Photo Record
Images
Metadata
Collection |
Kelly, Sean C. |
Title |
Photographs from an event commemorating the dedication of land in London to honor the memory of the United States military base and dependents schools in the area. |
Description |
Photographs from an event commemorating the dedication of land in London to honor the memory of the United States military base and dependents schools in the area. Below written by Sean Kelly: FROM ‘PINETREE’ TO PINE TREES DODDS TEACHERS/ PRINCIPAL RECOGNIZED AS BRITISH MAYOR LEADS SIMULTANEOUS COMMEMORATION AND CELEBRATION FOR FORMER US MILITARY BASE AND NEW COMMUNITY The Mayor of High Wycombe, England, Cllr. Andrea Baughman, has formally dedicated roads and a new community building in honour of DoDDS personnel who worked at a former school located on a hillside overlooking the Buckighamshire town, some 34 miles from London at the end of May 2022. The Mayor paid a special visit to Pine Trees, the town’s newest community, to both celebrate its establishment and to commemorate its famous past as a key US military base in WWII and the Cold War. In doing so she formally dedicated roads and a new community centre after a handful of faculty for London Central High School, a former DoDDS school with a much-storied history - having operated on three different US Military bases around London over 56 years until it shuttered its doors in 2007 as part of a drawdown. "We are here at a unique time - the time at which a location - a historically important location certainly since 1942 - is now transitioning from what had been a military headquarters base going to a thriving new civilian community," Cllr. Baughan said to a group of over 130 guests and residents at the Pine Trees residential development. ‘It’s a time much of much change, celebration and much excitement for the future but, simultaneously, it’s a chance to recollect and reflect on the truly unique and historic role this hillside site rising above the town of High Wycombe had since WWII." The former 60-acre High Wycombe Air Station, USAF, was established in WWII as a United States Army Air Force Bomber Command on the site of the acclaimed British Wycombe Abbey School and land further up the hillside above High Wycombe. Also known as Station 101 the base, and its secret bunker, codenamed ‘Pinetree’, was from where the operational mission and command orders were given to USAAF 8th Air Force bomber crews flying daylight raids over German-occupied Europe. Heavy bomber aircraft such as "Memphis Belle" received their mission and targeting orders from the site. During WWII High Wycombe Air Station was regularly visited by WWII Supreme Allied Commander (and later US President) Dwight D. Eisenhower and, at the end of WWII, by the King and Queen. Jazz band leader Glenn Miller played at least once major performance there. The base would be closed down after the war and given over to housing those displaced by wartime bombing. It reopened in the 1950s as the Cold War evolved and the bunker upgraded in the 1980s as a fallback headquarters for the US Military Command should American bases in Germany and mainland Europe fall Soviet attack. The ‘Pinetree to Pine Trees’ event was also attended by the High Wycombe Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Lesley Clarke OBE, who was instrumental in working on identifying and spotlighting some of the historical links, as well as representatives from Taylor Wimpey Plc (the developers of the new community), Broadlands Management (who will run the Community Centre), former members of the USAF and the US Navy as well residents from the new Pine Trees community and a new British school, Abbey View Primary Academy. Former students and faculty from London Central High School that operated on the High Wycombe base from 1971 until 2007 when it was closed. Some of those students had come from the United States for the event and were wearing their distinctive blue and white ‘letter jackets’ for the occasion! A special guest was also in attendance as the Mayor rededicated Kennedy Avenue - the main road that originally ran through the base and now runs through the new community. Over the years many people thought the USAF had named it for US President John F. Kennedy but they were mistaken. Katherine Calvocoressi, 95 is the last surviving daughter of the late Royal Navy Captain Edward Coverley Kennedy. She was last at the base in 1962 for the original dedication of the road name in honour of her father, a distinguished local political figure who would become an early casualty of WWII when his ship the armed merchant cruiser HMS Rawalpindi was sunk in November 1939 by the German battleships Scharnorst and Gnsisenau. "In May 1962, almost exactly 60 years ago to the day, I was present at the original dedication ceremony, as was my niece Ailsa (who also attended the rededication), when this was an American Air Base," Ms. Calvocoressi said. "On that moving occasion my mother, the Mayor of High Wycombe, Councillor Hann and the then base commander, Colonel Moore of the United States Air Force, all made speeches. Afterwards we were given a tour of the base, followed by lunch in the Officers Mess. For for students and a few colleagues who made the trip from London, Wales and France, it was some of the 15 other roads in the new community that were dedicated or rededicated at the same time that proved focal. Some roads were named for WWII ships lost at Pearl Harbour (including the USS Arizona, USS Utah and the USS California) and to wartime leaders. But former London Central Students, headed by Tamara ’Tammy’ Palmer who attended LCHS in 1971, spurred efforts to get roads and buildings named for LCHS staff. She was backed up in this by former AOSHS Administrator and LCHS alumnus Monica Maack Tiller (LCHS 73) and Sean Kelly (LCHS ’78) the author of "From the Faculty Lounge" a book about London Central. The faculty road names agreed by the developer, Taylor Wimpey Plc, included: Leigh Place - named after English teacher and Greek mythology expert Edna Leigh, Deyoung Way after Mary Pauline Deyoung, the PE and Maths teacher, coach and Model United Nations advisor; Robertson Place after World Regions and Geography Teacher and later guidance counsellor Gordon Robertson; Kelly Road after English & Art Teacher, Volleyball and Athletics coach Martha Gail Kelly; Threlkeld Close after Wallace and Rosemary Threlkeld (née Hynes) (respectively the Music and English Teachers). Wernette Way was named after Jack and Peg Wernette - both LCHS Teachers with Peg (née Hebert) taught Mathematics and French while Jack Wernette taught Theatre. Kilty Place named after William J. Kilty, LCHS principal (from 1975 to 1987) who became Secondary Education Coordinator and Superintendent. Additionally a new community building was formally named for Taylor Lewis, the long-time popular PE teacher, American Footfall and Track & Field Coach at London Central. Two further roads were named after the two now demolished school residence halls that had originally been barracks on the base. The event also saw the Mayor dedicate and unveil a new community park as ‘Bobcat Park’ — the Bobcat was the London Central mascot! As children from the new Abbey View Primary Academy school now on the site of the base sang the national anthems of both the US and UK, a 50-year time capsule containing memorabilia and printed papers from LCHS, the USAF, the US Navy and the news community was buried 4 feet down and cemented and capstone over below the sign. In WWII High Wycombe Air Station had easily over 12,000 personnel and in the Cold War around 1,000 personnel — many of whom slept in the two barracks building that would later become residences halls for the school populace - some of who came from other US bases in the UK, in Europe, Scandinavia and even the Middle East. From 1971 the school had around 1,200 students As the Cold War ended in the 1990s the USAF repositioned and the US Navy took over the management of the base to support its thenCommand located in London. Over the years alumni have included military leaders along with musicians, actors, authors, corporate heads and even NASA astronauts. It was an emotional time for many of those attending the ceremony who had been there when the base was operational. In attendance was Senior Master Sergeant Christopher P. Summer, First Sergeant at HWAS 1986-1993, now retired and living in the UK. Also, his daughter Bethan Joy, who along with her siblings had attended LCHS. Former London Central student Mark Ellington, who came with his wife from Georgia, USA, to attend the event. Ellington, who went on to serve 24 years in the US Army rising to the rank of Lt. Colonel, was raised in England from 1964-1978, and a London Central student from 1975 to 1978. His father, Rex, had been a teacher and cross country coach at the school for 14 years. Mark’s younger siblings Donn, Holly and Bret also attended the school and he was representing his entire family. "I am very grateful to the High Wycombe community and London Central organisers for coordinating the "Pinetree to Pine Trees" ceremony and Time Capsule placement," Ellington, said. "Best wishes to the Pine Trees families and community! I hope their future experiences and memories with be as full and memorable as mine were." Comments Louise Lord, Secretary of the Pine Trees Community Residents Association: "It was fascinating hearing about all the history that has been retained throughout the Pine Trees development and it’s wonderful it brought so many together to remember and discover it. Pine Trees is a beautiful place to live and it’s lovely to see the community growing and coming together as the next chapter of memories are made." For more information about the roads and the new community building please visit: https://www.pinetreesra.co.uk/history |
Catalog Number |
2007.28.03 |
Object Name (Type) |
Photo |
Search Terms |
London Central American High School London England Dependents Schools |