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Marks Hall

Military site : non-airfield

  • Marks Hall house with huts around the house. Used by Earls Colne airfield.

    Marks Hall house with huts around the house. Used by Earls Colne airfield.

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  • ________, Lt. Lightfine, Tre (Great Dane), ___________, __________, _________. 454th and 455th BS, 323rd BG

    ________, Lt. Lightfine, Tre (Great Dane), ___________, __________, _________. 454th and 455th BS, 323rd BG

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  • Marks Hall Estate with a US flag outside. It was used as the Headquarters for the 9th Bomber Command and the 323rd Bomb Group as it was located adjacent to Earls Colne Airfeld, Essex County England. Although the Jacobian mansion is no longer standing, Marks Hall is a large land trust and arboretum with a memorial to the airmen of the 323rd Bomb Group.

    Marks Hall Estate with a US flag outside. It was used as the Headquarters for the 9th Bomber Command and the 323rd Bomb Group as it was located adjacent to Earls Colne Airfeld, Essex County England. Although the Jacobian mansion is no longer standing, Marks Hall is a large land trust and arboretum with a memorial to the airmen of the 323rd Bomb Group.

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  • Earls Colne Airfield Dispersal Area - ORS's Quarters (Nissen huts) and Ablutions Buildings ( upright walls and pitched roofs). This is one of the areas where ARS (most likely grounds crew) personnel lived. Combat crew quarters are identified as Officers' Quarters and Sergeants' Quarters. From the sign on the door of the Nissen hut to the right, we know that it is an ARS Quarters. The quarters for each type of personnel was grouped together and separately from those of other personnel types. So, for example, within Site No. 13, the Officers' Quarters were grouped in one area, the Sergeants' Quarters in another, and the ARS Quarters in yet another. The man walking toward the camera has a towel over his shoulder and he's carrying what looks like a shaving kit in one hand and a bag with a tooth brush and paste in the other. The canopy of trees and the curved sidewalk offer clues about the site in which this grouping of ARS quarters was located.

    Earls Colne Airfield Dispersal Area - ORS's Quarters (Nissen huts) and Ablutions Buildings ( upright walls and pitched roofs). This is one of the areas where ARS (most likely grounds crew) personnel lived. Combat crew quarters are identified as Officers' Quarters and Sergeants' Quarters. From the sign on the door of the Nissen hut to the right, we know that it is an ARS Quarters. The quarters for each type of personnel was grouped together and separately from those of other personnel types. So, for example, within Site No. 13, the Officers' Quarters were grouped in one area, the Sergeants' Quarters in another, and the ARS Quarters in yet another. The man walking toward the camera has a towel over his shoulder and he's carrying what looks like a shaving kit in one hand and a bag with a tooth brush and paste in the other. The canopy of trees and the curved sidewalk offer clues about the site in which this grouping of ARS quarters was located.

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  • WAC Staff Sergeant Hildegarde Molnar.

    WAC Staff Sergeant Hildegarde Molnar.

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  • WAC Staff Sergeant Hildegarde Molnar

    WAC Staff Sergeant Hildegarde Molnar

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  • Google Maps Satellite View of Earls Colne Airfield Annotated The aerial photograph was taken from Google satellite in September 2018. The annotations reflect the site and building numbers from the RAF Earls Colne Site Plan of Record and Schedule of Buildings, dating back to the Second World War. Please refer to one the

    Google Maps Satellite View of Earls Colne Airfield Annotated The aerial photograph was taken from Google satellite in September 2018. The annotations reflect the site and building numbers from the RAF Earls Colne Site Plan of Record and Schedule of Buildings, dating back to the Second World War. Please refer to one the "About This Image" tab included with one of the other aerial photographs of the airfield for the legend, which associates buildings and site with the numbers noted on the image here.

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  • Earls Colne Airfield Dispersal Areas Aerial - War Time The photograph has been annotated with the dispersal sites within view and certain building numbers, all but one of which are within Site No. 2 Communal. Please refer to the Earls Colne Site Plan - Schedule of Buildings for the legend, which is reproduced to the extent possible below.. Building 498 is likely the Nissen hut shared by Lts. Foster, Rush, Stirneman, Guldemond and Lemmon with their puppy, Burma. SITE NO. 2 COMMUNAL 166 Picket Post 167 Grocery Store 168 Tank Tower 169 Ration Store 170 Breakroom Ration Store 171 Tailors and Barber Shop 172 Latrines Sergts. 173 Sergts. Showers 174 Sergts. Mess 175 A/IN’s Dining Room & ___ 176 Post Office 177 Latrine Block A/IN’s 178 Showers & Ablut. A/IN’s 179 Fuel Compound 180 M & E Plinth 181 Stand-By Set House 182 Gymnasium & Chapel 183 Institute 184 Officers’ Bath House 185 -186 Officers’ Mess 187 Squash Racquet Court 188 C/O’s Quarters SITE AREA NO. 3 COMUNAL 194 Picket Post 195 Sergts. Mess 196 Sergts. Showers 197 Officers’ Baths 198 Boiler House 199 Officers’ Mess 200 Latrine Block A/IN’s 201 – 202 Showers Blocks A/IN’s (2) 203 M & E Plinth 204 Dining Room 205 Institute & W.A.A.E.T. 206 Education Block 207 Local Produce Store 208 Ration Store 209 Fuel Compound SITE NO. 4 QUARTERS 215 Picket Post 216 - 219 A/IN’s Barracks (4) 220 A/IN’s Latrines 221 Sergts. & A/IN’s Dining Room 222 Sergts. & A/INS Ablutions 223 A/IN’s Barracks 224 Fuel Compound 225 A/IN’s Latrines 226 - 231 A/IN’s Barracks (4) SITE NO. 5 QUARTERS 237 Picket Post 238 Officers’ Quarters 239 Officers’ Ablutions & Latrines 240 - 342 Officers’ Quarters (3) 243 A/IN’s Barracks 244 -245 Sergts. Quarters (2) 246 Sergts. Latrines & Dining Room 247 – 249 Sergts. Quarters (3) 250 Sergts. Latrines & Dining Room 251 Sergts. Ablutions 252 Sergts. Latrines & Dining Room 253 - 257 Sergts. Quarters (5) 258 Sergts. A/IN’s Ablutions 259 M & E Plinth 260 – 262 A/IN’s Barracks (3) 263 A/IN’S Latrines & Dining Room 264 - 259 A/IN’s Barracks (6) 270 M & E Plinth 272 – 277 A/IN’S Barracks (7) SITE No. 6 QUARTERS 282 Picket Post 283 A/IN’s Barracks 284 Officer’s Quarters 285 Static Water Tank 286 – 287 Officers’ Latrines & Ablutions (2) 288 – 294 Officers’ Quarters (7) 295 M & E Plinth 296 – 297 Sergts. Lat. & Dining Room (2) 298 – 302 Sergts. Quarters (5) 303 A/IN’s Barracks 304 Sergts. Barracks 305 Sergts. & A/IN’s Ablutions 306 – 307 A/IN’S Lat. & Dining Room (2) 308 – 310 A/IN’S Quarters (3) 311 A/IN’S Latrines & Dining Room 312 – 317 A/IN’S Barracks (4) SITE NO. 7 QUARTERS 323 Picket Post 324 – 327 Officers’ Quarters (4) 328 Sergts. Dining Room 329 – 324 Sergts. Quarters (5) 325 Sergts. Latrines 326 -527 Sergts. Lat. & Dining Room (2) 328 - 230 Sergts. Quarters (3) 331 - 332 A/IN’S Latrines (2) 332 -351 A/IN’S Barracks (20) 352 A/IN’s Latrines & Dining Room 353 Sergts. & A/IN’S Ablutions 354 -358 A/IN’S Barracks (5) 359 A/IN’s Latrines & Dining Room 360 Officers’ Latrines & Ablutions 361 Sergts. Ablutions SITE NO. 8 W.A.A.F. 265 Picket Post & Reception Room 366 Lavatory 367 Institute 368 Static Water Tank 369 Sergts. Mess & A/IN Dining Hall 370 Sick Quarters (6 Bed) 371 Officers’ Mess w/ Show. & Ablu. 372 – 375 A/IN’s Barracks (w/o Lat.) (4) 376 – 377 Sergts. & A/IN’s Barr. (w/ Lat. & Baths) (2) 378 Sergts. & A/IN’s Baths & Decontam. 379 Sergts. & A/IN’s Lat. & Ablutions 380 – 386 A/IN’S Barr. (w/ Lat. & Baths (7) SITE No. 9 W.A.A.F. 392 Fuel Compound 393 Ablutions Block 394 Latrine & Bath Block 395 Sergts. Quarters (w/ Latrine) 396 Static Water Tank 397 – 400 A/IN’s Quarters (w/ Lat.) (4) 401 M & E Plinth 402 403 – 405 A/IN’s Quarters (w/ Lat.) (4) SITE No. 10 Sick QUARTERS 412 Picket Post 413 M & E Plinth 414 Sergts. A/IN’s Quarters 415 Sergts. & IN’s Lat. & Dining Hall 416 Ambulance Garage & Mortuary 417 Static Water Tank 418 Sick Quarters 419 Sick Quarters Amen. 420 Pump House 421 L. C. Reservoir & Suction Tank SITE No. 11 QUARTERS 427 Picket Post 428 Static Water Tank 429 – 430 A/IN’s Barracks (w/ Lat.) (2) 431 – 432 A/IN’s Latrine & Dining Room 433 Sergts. & A/IN’s Ablutions 434 A/IN’s Barracks 435 - 440 A/IN’s Barr. (1 w/ Lat. & 4 w/o Lat.) SITE No. 12 QUARTERS 446 Picket Post 447 Officers’ Latrines & Ablutions 448 – 452 Officers’ Quarters (5) 453 454 Officers’ Latrines 455 – 456 Sergts. Quarters (2) 457 – 461 A/IN’s Barracks (5) 462 A/IN’s Latrines & Dining Room 463 – 464 Sergts. Lat. & Dining Room (2) 465 Sergts. Quarters 466 Sergts. Latrines 467 Sergts. Dining Room 468 Sergts. Ablutions 469 – 474 Sergts. Quarters (14) 475 A/IN’s Barracks 476 Sergts. & A/IN’s Ablutions 477 M & E. Plinth 478 – 481 A/IN’s Barracks (4) 482 A/In’s Latrines & Dining Room 483 A/I’S Latrines 484 - 488 A/IN’S Barracks (5) 448 Static Water Tank 490 Fuel Compound SITE No. 13 QUARTERS 496 Picket Post 497 - 503 Officers’ Quarters (6) 504 Officers’ Ablutions & Latrines 505 Latrines 506 – 510 Sergts. Quarters (5) 511 – 512 Sergts. Lat. & Dining Room (2) 513 Sergts. Dining Room 514 – 515 Sergts. Quarters (2) 516 Sergts. Ablutions 517 – 518 Sergts. Quarters (2) 519 Ablutions 520 – 521 Officers’ Quarters (2) 522 Airmen’s Latrines 523 – 528 A/IN’s Barracks (6) 529 A/IN’s Barracks 530 – 531 A/IN’s Lat. & Dining Room (2) 532 A/IN’s Barracks 533 – 539 A/IN’s Barracks (7) 540 A/IN’s Barracks 541 Canteen SITE No. 14 SEWAGE DISPOSAL 446 Sewage Drain Beds 447 Pool House 448 Sequestr. Tanks (_ Compartmt.) 449 Dosing Chamber 550 Percolating Filters (2) 551 Holding Tanks (2)

    Earls Colne Airfield Dispersal Areas Aerial - War Time The photograph has been annotated with the dispersal sites within view and certain building numbers, all but one of which are within Site No. 2 Communal. Please refer to the Earls Colne Site Plan - Schedule of Buildings for the legend, which is reproduced to the extent possible below.. Building 498 is likely the Nissen hut shared by Lts. Foster, Rush, Stirneman, Guldemond and Lemmon with their puppy, Burma. SITE NO. 2 COMMUNAL 166 Picket Post 167 Grocery Store 168 Tank Tower 169 Ration Store 170 Breakroom Ration Store 171 Tailors and Barber Shop 172 Latrines Sergts. 173 Sergts. Showers 174 Sergts. Mess 175 A/IN’s Dining Room & ___ 176 Post Office 177 Latrine Block A/IN’s 178 Showers & Ablut. A/IN’s 179 Fuel Compound 180 M & E Plinth 181 Stand-By Set House 182 Gymnasium & Chapel 183 Institute 184 Officers’ Bath House 185 -186 Officers’ Mess 187 Squash Racquet Court 188 C/O’s Quarters SITE AREA NO. 3 COMUNAL 194 Picket Post 195 Sergts. Mess 196 Sergts. Showers 197 Officers’ Baths 198 Boiler House 199 Officers’ Mess 200 Latrine Block A/IN’s 201 – 202 Showers Blocks A/IN’s (2) 203 M & E Plinth 204 Dining Room 205 Institute & W.A.A.E.T. 206 Education Block 207 Local Produce Store 208 Ration Store 209 Fuel Compound SITE NO. 4 QUARTERS 215 Picket Post 216 - 219 A/IN’s Barracks (4) 220 A/IN’s Latrines 221 Sergts. & A/IN’s Dining Room 222 Sergts. & A/INS Ablutions 223 A/IN’s Barracks 224 Fuel Compound 225 A/IN’s Latrines 226 - 231 A/IN’s Barracks (4) SITE NO. 5 QUARTERS 237 Picket Post 238 Officers’ Quarters 239 Officers’ Ablutions & Latrines 240 - 342 Officers’ Quarters (3) 243 A/IN’s Barracks 244 -245 Sergts. Quarters (2) 246 Sergts. Latrines & Dining Room 247 – 249 Sergts. Quarters (3) 250 Sergts. Latrines & Dining Room 251 Sergts. Ablutions 252 Sergts. Latrines & Dining Room 253 - 257 Sergts. Quarters (5) 258 Sergts. A/IN’s Ablutions 259 M & E Plinth 260 – 262 A/IN’s Barracks (3) 263 A/IN’S Latrines & Dining Room 264 - 259 A/IN’s Barracks (6) 270 M & E Plinth 272 – 277 A/IN’S Barracks (7) SITE No. 6 QUARTERS 282 Picket Post 283 A/IN’s Barracks 284 Officer’s Quarters 285 Static Water Tank 286 – 287 Officers’ Latrines & Ablutions (2) 288 – 294 Officers’ Quarters (7) 295 M & E Plinth 296 – 297 Sergts. Lat. & Dining Room (2) 298 – 302 Sergts. Quarters (5) 303 A/IN’s Barracks 304 Sergts. Barracks 305 Sergts. & A/IN’s Ablutions 306 – 307 A/IN’S Lat. & Dining Room (2) 308 – 310 A/IN’S Quarters (3) 311 A/IN’S Latrines & Dining Room 312 – 317 A/IN’S Barracks (4) SITE NO. 7 QUARTERS 323 Picket Post 324 – 327 Officers’ Quarters (4) 328 Sergts. Dining Room 329 – 324 Sergts. Quarters (5) 325 Sergts. Latrines 326 -527 Sergts. Lat. & Dining Room (2) 328 - 230 Sergts. Quarters (3) 331 - 332 A/IN’S Latrines (2) 332 -351 A/IN’S Barracks (20) 352 A/IN’s Latrines & Dining Room 353 Sergts. & A/IN’S Ablutions 354 -358 A/IN’S Barracks (5) 359 A/IN’s Latrines & Dining Room 360 Officers’ Latrines & Ablutions 361 Sergts. Ablutions SITE NO. 8 W.A.A.F. 265 Picket Post & Reception Room 366 Lavatory 367 Institute 368 Static Water Tank 369 Sergts. Mess & A/IN Dining Hall 370 Sick Quarters (6 Bed) 371 Officers’ Mess w/ Show. & Ablu. 372 – 375 A/IN’s Barracks (w/o Lat.) (4) 376 – 377 Sergts. & A/IN’s Barr. (w/ Lat. & Baths) (2) 378 Sergts. & A/IN’s Baths & Decontam. 379 Sergts. & A/IN’s Lat. & Ablutions 380 – 386 A/IN’S Barr. (w/ Lat. & Baths (7) SITE No. 9 W.A.A.F. 392 Fuel Compound 393 Ablutions Block 394 Latrine & Bath Block 395 Sergts. Quarters (w/ Latrine) 396 Static Water Tank 397 – 400 A/IN’s Quarters (w/ Lat.) (4) 401 M & E Plinth 402 403 – 405 A/IN’s Quarters (w/ Lat.) (4) SITE No. 10 Sick QUARTERS 412 Picket Post 413 M & E Plinth 414 Sergts. A/IN’s Quarters 415 Sergts. & IN’s Lat. & Dining Hall 416 Ambulance Garage & Mortuary 417 Static Water Tank 418 Sick Quarters 419 Sick Quarters Amen. 420 Pump House 421 L. C. Reservoir & Suction Tank SITE No. 11 QUARTERS 427 Picket Post 428 Static Water Tank 429 – 430 A/IN’s Barracks (w/ Lat.) (2) 431 – 432 A/IN’s Latrine & Dining Room 433 Sergts. & A/IN’s Ablutions 434 A/IN’s Barracks 435 - 440 A/IN’s Barr. (1 w/ Lat. & 4 w/o Lat.) SITE No. 12 QUARTERS 446 Picket Post 447 Officers’ Latrines & Ablutions 448 – 452 Officers’ Quarters (5) 453 454 Officers’ Latrines 455 – 456 Sergts. Quarters (2) 457 – 461 A/IN’s Barracks (5) 462 A/IN’s Latrines & Dining Room 463 – 464 Sergts. Lat. & Dining Room (2) 465 Sergts. Quarters 466 Sergts. Latrines 467 Sergts. Dining Room 468 Sergts. Ablutions 469 – 474 Sergts. Quarters (14) 475 A/IN’s Barracks 476 Sergts. & A/IN’s Ablutions 477 M & E. Plinth 478 – 481 A/IN’s Barracks (4) 482 A/In’s Latrines & Dining Room 483 A/I’S Latrines 484 - 488 A/IN’S Barracks (5) 448 Static Water Tank 490 Fuel Compound SITE No. 13 QUARTERS 496 Picket Post 497 - 503 Officers’ Quarters (6) 504 Officers’ Ablutions & Latrines 505 Latrines 506 – 510 Sergts. Quarters (5) 511 – 512 Sergts. Lat. & Dining Room (2) 513 Sergts. Dining Room 514 – 515 Sergts. Quarters (2) 516 Sergts. Ablutions 517 – 518 Sergts. Quarters (2) 519 Ablutions 520 – 521 Officers’ Quarters (2) 522 Airmen’s Latrines 523 – 528 A/IN’s Barracks (6) 529 A/IN’s Barracks 530 – 531 A/IN’s Lat. & Dining Room (2) 532 A/IN’s Barracks 533 – 539 A/IN’s Barracks (7) 540 A/IN’s Barracks 541 Canteen SITE No. 14 SEWAGE DISPOSAL 446 Sewage Drain Beds 447 Pool House 448 Sequestr. Tanks (_ Compartmt.) 449 Dosing Chamber 550 Percolating Filters (2) 551 Holding Tanks (2)

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  • War-Time Aerial Photograph of Earls Colne Airfield Dispersal Areas. Annotations have been added to identify the locations of Sites and Buildings. Please refer to the RAF Site Plan - Earls Colne Airfield Dispersal Areas for the Legend. All buildings noted (with the exception of building 498 in Site No. 13, which appears to have been the Nissen hut that was the Officers' Quarters of Lts. Rush, Stirneman, Lemmon, Guldemond and Foster) are within Site No. 2 Communal.

    War-Time Aerial Photograph of Earls Colne Airfield Dispersal Areas. Annotations have been added to identify the locations of Sites and Buildings. Please refer to the RAF Site Plan - Earls Colne Airfield Dispersal Areas for the Legend. All buildings noted (with the exception of building 498 in Site No. 13, which appears to have been the Nissen hut that was the Officers' Quarters of Lts. Rush, Stirneman, Lemmon, Guldemond and Foster) are within Site No. 2 Communal.

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  • A Sergeant with a smile and mail in Site No. 13 Earls Colne Airfield. He appears to be standing with building no. 496, Picket Post, behind his right shoulder. The Nissen huts adjacent to it appear to be building nos. 497 and 498, which were officers' quarters. Behind them with the angled, as opposed to curved roof, are the officers' latrine and ablutions buildings. Building no. 498 was most likely the Officers' Quarters of Lt. Leo Dale Rush - Bombardier, Lt. Charles H. Stirneman - Bombardier, Lt. Thomas Lemmon - Pilot, Lt. John Guldemond - Pilot, Lt. Walt Foster - Bombardier and Pfc. Burma, their puppy, who was one of Pfc. Gin Fizz's offspring. (See Brave Men, The Flying Wedge by Ernie Pyle re- Pfc. Gin Fizz.) In the distance in the right upper corner of the image, there appears to be tail sections of two B-26 Marauders, which would have been on the hardstands just northeast of the Brick House Farm. (See Earls Colne Record Site Plan - RAF Museum)

    A Sergeant with a smile and mail in Site No. 13 Earls Colne Airfield. He appears to be standing with building no. 496, Picket Post, behind his right shoulder. The Nissen huts adjacent to it appear to be building nos. 497 and 498, which were officers' quarters. Behind them with the angled, as opposed to curved roof, are the officers' latrine and ablutions buildings. Building no. 498 was most likely the Officers' Quarters of Lt. Leo Dale Rush - Bombardier, Lt. Charles H. Stirneman - Bombardier, Lt. Thomas Lemmon - Pilot, Lt. John Guldemond - Pilot, Lt. Walt Foster - Bombardier and Pfc. Burma, their puppy, who was one of Pfc. Gin Fizz's offspring. (See Brave Men, The Flying Wedge by Ernie Pyle re- Pfc. Gin Fizz.) In the distance in the right upper corner of the image, there appears to be tail sections of two B-26 Marauders, which would have been on the hardstands just northeast of the Brick House Farm. (See Earls Colne Record Site Plan - RAF Museum)

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Marks Hall's estate was requisitioned in 1941 for the construction of Earls Colne airfield (USAAF Station 358).

However, it never served as the airfield's headquarters, as is sometimes suggested, but operated as a discrete HQ facility for higher echelons of the US Eighth and, later, Ninth Air Forces from December 1942 – and for the RAF's 38 Group from September 1944 until May 1946.

It was demolished in 1950, having suffered the loss of most of its interior wooden features after the war.

Detailed history

Marks Hall, a Jacobean mansion between Colchester and Braintree in Essex, served as a wing-level and command-level HQ for the US Eighth and Ninth Air Forces between December 1942 and September 1944.

Part of its estate’s deer park had been requisitioned in 1941 to build Earls Colne airfield, which came under USAAF control as Station 358 in the spring of 1943.

The mansion (known as USAAF Station 160), along with its immediate grounds, was selected in 1942 as headquarters for the 4th Bombardment Wing (4BW), one of five such supervisory units the Eighth Air Force planned to bring to the UK.

[The other four original Wing HQs were Brampton Grange (1BW) near Huntingdon; Old Catton (2BW) near Norwich; Elveden Hall (3BW) near Thetford – and Stisted Hall (5BW), which was just a few miles west of Marks Hall. In the event, the 5th Bomb Wing did not join the Eighth Air Force and was diverted to the Twelfth Air Force in North Africa, with Stisted Hall transferring to British military control.]

The 4th Bomb Wing, under Brig Gen Frederick L Anderson, began missions with B-17 'heavy' bombers in May 1943. Its early constituent bomb groups (BGs) included the 94th at Earls Colne, the 95th at Horham, the 96th at Andrews Field (Gt Saling), the 100th at Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk and the 390th at Parham, near Framlingham, Suffolk.

The following month the Wing and its groups swapped bases with the 3rd Bombardment Wing (3BW), whose HQ then moved into Marks Hall from Elveden Hall, Suffolk.

Taking over existing and new airfields in Essex for its nascent force of B-26 Marauder ‘medium’ bombers, the 3BW began flying in tactical roles at altitudes around 12,000ft – half the height of the B-17s and B-24s – from July 1943. Earlier attacks at even lower altitudes (on targets in Holland) had incurred heavy losses among Marauders of the Wing's 322nd Bomb Group.

That autumn the 3BW was absorbed into the US Ninth Air Force which, newly arrived from North Africa, now oversaw tactical bombing missions in France and the Low Countries in preparation for the Allied invasion planned for 1944.

Under this reorganisation, Marks Hall became the headquarters of the US Ninth Air Force's IX Bomber Command on October 16th 1943, led by Maj General Samuel E Anderson. Construction of additional hutted facilities (including messes, a dispensary and extra accommodation) was completed by a US Corps of Engineers unit by early 1944.

Marks Hall would eventually control more than 25,000 personnel at 11 airfields across Essex (including three equipped with A-20 ‘light’ bombers) by D-Day, June 6th 1944.

Around 1,000 personnel, including some 120 US Women’s Army Corps members (WACs), were serving at the site by D-Day.

The facility was unusual among such HQ units in being co-located with an operational airfield (Earls Colne; 323rd Bomb Group), although they functioned independently.

Marks Hall also hosted a detachment of the USAAF's 4th Combat Camera Unit, whose output included much of the extant film footage of IX BC missions available today online.

In addition, IX BC's public relations unit at Marks Hall oversaw occasional inclusion on bombing missions by noted US journalists – among whom were Walter Cronkite and Ernie Pyle.

Gen Samuel Anderson and his HQ team moved to Chartres in France in September 1944 – when IX BC was redesignated as the 9th Bombardment Division.

In October, Marks Hall became headquarters of the Royal Air Force's No 38 Group, which controlled Halifax and Stirling squadrons, based at Essex and Suffolk airfields, in support of army and clandestine Special Operations Executive (SOE) missions.

No 38 Group's squadrons also towed troops in gliders across the Rhine as part of Operation Varsity on March 24th, 1945.

The mansion was demolished in 1950, but today Marks Hall Estate’s gardens and arboretum attract thousands of visitors annually. The 200-acre site includes a memorial to the units that served at the adjacent Earls Colne airfield.

English Heritage's record description

Not yet known

Service

Units

People

  • Jack Arnold

    Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Bombardier B-26 Marauder | 323rd Bomb Group
    Jack T. Arnold, born December 7, 1921 in Dupo, Illinois. Graduated from East High in East St. Louis, Illinois, received a first alternate appointment to West Point and enlisted in the U.S. Army Infantry. Immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor, he...

  • Frank Burgmeier

    Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator - B-26 Marauder | 323rd Bomb Group
    Lt. Burgmeier grew up in Upstate New York. He married his wife, Tedi, in July 1943, just days before he left for his tour of duty as a navigator for the 323rd Bombardment Group. He kept a diary, which has been invaluable to historians studying the...

  • William Collins

    Military | B-26 Marauder Pilot | 323rd Bomb Group
    Mentioning Chief Collins to any member of the 456th BS elicited an immediate smile and chuckles. "He was a character!" according to, it seems, everyone. Hands down, Chief Collins is one of the most endearing members of the 456th. He combined a sense...

  • Patricia Dog

    Military | Private First Class | Flight Surgeon/Pet | 323rd Bomb Group
    One of PFC Gin Fizz'a puppies. Pat made the trip form Earls Colne to Lessay to Chartes to Laon and probably a few other stations.

  • Lawrence Dorsey

    Military | Pilot | 323rd Bomb Group
    Lawrence was from Houston, Texas, a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Petroleum Engineering. He was best man in Lt. Foster's wedding. He later worked for Brown & Root (Houston) as a mechanical engineer, later to become...

  • William Fortwengler

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 323rd Bomb Group
    From Lt. Lesher B-26.com entry - ...

  • Walter Foster

    Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Bombardier | 323rd Bomb Group
    Lt. Walt Foster was a navigator and bombardier from Upstate New York who served with the 456th BS during the Second World War. His first combat mission was flown from Earls Colne Airfield on February 3, 1944 to the Ruisseville "No Balls” secret weapon...

  • Anthony Geiser

    Military | Captain | Pilot | 323rd Bomb Group
    Killed leading a raid on a Nazi German airfield Amsterdam/Schiphol Airfield. ...

  • Trea Great Dane

    Military | Flight Surgeon/Pet | 323rd Bomb Group
    See Marauder Men, Maj. Gen. John O. Minch (USAF Ret.)

  • Emanuel Hauser

    Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Crew Chief/Flight Engineer | 323rd Bomb Group

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Number
160
Known as
Not yet known
Construction date
Not yet known
USAAF from date
December 1942
USAAF to date
September 1944
Closure date
May 1946

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
25 May 2022 08:36:51 SavvyGA Changes to description
Sources

Clarification that Marks Hall was never the HQ of Earls Colne airfield, the two facilities operating independently (information from Maurer; and USAF archives at Maxwell, Alabama.
Date Contributor Update
08 October 2021 09:17:47 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Altered to reflect similarity to 2nd Air Division HQ's proximity to Hethel airfield.
Date Contributor Update
24 April 2021 18:40:57 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Parentheses added.
Date Contributor Update
31 August 2020 15:20:05 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Spelling error
Date Contributor Update
31 August 2020 14:57:48 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Added 95BG to 4BW's constituent list.
Date Contributor Update
31 August 2020 14:52:33 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Corrected 2BW's original, albeit shortlived, HQ as Old Catton (Apr to Oct 1943).
Date Contributor Update
24 March 2020 16:42:55 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Roger Freeman: Airfields of the Ninth; Airfields of the Eighth
USAF archives, Maxwell AFB, Alabama;
833rd Engineer Battalion, US Army archive;
816th Engineer Battalion, US Army archive;
Marks Hall archives
Date Contributor Update
20 March 2020 16:53:28 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Roger Freeman: Airfields of the Ninth; Airfields of the Eighth
USAF archives, Maxwell AFB, Alabama:
816th Engineer Battalion, US Army archive;
Marks Hall archives
Date Contributor Update
20 March 2020 16:49:29 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Roger Freeman: Airfields of the Ninth; Airfields of the Eighth
USAF archives, Maxwell AFB, Alabama:
816th Engineer Battalion, US Army archive;
Marks Hall archives
Date Contributor Update
20 March 2020 16:38:40 SavvyGA Changes to description and history
Sources

Roger Freeman: Airfields of the Ninth; Airfields of the Eighth
USAF archives, Maxwell AFB, Alabama:
816th Engineer Battalion, US Army archive
Date Contributor Update
13 June 2019 10:18:45 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Clarifications
Date Contributor Update
13 June 2019 10:15:39 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Clarifications added
Date Contributor Update
29 March 2017 10:29:33 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Corrected factual error
Date Contributor Update
10 March 2017 09:22:11 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Amended Bombt Divs' function.
Date Contributor Update
24 February 2017 20:33:30 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Punctuation change
Date Contributor Update
16 February 2017 19:21:34 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Dates amended
Date Contributor Update
16 February 2017 19:20:26 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Dates amended
Date Contributor Update
16 February 2017 19:17:34 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Dates corrected
Date Contributor Update
16 February 2017 19:14:44 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Amended punctuation
Date Contributor Update
16 February 2017 19:13:34 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Amended punctuation
Date Contributor Update
16 February 2017 19:12:23 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Added Frederick Anderson details.
Date Contributor Update
08 January 2017 11:18:43 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Added 4 CCU and IX BC PR functions (from Marks Hall archives)
Date Contributor Update
05 January 2017 16:06:50 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Amended nomenclature
Date Contributor Update
05 January 2017 16:03:18 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Amended nomenclature
Date Contributor Update
05 January 2017 16:01:24 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Amended nomenclature
Date Contributor Update
05 January 2017 15:55:45 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Amended nomenclature
Date Contributor Update
05 January 2017 15:46:02 SavvyGA Changes to description and history
Sources

Corrected nomenclature
Date Contributor Update
01 January 2017 14:31:10 SavvyGA Changes to description
Sources

Added RAF 38 Group to summary section (from RAF records).
Date Contributor Update
01 January 2017 14:03:57 SavvyGA Changes to description
Sources

Addendum
Date Contributor Update
01 January 2017 13:44:10 SavvyGA Changes to description
Sources

Estate requisition date added
Date Contributor Update
29 December 2016 16:11:53 SavvyGA Changes to description
Sources

Additional details on the mansion's demolition.
Date Contributor Update
29 December 2016 16:10:09 SavvyGA Changes to description
Sources

Additional information on Marks Hall mansion.
Date Contributor Update
10 December 2016 17:43:37 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Punctuation edit
Date Contributor Update
10 December 2016 15:48:00 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Punctuation edit
Date Contributor Update
10 December 2016 15:40:43 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

The Mighty Eighth (Roger Freeman) 1970
Date Contributor Update
10 December 2016 15:28:35 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

Air Force Combat Units of World War II (Maurer/US Air Force 1983);
US Air Force Archives, Alabama
Date Contributor Update
10 December 2016 15:17:42 SavvyGA Changes to closure date
Sources

Marks Hall archives
Date Contributor Update
09 December 2016 15:04:19 SavvyGA Changes to usaaf from date and usaaf to date
Sources

Air Force Combat Units of World War II (Maurer/US Air Force 1983)
Date Contributor Update
09 December 2016 14:57:06 SavvyGA Changes to history
Sources

The Mighty Eighth, Roger Freeman, 1970
Date Contributor Update
29 September 2015 08:43:21 Carl Changes to history
Sources

US Air Force Historical Research Agency archives (ref EO 11652)
Mighty Eighth War Manual (Roger A Freeman)
Air Force Combat Units of World War II (Maurer/US Air Force 1983)
Army Air Forces in WWII, Vol. II (Air Historical Group, USAF)
Eighth Air Force Historical Society (8thafhs.org)
Marks Hall Estate archives (markshall.org.uk)
Pathé News film archive (britishpathe.com)
Date Contributor Update
24 July 2015 14:54:15 Lucy May Changes to media associations
Sources

Associated images to the entry from the identification given in their captions.
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:02:17 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Office of History, Headquarters Third Air Force, United States Air Forces in Europe; Installations and USAAF Combat Units in the United Kingdom 1942-1945, Revised and Expanded Edition (February 1967, Revised October 1980).
http://www.markshall.org.uk/

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