Wantage
Village marks link with Glenn Miller
Wartine American band leader Glenn Miller played his last gig in Berinsfield before setting off on a plane journey which ended with him drowning in the English Channel.
The story of his last concert, and his connections with the village, will be told by retired teacher and local historian Mary Tame, in the library on Wednesday.
Her talk will form part of the celebrations marking Berinsfield's 50th anniversary.
The village is located on what was once RAF Mount Farm, a satellite of RAF Benson, used to train bomber pilots.
It was later taken over by the Americans, who used it as a reconnaissance base, and it was from there that such stars as Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour and Glenn Miller took off to entertain the troops in occupied Europe.
Glenn Miller, famous for such enduring standards as Little Brown Jug, In The Mood, Pennsylvania 65000 and Chattanooga Choo-Choo, performed for the Americans at the base in December 1944.
From there he went to RAF Twinwood, boarded a Norseman UC-64 single-engined aircraft for a trip to Paris - and was never heard of again.
His plane is believed to have ditched in the Channel - although 20 years ago there was a belief he may have crash-landed in the dense Chiltern woodlands.
Searches found no trace of the aircraft.
At Ms Tame's talk, a photograph will be unveiled in the library of George Lawson, the last American commanding officer at Mount Farm airfield.
After the war, the former Bullingdon Rural District Council decided to build a new village - the first in England for 200 years - to be called after St Berin.
The word 'field' was added because the Americans called their base an airfield - and Berinsfield was born, with the first people moving in 50 years ago this month.
County councillor Jim Couchman, cabinet member for social and community services, said: "I hope this talk will be well attended.
"Berinsfield has a very interesting history and I am sure many people will want to learn more about the events of 50 years ago."
The events starts at 7pm.
Another event to mark the 50th anniversary of the village takes place on Sunday.
The Archdeacon of Oxford, the Ven Julian Hubbard, will dedicate a new clock, bought by the parish council, on the steeple of the parish church of St Mary and St Berin in an outdoor service at 11am.
3:11pm Wednesday 16th July 2008
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CommentPosted by: Darren, Oxford on 3:48pm Wed 16 Jul 08
A little more notice would be nice and hey how about contact information if tickets are needed ?
Typical high standard from Oxford Mail.
A little more notice would be nice and hey how about contact information if tickets are needed ?
Typical high standard from Oxford Mail.
Posted by: Dan on 5:12pm Wed 16 Jul 08
Berinsfield has always been class, and anyone who says different will get a slap,, LOL !
But Berinsfield is ok and people should see its a great place to live, better than BBL any day.
BBL was always in mighty Berinsfields shadow,, LOL
Berinsfield has always been class, and anyone who says different will get a slap,, LOL !
But Berinsfield is ok and people should see its a great place to live, better than BBL any day.
BBL was always in mighty Berinsfields shadow,, LOL
Posted by: Diane, Clarinda, IA USA on 5:58pm Wed 16 Jul 08
Living in the birth place of Glenn Miller, it is nice to see him honored in Berinsfield. Berinsfield is special to us as the location of Mr. Miller's last concert and the town is honored in our local museum.
Living in the birth place of Glenn Miller, it is nice to see him honored in Berinsfield. Berinsfield is special to us as the location of Mr. Miller's last concert and the town is honored in our local museum.
Posted by: oxman, Oxford on 6:30pm Wed 16 Jul 08
I wonder if he crashed because one of the Berinsfield residents syphoned off some of the fuel in the plane before it left?
I wonder if he crashed because one of the Berinsfield residents syphoned off some of the fuel in the plane before it left?
Posted by: conkertoes, deadcat on 7:26pm Wed 16 Jul 08
was one of the oxford mails reporters the co-pilot in glenns plane when it must of got lost over channel due to berinsfield is no where near wantage,nearer wallingford maybe
was one of the oxford mails reporters the co-pilot in glenns plane when it must of got lost over channel due to berinsfield is no where near wantage,nearer wallingford maybe
Posted by: John Parry, Wantage on 9:16pm Wed 16 Jul 08
[quote][bold]conkertoes[/bold] wrote:
<b> was one of the oxford mails reporters the co-pilot in glenns plane when it must of got lost over channel due to berinsfield is no where near wantage,nearer wallingford maybe</b>[/quote] article doesn't mention Wantage, maybe you need glasses!
conkertoes wrote:
<b> was one of the oxford mails reporters the co-pilot in glenns plane when it must of got lost over channel due to berinsfield is no where near wantage,nearer wallingford maybe</b>
article doesn't mention Wantage, maybe you need glasses!
Posted by: poor glen on 10:36pm Wed 16 Jul 08
i think oxman is nearly right, the locals took his fuel but probably also took wheels, propellor, engine and stereo aswell! poor glen, if he had taken of from summertown or the posh side of wolvercote he might well have survived. mind you, if he had taken off from barton or blackbird leys, they would have nicked the whole plane and, again, he would have survived. trust berinsfield to get it wrong!!
i think oxman is nearly right, the locals took his fuel but probably also took wheels, propellor, engine and stereo aswell! poor glen, if he had taken of from summertown or the posh side of wolvercote he might well have survived. mind you, if he had taken off from barton or blackbird leys, they would have nicked the whole plane and, again, he would have survived. trust berinsfield to get it wrong!!
Posted by: David, wantage on 7:39am Thu 17 Jul 08
[quote][bold]Darren[/bold] wrote:
A little more notice would be nice and hey how about contact information if tickets are needed ?
Typical high standard from Oxford Mail.[/quote] How do you know the Oxford Mail was told about the event? They can only report from press releases if given one.
Darren wrote:
A little more notice would be nice and hey how about contact information if tickets are needed ?
Typical high standard from Oxford Mail.
How do you know the Oxford Mail was told about the event? They can only report from press releases if given one.
Posted by: Darren, Oxford on 10:21am Thu 17 Jul 08
[quote][bold]David[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]Darren[/bold] wrote:
A little more notice would be nice and hey how about contact information if tickets are needed ?
Typical high standard from Oxford Mail.[/quote] How do you know the Oxford Mail was told about the event? They can only report from press releases if given one.[/quote] Because they are always doing it. It seems any event they mention is always mentioned on the day of the event instead of telling people about it before hand so they can go along if they wanted. South today TV is just the same they give a report on something that is about to happen ay 8pm in the evening news duh!
I seems journalism has come to the point where they all follow some bizarre set of ideas and one of those dumb ideas seems to be report an event the day it is happening. Perhaps it is deliberate so as not to give free publicity to an event.
David wrote:
Darren wrote:
A little more notice would be nice and hey how about contact information if tickets are needed ?
Typical high standard from Oxford Mail.
How do you know the Oxford Mail was told about the event? They can only report from press releases if given one.
Because they are always doing it. It seems any event they mention is always mentioned on the day of the event instead of telling people about it before hand so they can go along if they wanted. South today TV is just the same they give a report on something that is about to happen ay 8pm in the evening news duh!
I seems journalism has come to the point where they all follow some bizarre set of ideas and one of those dumb ideas seems to be report an event the day it is happening. Perhaps it is deliberate so as not to give free publicity to an event.
Posted by: conkertoes, deadcat on 7:33pm Thu 17 Jul 08
[quote][bold]John Parry[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]conkertoes[/bold] wrote: <b> was one of the oxford mails reporters the co-pilot in glenns plane when it must of got lost over channel due to berinsfield is no where near wantage,nearer wallingford maybe</b>[/quote] article doesn't mention Wantage, maybe you need glasses![/quote] dickhead read my comment again
if you look on oxford mail web site, type news,have a list of towns,click on WANTAGE and report pops up
what i am trying to get at is berinsfield is CLOSER to didcot,abingdon any **** town bare WANTAGE noob
John Parry wrote:
conkertoes wrote: <b> was one of the oxford mails reporters the co-pilot in glenns plane when it must of got lost over channel due to berinsfield is no where near wantage,nearer wallingford maybe</b>
article doesn't mention Wantage, maybe you need glasses!
dickhead read my comment again
if you look on oxford mail web site, type news,have a list of towns,click on WANTAGE and report pops up
what i am trying to get at is berinsfield is CLOSER to didcot,abingdon any **** town bare WANTAGE noob
Posted by: Dan on 8:29pm Thu 17 Jul 08
Berinsfield is the best place to live in Oxfordshire and Berkshire, FACT !!!
Berinsfield is the best place to live in Oxfordshire and Berkshire, FACT !!!
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