The Ring of Eight & B-17 Tail
Horham, England
Dedicated 1981 and May 8, 1992
Photo courtesy of Don Moyes
Two men who were youngsters in Horham during the war, representing the local “Friends of the 95th”, worked with the 95th Bomb Group Association to design and realize the first memorial in the village. David Johnson spearheaded the project and Brian Chapman designed a black granite memorial in the shape of a B-17 tail, mounted on a marble plinth inscribed with a pattern of base runways. This distinctive memorial was installed across the street from St. Mary’s church and dedicated in 1981.
Photo courtesy of Gerald Grove taken in September 2014.
As those splendid bells continue to peal in the church tower so familiar to all 95th veterans, they serve as a living memorial to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. In 1993, the “Ring of Eight” was recognized by the English Heritage Secretary for “outstanding achievement in the field of conservation and restoration.” Today, a climb up into the bell tower not only gives a close up view of the bells, but a lovely vista of the surrounding countryside.
The bells of St. Mary’s Church in Horham are the oldest ring of eight bells in the world, the oldest bell having been cast in 1568. On a 1981 visit to Horham, it came to the attention of veteran “Lefty” Nairn that the bells had not rung since 1911 because of their decayed wooden frames. He began a campaign to have the bells restored, and at the 1988 95th Bomb Group Association reunion in Cincinnati, the project of tuning, re-hanging, and restoring the bells at Horham was approved by the Board of Directors. This goal, with the help of the English “Friends of the 95th” and members of St. Mary’s Church, was finally accomplished on December 28th 1990. A large group of 95th veterans attended the official dedication ceremonies at St. Mary’s Church on May 8, 1992.
Photo courtesy of Darren Smith Photography