Graham Cross
@grahamcross.bsky.social
Historian of American and Anglo-American diplomacy and war at MMU. Lifelong obsession with the 8th Air Force, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Suffolk. Views my own.
Reposted by Graham Cross
Princes Street Bridge, Ipswich, from the railway station 40 years ago this week when I arrived to live here. The three tower blocks have since been reclad in new colours. The building under construction on the right is currently being demolished. Portman Road football ground, left, largely rebuilt.
August 29, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Princes Street Bridge, Ipswich, from the railway station 40 years ago this week when I arrived to live here. The three tower blocks have since been reclad in new colours. The building under construction on the right is currently being demolished. Portman Road football ground, left, largely rebuilt.
Reposted by Graham Cross
A little local history. Ipswich was surrounded by American military stations during the Second World War. Some of the troops were African American who faced segregation both in their camps and when they visited local towns including Ipswich. #Ipswich #8thAirForce #923rdEngineerAviationRegiment
March 7, 2025 at 8:12 PM
A little local history. Ipswich was surrounded by American military stations during the Second World War. Some of the troops were African American who faced segregation both in their camps and when they visited local towns including Ipswich. #Ipswich #8thAirForce #923rdEngineerAviationRegiment
Years ago, I was lucky enough to get my hands on about 70 of these British Council guides produced for American GIs on a pass. A great window on many British towns in wartime #Ipswich #BuryStEdmunds #Cambridge #Norwich #Colchester
January 15, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Years ago, I was lucky enough to get my hands on about 70 of these British Council guides produced for American GIs on a pass. A great window on many British towns in wartime #Ipswich #BuryStEdmunds #Cambridge #Norwich #Colchester
A thread 🧵on the wartime film "A Welcome to Britain" produced to mitigate some of the tensions in Anglo-American relations. My interest focuses on the section dealing with race and U.S. forces in Britain at the 25.15-29.15 minute point. Four minutes to cover a big subject #FriendlyInvasion #WW2
November 23, 2024 at 3:03 PM
A thread 🧵on the wartime film "A Welcome to Britain" produced to mitigate some of the tensions in Anglo-American relations. My interest focuses on the section dealing with race and U.S. forces in Britain at the 25.15-29.15 minute point. Four minutes to cover a big subject #FriendlyInvasion #WW2
The USAAF in Europe during WWII developed quite a unit history/yearbook culture. The books were souvenirs, commemorations of the fallen, and marked the contribution of the whole unit for posterity - not just the pilots. First is the 354th Fighter Group and its Service Group. #9thAirForce
November 13, 2024 at 5:43 PM
The USAAF in Europe during WWII developed quite a unit history/yearbook culture. The books were souvenirs, commemorations of the fallen, and marked the contribution of the whole unit for posterity - not just the pilots. First is the 354th Fighter Group and its Service Group. #9thAirForce
Sorry to go on, but...Hansard for 29th September 1942 in response to a question from the MP for Maldon stating that discrimination had been introduced in some parts of Britain, Churchill hopes views on African American troops can be respected 'without any action on my part'
October 27, 2024 at 8:03 PM
Sorry to go on, but...Hansard for 29th September 1942 in response to a question from the MP for Maldon stating that discrimination had been introduced in some parts of Britain, Churchill hopes views on African American troops can be respected 'without any action on my part'
Re the British War Cabinet position on African American soldiers in the UK. They took two main actions facilitating the roll-out of an American 'Jim Crow' system in the UK. The first was the passing of the United States (Visiting Forces) Act 6 August 1942 placing Americans under US military law.
October 26, 2024 at 3:39 PM
Re the British War Cabinet position on African American soldiers in the UK. They took two main actions facilitating the roll-out of an American 'Jim Crow' system in the UK. The first was the passing of the United States (Visiting Forces) Act 6 August 1942 placing Americans under US military law.
Nope - it's actually still there, so here is the tweet from Andrew Roberts anyway.
October 24, 2024 at 11:32 AM
Nope - it's actually still there, so here is the tweet from Andrew Roberts anyway.
The British War Cabinet met on 13th October 1942 to discuss African American troops arriving in Britain. Looking at this quote from the minutes on its own, you might conclude that Churchill (Chair) and the Cabinet had taken a firm stand against the imposition of a ‘Jim Crow’ system in the country.
October 23, 2024 at 6:40 PM
The British War Cabinet met on 13th October 1942 to discuss African American troops arriving in Britain. Looking at this quote from the minutes on its own, you might conclude that Churchill (Chair) and the Cabinet had taken a firm stand against the imposition of a ‘Jim Crow’ system in the country.
'Churchill: Britain's Secret Apartheid'
Watch it here on Channel 4: www.channel4.com/programmes/c...
Watch it here on Channel 4: www.channel4.com/programmes/c...
Churchill: Britain's Secret Apartheid
In 1942, a racially-segregated US army came to the UK, causing conflict across the country
www.channel4.com
October 18, 2024 at 10:09 PM
'Churchill: Britain's Secret Apartheid'
Watch it here on Channel 4: www.channel4.com/programmes/c...
Watch it here on Channel 4: www.channel4.com/programmes/c...
This fascinating programme is on Channel 4 next Saturday evening (UK listing for 19th Oct). I did some historical consulting for them and some filming last month. Fun to be involved www.tvguide.co.uk/schedule/195...
Churchill: Britain's Secret Apartheid
Churchill: Britain's Secret Apartheid: Nadifa Mohamed explores a largely forgotten part of Second World War history. Churchill: Britain's Secret Apartheid airs on Channel 4 at 8:20 PM, Saturday 19 Oct...
www.tvguide.co.uk
October 12, 2024 at 11:50 AM
This fascinating programme is on Channel 4 next Saturday evening (UK listing for 19th Oct). I did some historical consulting for them and some filming last month. Fun to be involved www.tvguide.co.uk/schedule/195...
For a more visual frame of reference - this thread explains why the famous photo of the 'Bottisham Four' taken July 26 1944 shows only lower fuselage Invasion Stripes and those Stirlings still have have the full stripes in September 1944 #8thFighterCommand
September 20, 2024 at 2:01 PM
For a more visual frame of reference - this thread explains why the famous photo of the 'Bottisham Four' taken July 26 1944 shows only lower fuselage Invasion Stripes and those Stirlings still have have the full stripes in September 1944 #8thFighterCommand
1. @danellin.bsky.social posted a great photo of some Stirlings with invasion stripes that raised a whole heap of questions. The following thread covers the approach of 8th Fighter Command chopped from my Slybirds book because I didn't have the wordcount. First the supporting documents
September 20, 2024 at 12:36 PM
1. @danellin.bsky.social posted a great photo of some Stirlings with invasion stripes that raised a whole heap of questions. The following thread covers the approach of 8th Fighter Command chopped from my Slybirds book because I didn't have the wordcount. First the supporting documents
On May 1 1944, the African American #923rdEngineerAviationRegiment handed over Debach Airfield in Suffolk to the #8thAirForce The Press were on hand to record the event and I provide details for this unidentified film from the Pathe Archive in the comments below
youtu.be/H6DJcTHEFBU
youtu.be/H6DJcTHEFBU
Us Troops (1944)
YouTube video by British Pathé
youtu.be
September 19, 2024 at 3:10 PM
On May 1 1944, the African American #923rdEngineerAviationRegiment handed over Debach Airfield in Suffolk to the #8thAirForce The Press were on hand to record the event and I provide details for this unidentified film from the Pathe Archive in the comments below
youtu.be/H6DJcTHEFBU
youtu.be/H6DJcTHEFBU
I've been historian for the #353rdFighterGroup based at Metfield snd Raydon, Suffolk for the last 35 years or so. In that time, I have been sent a considerable amount of their memorabilia. Today, I worked with Jim Clarey of the 8th Air Force Heritage Gallery to get some of it on public display.
September 11, 2024 at 3:38 PM
I've been historian for the #353rdFighterGroup based at Metfield snd Raydon, Suffolk for the last 35 years or so. In that time, I have been sent a considerable amount of their memorabilia. Today, I worked with Jim Clarey of the 8th Air Force Heritage Gallery to get some of it on public display.
I knew Lt. Col. Wayne K. Blickenstaff, a double ace with the 353rd Fighter Group, and edited his wartime memoir a couple of years ago. I included his wartime diary that is pretty honest in places. Posting his entries for D-Day below with his memoir available here:
www.amazon.com/Ace-Day-Memo...
www.amazon.com/Ace-Day-Memo...
Amazon.com: Ace in a Day: The Memoir of an Eighth Air Force Fighter Pilot in World War II: 9781636242095: Blickenstaff, Lt Col Wayne K, Cross, Graham: Books
Amazon.com: Ace in a Day: The Memoir of an Eighth Air Force Fighter Pilot in World War II: 9781636242095: Blickenstaff, Lt Col Wayne K, Cross, Graham: Books
www.amazon.com
June 6, 2024 at 10:17 AM
I knew Lt. Col. Wayne K. Blickenstaff, a double ace with the 353rd Fighter Group, and edited his wartime memoir a couple of years ago. I included his wartime diary that is pretty honest in places. Posting his entries for D-Day below with his memoir available here:
www.amazon.com/Ace-Day-Memo...
www.amazon.com/Ace-Day-Memo...
Popped over to Madingley today to lay a wreath on behalf of the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in Savannah, Georgia. With a nod to Norman Wells, who has faithfully carried out this duty for many years. #8thAirForce
May 27, 2024 at 12:23 PM
Popped over to Madingley today to lay a wreath on behalf of the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in Savannah, Georgia. With a nod to Norman Wells, who has faithfully carried out this duty for many years. #8thAirForce
You are going to hear a lot about the #6888th Central Postal Battalion, often said to be the first African American service women in the ETO in February 1945, when the Netflix film drops this year. The 63 nurses of the 168th Station Hospital near Warrington beat them to it in August 1944.
April 27, 2024 at 11:13 AM
You are going to hear a lot about the #6888th Central Postal Battalion, often said to be the first African American service women in the ETO in February 1945, when the Netflix film drops this year. The 63 nurses of the 168th Station Hospital near Warrington beat them to it in August 1944.
How to capture the experiences of an African American unit in the UK during WWII when there are few archival resources or oral histories? Spend years hunting down collections of contemporary letters. These are 150 from a man in the #923rdEngineerAviationRegiment covering his whole wartime service.
April 16, 2024 at 12:49 PM
How to capture the experiences of an African American unit in the UK during WWII when there are few archival resources or oral histories? Spend years hunting down collections of contemporary letters. These are 150 from a man in the #923rdEngineerAviationRegiment covering his whole wartime service.
In 1945, the African American #923rdEngineerAviationRegiment produced 8,000 of these unit histories for its members. They are pretty scarce these days. Read more about the unit here: 8thaf.co.uk/exhibition/2...
April 15, 2024 at 2:29 PM
In 1945, the African American #923rdEngineerAviationRegiment produced 8,000 of these unit histories for its members. They are pretty scarce these days. Read more about the unit here: 8thaf.co.uk/exhibition/2...
Rosie's Rivet Count - Masters of the Air Episode 9
Join me, with tongue in cheek, for a final ninth mission so we can complete our tour of duty, leave Hollywood behind and go home to the rest of our lives.
Got a genuine rivet that needs counting? I am your man and happy to add it to the list.
Join me, with tongue in cheek, for a final ninth mission so we can complete our tour of duty, leave Hollywood behind and go home to the rest of our lives.
Got a genuine rivet that needs counting? I am your man and happy to add it to the list.
March 16, 2024 at 3:56 PM
Rosie's Rivet Count - Masters of the Air Episode 9
Join me, with tongue in cheek, for a final ninth mission so we can complete our tour of duty, leave Hollywood behind and go home to the rest of our lives.
Got a genuine rivet that needs counting? I am your man and happy to add it to the list.
Join me, with tongue in cheek, for a final ninth mission so we can complete our tour of duty, leave Hollywood behind and go home to the rest of our lives.
Got a genuine rivet that needs counting? I am your man and happy to add it to the list.
March 16, 2024 at 2:00 PM
Rosie's Rivet Count - Masters of the Air Episode 9
Join me, with tongue in cheek, for a final ninth mission so we can complete our tour of duty, leave Hollywood behind and go home to the rest of our lives.
Got a genuine rivet that needs counting? I am your man and happy to add it to the list.
Join me, with tongue in cheek, for a final ninth mission so we can complete our tour of duty, leave Hollywood behind and go home to the rest of our lives.
Got a genuine rivet that needs counting? I am your man and happy to add it to the list.