SMGWA Celebrates Wartime Farming

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Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome stepped temporarily away from World War One over the weekend, to celebrate the site’s efforts as a working farm during World War Two. Back to the WW2 Farm included living historians, vintage vehicles and an amazing flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial flight, resulting in a fantastic family weekend in the sunshine.

Organised to support the accredited Museum’s latest exhibition, Feeding the Nation: Fighting Without Flying, and the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, the weekend’s events celebrated a time when the WW1 pilots and aircraft had left the Aerodrome and it had reverted to its agricultural role as Flambirds Farm.

Visitors had a chance to chat with living historians presenting as members of the Women's Land Army, the Women's Volunteer Service and the County War Agricultural Executive Committee of Essex, as well as handle wartime weapons and equipment brought by Essex Historic Military Vehicle Association. Meanwhile, local historian and author Stephen Nunn spoke to a packed room about the air crashes and battles that took place over the area in WW2. Young visitors were able to have a go at wartime cookery, making biscuits and strawberry compote and identifying vegetables in the Museum’s specially planted WW2-style vegetable patch.

On Saturday, visitors waved and cheered as the Supermarine Spitfire from The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight made its flypast, tipping its wings as it headed back to base. Unfortunately, the planned visit of the Lancaster was unable to take place due to the excessively high winds at its home, RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, which prompted the cancellation of all scheduled BBMF displays on Sunday.

Ian Flint, Chief Executive Officer of Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome, comments: “Our role at Stow changed dramatically between WW1 and WW2, and this weekend’s events celebrated the vital role that we played as a farm, feeding the nation during a time of national crisis.”

For those who missed the event, there will be a second visit Back to the WW2 Farm on Saturday and Sunday 30 & 31 August, when it is hoped that the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire will make a return visit on the Saturday. In addition, Family Activity Days based around Feeding the Nation: Fighting Without Flying will be held on 26 July, 30 August, 20 September and 18 October.

Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome, Hackman’s Lane, Purleigh CM3 6RN normally opens to the public every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 4pm and has a packed programme of events.