Overpaid, Over-Sexed and Over Here

So I'm just watching the Brit awards right now and rooting for Paul Weller so I'll be brief ;-)

This is another still life from the "What the Americans done for us" day at Duxford. It must have been a culture shock, especially for those country folk from farms and villages in East Anglia when all these thousands of American airmen and ground crews etc started arriving here. Building bases all over the region, most of which can still be seen to some extent and should be preserved, at least in part, actually IMO, especially the wall art in some of the buildings much of which has already gone forever.

If it interests you at all there are two great books by Martin W. Bowman "Echoes Of East Anglia" & "Ghost Airfields of East Anglia" that focus on the bases themselves and the wall art etc left behind. If it wasn't for this author much would be forgotten forever.

I was replying to a comment today and saying that I think the British look upon this time with great fondness despite the horrors and sadness of war. Especially I think those that were children at the time, phrases like "Got Any Gum Chum" stemmed from these times. Old photos showing hoards of children enjoying parties the like they had never seen at the bases must have made for good memories.

I'm waffling, I'm just passionate about the subject is all.

Oh & JJ, this is the image I was talking about, thought you'd like the Coca Cola box. These guys were proudly telling me that all the things they've collected are genuine so I guess this box is too but I suspect the paint has been touched up.

I haven't messed with this too much but I did try to recreate that early colour look that's sometimes seen in wartime images.

There, told you I'd be brief, lol :-)

CM2009