice in November, then forget until the following year; it is a pledge that we live by throughout our lives, and those brave souls at Madingley are included.... because their sacrifice meant that we could live to be 85.
" They shall not grow old,
As we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them,
Nor the years condemn;
At the going down of the Sun
And in the morning -
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM!"
Lancaster Way speaks a legacy good sir.
We will remember them.
Respect from Bomber County, Lincolnshire.
It's absolutely massive my friend
Look up Tony Foulds of who tended to a u.s. memorial stone in Sheffield England for most of his life , its a moving story of u.s. airmen that crashed in a field avoiding the local children playing . We must never forget .
That was a truly wonderful story he never forgot them
The USAF did a flypast a few years ago.
@@geoffpoole483 So they did superb it was
@@geoffpoole483 yes remember watching it . Very moving .
yes CLARE ! Its The MI AMIGO memorial at Endcliffe park .
As the son of a British Airborne soldier, I have listened to a few stories when my father was alive. This history should be kept alive for future generations and include the various countries that were our allies and fought with us. I did not know this place existed and I would love to visit myself, we owe so much to so many.
It is the most respectful place. I have loved it there !
Sad, but respectful.
Well said my friend
It is truly a breathtaking place and the windows in the chapel are stunning
I have been there many, many times as it isn’t too far from me and if I ever go out that way on my motorbike I always stop and take a walk around. It’s very humbling to see the graves and names of so many young men who gave their lives so that we might enjoy the freedom we have today. They will never know the debt that we owe them RIP.
I live just over the border in Norfolk and we have 4 airfields within 5 miles of us. I have been to Madingly twice and it's a very moving experience, so many young men gave their all for us.
I've visited this place a couple of times. It is spotless, serene place. A very humbling experience
Steve, I live in the East of England. Here there were tens of thousands of American airmen who served in this area across many many airfields. These would be largely be in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire. I assure you that are remembered and so respected for their bravery, their service and all too often sacrifice. There are still organised excursions from the USA with very old veterans reliving their experiences. It is so emotional. My late mum was born in 1923 and lived in the area. Before she married my dad she would tell of stories of dances and social events attended by the airmen and she would get to know faces and the odd name. She would always tell me very sad stories that ‘Chuck won’t be coming anymore’ and ‘Larry was missing’, euphemisms for being KIA. All were largely very young men in their late teens or early twenties. I remember watching the Memphis Belle movie with her and she just said out loud, that is exactly like they were🎉!! I live very close to RAF/USAAF Lakenheath and I am so proud to see (and hear!) those wonderful B52’s and other large aircraft in our skies. To all friends in the US be assured we so cherish our friends and loyal allies in the USA. We ask god to bless all whether past or present in their difficult and arduous duties.
In most towns and cities across Europe the unknown soldiers are honoured by the local community and are treated as family member of a local family so they are never forgotten .
I’ve visited the cemetery.
It is in the Cambridge countryside. A lovely area, England’s green and pleasant land. The cemetery is immaculately kept. On a sunny day it is an oasis of birdsong and peace.
I’m so proud that Cambridge University gave these meadows to the boys who came so far from home and fell in the war, to their families, to their loved ones.
A corner of a foreign field for them, but given with love and respect.
We in the U.K will love to have you over here for a visit brother
My uncles served in the US Army in the ETO, thank God they all returned. One my Uncle Walt was severely wounded and was treated in the UK for over a year before coming home for more treatment. Both of them always said how much they loved the UK and how wonderful her people were and how hard they had it during the war. This video brings tears to my eyes, its so touching that the UK takes such good care of our men who never returned home.
We would never have done it without you, thank you America.
Never forgotten.
This was so touching. I’m so glad that there is this special place for all these brave soldiers.👍
It's like an unwritten, unsaid pact, which both countries understand and live by.
It's a beautiful place. So peaceful and well kept. We cherish and honor their memory. England protects
It is not really in the centre of Cambridge, as stated, but on the outskirts near the Extra Mural Department of the University. It is a beautiful but very solemn place to visit. There is also a German war cemetery in Cannock Chase in the midlands, where about 5000 Germans and Austrians are buried. We visited the Champagne area of France a few years ago and there are many cemeteries there for the various nationalities who fought there in the First World War, some enormous and some containing perhaps twenty graves of men from one unit. All very poignant.
Its in Madingley. I go past everyday.
Brothers in Arms
Hi Steve. I too have never heard of this cemetery, the story of the pilots who lost their lives found myself holding back my tears. The cemetery is a fitting gesture to those American men, boys really when you think about it who, in different circumstances would have led more or less normal lives for young men/boys their age. Instead circumstances led them to a strange small foreign island from which they set off without question or hesitation to do their duty for America and the free world. Tragically this duty lead to them paying the ultimate sacrifice and who paid this price would never see their sweethearts, families or parents again.I hope one day you do get to visit this cemetery.
At Santa Pod which is a drag racing venue there is a memorial near the start line. It was an American air base near Poddington. I think Memphis Bell was based there and/ or at least one of the crash landing scenes in the film was based on an actual event at the base.
We gave the americans so much, language, law, government systems etc, but they repaid us tenfold in our time of need, this had me teared up, what a beautiful place. This is what i think of when we talk about the special relationship. I will make visiting here a must before i pass away.
I drove past this on my way to Hackney a few years ago . Thanks for your video it explains a lot.
Many soldiers' bodies are still missing, and we are still looking for them 😢 that make me proud 👏 we still care to bring them home
God bless these brave guys, and may they rest in peace !🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
I Lived quite near here before I retired and used to pass it on my way to work. I stopped off here one day and found it very emotional. It was a balmy summer day and it was so peaceful. I placed my hands on as many of the headstones as possible in the time I had and whispered a heartfelt thank you to each of the brave souls that slept there. I hope they are all now reunited with their loved ones.
i visited this cemetery in the early 1970s its on the A14 huntingdon cambridge road i was a truck driver then and parked up in the very long
layby that used to be just passed the cemetery a favourite parking spot for truckers in them days.
what shook me was the young age of the gunners in a B 17 18 and 19 years old god bless them. R I P.
what a wonderful place to end your days. RIP all those who gave their lives for others Freedom.
Brought a tear to my eyes as well 😢. Any time I see a war cemetery no matter what nationality it brings home what they gave...the ultimate sacrifice. Bless them 🙏
ive never heard of it and, i live in england so ive learned something new ty
What an emotional story .RIP🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
If you have a chance you might be interested in story of Raimund Sanders Draper, an American pilot serving with the RAF who sacrificed his life to save a school, which is now named in his honour.
Lakenheath and Mildenhall both USAF bases are less than 20 miles from the cemetery
We brits are eternally grateful for our American brothers and sisters who came to a foreign land and fought along side us to preserve freedom and rid the world of tyranny. May they all rest in peace!
That's a beautiful cemetery.
There are so many more equally beautiful across Europe.
When you consider how many died it will make you stop and think. Or cry. Or pray.
Whatever hits the spot.
I've been to this cemetery a few times over the years.
The people who look after the grounds take great pride in their jobs.
The first time I visited I was a child and the graves were of people much older, the last time I went I was ten years older than most of them.
We are so grateful for what these men and women did for our country and other countries on the European continent.
We don't forget.
A US pilot crashed his fighter jet on the north York moors and died, flowers are laid every year for his memory.
From a UK veteran thanks to all American service personnel for your service and fighting for freedom we might need you again
I found that very moving! I am English and enjoy your channel! My mum died in 2019 aged 95 and was in the WRAF and we talked about her experiences a lot! I had an uncle that on his first bombing raid did not come back and his body was not found! It is so touching to hear of this wonderful man that came back to pay his respects to his fallen comrades! The world cannot thank all of that era enough for the sacrifice some folks had to make for us today! I say thank you to them all and may they R.I.P 😢
There’s a huge war cemetery in Harrogate Yorkshire
Also check out Cemetery Margraten in the Netherlands. Another WW2 American cemetery. Every year on May 4th we remember the fallen soldiers. Dutch and foreign. For the longest time WW2 vets would come to the Netherlands every year for May 4th and 5th. The 5th is when we celebrate our freedom. I like how it's 2 days. One day for respect and when at 8 PM the whole country is silent for 2 minutes. And the next day for celebration. The whole country is decorating and dressed in orange (national color), and there are flee markets and music festivals all over.
There is a simular site in Margarten Netherlands. It has been the aim to obtain a photograph for each and every grave.
I have visited to pay my respects, it is a very peaceful and wonderfully kept memorial to those brave service men who gave their lives for our freedom. RAF veteran thanking the USA for the valient service personnel who flew from these isles and the men who landed on the beaches of Normandy. RIP fallen warriors your sacrifice will never be forgotten.
It brings tears to my eyes when you see the cemetery and terrible loss of life.🇬🇧
There are USAAF memorials all over East Anglia. Some former airfields have been turned into museums, run by volunteers. At Hethel near Norwich there's a memorial in the churchyard which states the number of casualties for aircrews based at Hethel. Absolutely horrific. At Norwich library there is a USAAF memorial room where one can find a copy of the Declaration of Independence ("We the people,......"), American books and magazines.
I had colleagues visit from NY a few years back, they found I live near Bletchley Park and got excited about spending a couple of hours there. Had a few more hours to kill before the team dinner so, without saying where I was taking them, took them to the cemetary - about 45 minute drive ... we were late for dinner.
Im from Cambridge this cemetery is beautiful and a true commemoration of those fallen heroes.
Many US volunteers came to fight in the battle of Britain and flew planes to protect Britain from invasion from the Germans.
I love our American brothers and sisters and we should always stand united especially in the dark days we find ourselves in currently. ❤
There are a number of US vet cemeteries in the Philippines also. I am sure ditto in other places. I will be at the one in Angeles city for the annual Anzac parade on 25th April.
That makes me proud and sad at the same time 😢
I’ve visited this place a number of times and it is really moving. It’s so well set out, so quiet, and so respectful.
The cemetary is as beautiful as those men deserved.
When I visited the cemetery many years ago, the most powerful image that was left in my mind was just how peaceful and beautiful the grounds were, the crosses placed in perfect lines, and the sheer number of them...
Yes it is so beautiful and peaceful there, Steve. It rests on top of what is arguably the highest point for miles around, with a view to the North, across the Fens towards the City of Ely, which also sits on the next highest point to the North. On a bright, clear day it is possible to see Ely Cathedral, known as 'The Ship of The Fens', it's white roof shining like a beacon, 16 Miles away.
I visited about a month ago and some of the stories I read about are unbelievable any US visitors to U.K. should visit if possible,the place is immaculate
My grandad helped document the men when they came in.
He moved over from Ireland to sign up to fight but was too young so he worked for the Americans. 🙏🏻
Cambridge is also not far from the imperial war museum at Duxford. Duxford was an RAF and then USAAF base during WWII and it is well worth a visit.
There is also a USAF museum as part of the Duxford site.
Duxford is a great place to visit - so much to see. My partner has been 3 times and still wants to go back again.
And the lastB17 flying in Europe is at Duxford
As a resident of Cambridge, I may be somewhat biased in saying a visit to Cambridge should be considered for any trip to the UK. There's trains to-and-from London every 25 minutes or so from 6AM until past midnight, and the journey is only around 45 minutes from King's Cross Station, so a visit can easily be done in a single day. The city is beautiful with the old university buildings, the river (that's great to punt down during summer), and of course the multitude of nearby museums (Fitzwilliam, Scott Polar Institute). Duxford is incredible, but it's a good 25-30 minutes by car so you'd probably need to get a taxi.
@@TheMightyHams As someone who used to deliver regularly into Cambridge going by train is the best option the traffic can be very bad, and that’s being generous but it’s still a grand city though
oh it is a MUST vist place it sit on a hill next to a windmill very pacefull place, also look out for the The Glenn Miller Museum - Experience Bedfordshire about 10 miles away. then you have Lakenheath US airbase about 30 miles away and the Imperial War Museum Duxford is a must vist has well
I live not too far from The American Cemetery and I've been there for Rememberence Sunday. It is quite busy in fact and very beautiful place
I’ve been to Madingley American Cemetery. Every day when they lower the Star Spangled Banner at sunset, Taps is played on the bugle.
Hi .One thing that might interest you if you do visit the U.K.is the Brookwood American Cemetery and Memorial ,it is owned and maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission and beautifully maintained at that . The plot contains a Chapel and a reception building . The Graves are arranged in four groups around a flagpole flying of course the Stars and Stripes . The chapel is beautiful and the walls within are inscribed with the names of American Heroes who died at sea and have no known Grave . Please come and see it if you can . Brookwood is in the County of Surrey , not far from Cambridge . The Cemetery is HUGE and you will need help . [ Help is at hand throughout the Cemetery ] . Good Luck with it all , not a wasted journey I can assure you of that .
What a beautiful memorial to amazing heroes. I am English, and my mum who lived through WW2, always said 'without the Americans we would not have won the war'. What touching stories they made cry.
My mum told me about a black American GI who help her mum carry heavy suitcases. She thanked him and he saluted. She told my mum and her brother to pray for his safety.❤
I was born at the end of WW2 and was brought up to honour the memory of my mother's three brothers of six who fought in the war. The three who did not return are all interred overseas, one in France, one in Belgium and one in Egypt. I have visited the graves in France and Belgium and it was very emotional. The one in Egypt has no known grave and is recorded only on the El Alamein memorial there. If you visit Europe, a visit to the Menin Gate at Ieper for the 8pm commemorative service each and every day will be a memory to treasure.
I went there stood suited and thanked them all so as a British man again happy to say thank you to all American services there.
I worked at a hotel in Cambridge in the 1970s. One of our guests was an American who had helped create this war cemetery. He was visiting England after so many years just to see how the graves and monuments were being cared for. I accompanied him on the visit. He was deeply moved by how well everything was being kept and respected. He was a lovely man and honourable veteran.
A must visit for everyone. It overwhelmed me, the vast numbers involved and the respectful outlay in which it presents itself. I was born in 1962 and yet felt so close to those there. A tremendous sadness but also respect to those brothers in arms and our friends who travelled so far to help us in the greatest hour of need. My respect and heartfelt gratitude to the American people now and then for giving me the freedom to live my life the way I do and have. Thankyou and respectfully grateful.
I visited as a teenager and it was very peaceful but also very emotional knowing what and who it represented.
God bless them all🙏 🇺🇸🇬🇧
As I've written in other of your videos, I lived in London during a university study-abroad term back in 1994. I went to Cambridge during that time & visited this cemetery. Completely moving. I broke down in tears standing amongst the graves. Our two countries have a special relationship - this being a perfect example, as well as the American Memorial Chapel in St. Paul's in London, and the fact they fly an 1940's American flag inside of Bath Abbey.
Hi I live a few miles away from this cemetery and I've visited it. It is kept in a beautiful condition and the view from there is stunning. It's very moving,as are all military cemeteries. I took my eldest son there some years ago( we took the tourist bus from the centre of Cambridge) and he was moved too. If you can make it to the UK then a visit to the cemetery is recommended.
The USAF B-17 "mi amigo" crashed in early 1944,in a Sheffield park after being attacked by Luftwaffe fighters over Denmark,the pilot avoided a group of children playing in the park at the cost of all the crew including himself, there is a shrine to the crew there to this day, 🇬🇧🤝🇺🇸
Just down the road from me.
Took my 14yr old daughter there to experience the amazing calmness and grace.
It is truly astonishing when you first realise the relief on the stonework is not a texture but the names of all that fell.
Have been several times, it is beautifully kept and is a proud testament to our two countries shared loss and victories.
This chap has more respect for my country in his little finger than Brandon does in his entire senile body.
I urge any American, Canadian. Kiwi, Aussie, Indian … on and on, who visit Cambridge to spend a little time there, it is very humbling.
Not a religious person myself, but i can tell you it is etherial.
Our two nations have a very long and intricate history.
We stand and fall together.
🇬🇧👍🇺🇸
Great video
There is another memorial to the American aircrews in the etched glass panels along the approach to the entrance of the American aviation section at the Duxford home of the Imperial War Museum. Very thought provoking.
I live in Wiltshire UK. Our local hospital at Salisbury was built in 1942 by the Americans in preparation for D day.. Obviously it has been massively expanded since but original wards connected with passageways can still be seen 80 years later. The passageways are big enough for jeeps laden with 4 injured soldiers to drive directly inside. It is recorded that they treated 10,000 patents