Captain Buford B Fordham 0-404070 Chaplain of 78th Fighter Group , Duxford from 3rd November 1943 until [August?] 1945.



Occasionally away from Duxford to attend conferences and regular visits to Churches in the local area his duties are outlined as follows:

“OFFICE OF THE CHAPLAIN 78th FIGHTER GROUP JUNE 1944

1. As station Chaplain I have seen “history in the making” as service men and British women have come to my office for marriage consultations. Being on the Board which makes investigations and recommendations, I see them all. In the month of May, which was typical, I had 17 such interviews, involving 38 people. A total of 9 marriages were actually consummated. In addition to myself there is the Squadron Commander and the Squadron Medical Officer. It is our function to make recommendations to the Station Commander who has been delegated the responsibility of approving or disapproving marriages involving American military personnel. For the most part our service men are marrying women who will be a credit to them wherever they go, and these marriages will undoubtedly contribute much towards favourable Anglo-American relations in the years ahead. Officers as well as Enlisted men are falling victims of Dan Cupid, and many of these couples - have not only wives but families. The sociological significance of these Anglo-American marriages is certain to be far-reaching. The contacts which we of the Investigating Board make with the parents of the girls involved, are often most interesting; and in a few cases, rather pathetic.



2. Quite frequently we American Chaplains are asked to preach at nearby English churches. This month I conducted the evening worship service at the Congregational Chapel in Great Chesterford. There were 50 people present.



3. A number of men from this Station have been attending various civilian churches on Sunday evenings, as a result of what we call our “Church Run.” Churches visited include: St Mary’s the Lesser in Cambridge, Congregational Church in Bassingbourne, Wesleyan Chapel in Cambridge, and a Presbyterian Church as well as the famous King’s College Chapel, also in Cambridge. These experiences have religious, social and cultural value, and are greatly enjoyed by those who have been the “Church Runs.”



4. For the second time the St Andrew’s St Baptist Church in Cambridge has given us the use of its baptistery. This last month a S/Sgt of Headquarters, 79th Service Group, was baptised at a private service.



5. On May 30th a Memorial Day service was conducted on the Parade Ground at this station.



6. A pleasant and profitable contact was made when some of us visited the Harvey –Goodwin Orphanage in Cambridge, leaving these children five boxes of candies, gum, etc., which the Officers of this Station contributed out of their personal rations. Earlier the Enlisted Men made a similar contribution which was taken to British soldiers who were confined in a British hospital in New Market, England. (The White Lodge Emergency Hospital).



7. I had the opportunity of addressing a Baptist Minister’s Conference in the St Andrew’s Street Baptist Church in Cambridge. This was an annual conference, and my subject was “The American Baptist Scene and World Baptist Future.” This was the third occasion I have had of this nature in Cambridge.



8. I was asked to address a Church Women’s Rally in the Congregational Church in Duxford, England. There were representations from some six different churches present, and the attendance was approximately 100.



9. Further contacts were made with English civilians when I had some English mothers attend our Mother’s Day Service held here on the Station; and as I later attended a Tea held in their honor, at the Aero Club at this base.



10. With more than a year already spent in England I can say that we Chaplains have almost unlimited opportunities to come to know the country and her citizens better than would be possible under almost any other circumstances. We trust this will be one good aspect of the war, which will lead to a better understanding between our two peoples.”



“SUBJECT: Review of civilian activities of Chaplain for June, 1944

1. Each Sunday evening of the month a small group of men from this station, under the custody of the Station Chaplain, attended some civilian church in some nearby community or city. Regular church worship services were attended in Bassingbourn Congregational Chapel, and at the Hills Road Methodist Church in Cambridge. A third evening was spent at the Wesley Methodist Church, Cambridge, where we saw a sacred drama called “The Cup”. This was an outstandingly good presentation, and was greatly enjoyed by the men who were present. On the last Sunday evening of the month Chaplain Fordham conducted the worship service in the Wesley Methodist Church, Cambridge. Approximately 400 were in attendance.



2. June 27, 1944 I attended a Rotary Club Luncheon in Cambridge, in company with Capt. Barnhart, of this Station, and Mr I B Alkire, American Red Cross Field Director. A fine hour of fellowship was enjoyed and several personal contacts were made which we hope will add to the grand total of friendship and understanding between our two nations. This note of international fellowship, so much a part of the Rotary program, was manifest as we all joined together in toasting both the President of the United States, and, his majesty, the King of England. The Club was addressed by the Bishop of Ely, Dr Wynn.



3. There were also a number of personal contacts, both business and social, with some of the vicars and pastors of nearby communities, and with the parents of some of the British girls who are planning on marrying some of our American personnel. Not infrequently, a British civilian leader will call upon the Army Chaplain to assist in solving some problem, involving civilian and military parties. All possible assistance of this type is rendered on request.”





“The religious history of an individual life cannot be condensed into a few paragraphs; much less so that of an entire fighter group. The following are but passing observations by the group chaplain, who has been with the 78th for the greater part of its operational history.

Someone has said that war makes a man into a better man, and vice versa. As a general rule such a statement has much to commend itself; for those of good religious background and training, for the most part retain these qualities, come what may. Likewise as a general rule those without a guiding religious philosophy in civilian life, continue to be without it in the Army.



There have been notable exceptions, however, since some men have allowed the strain of separation and the tensions of war to separate them from those things which they formerly held dear. It is one of the apparently inevitable consequences of war. Indeed, when the final pages of any war are written, it becomes evident that the greatest loses are not the casualties of battle but rather the consequences of a lowered moral and spiritual standard. No one can speak accurately without admitting of “the contagion of the world’s slow stain”; especially in talking to soldiers whose months of war have turned into years. There are those within our group whose faith has not been strong enough to bridge the great gap between civilian life as it was and civilian life as it will be again when those years of conflict have passed.



On the other and brighter side of the picture there are many who have gone quietly and steadily along life’s course, neither hesitation nor wavering in matters moral and religious. A not too unimpressive number weekly attend religious services of worship. Like other groups, ours has experienced a definite increase in attendance at religious services (Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish).Many now attend with regularity who seldom if ever found their way into a church or synagogue in the States. A few attest to the fact that they never went to divine services before.



As in civilian life all extremes of religion and non-religion are represented; but it is fair to say that an even higher percentage of men (in the Army age brackets) rely on their religion now, and manifest that reliance through some religious observance, than was ever true in their pre-war days. Many others who are hesitant to “wear their religion on their cuff”, find in the faith of our fathers that spiritual assistance which a man needs always, especially in the trying days of war.”