At The Graan Monastery a white marble statue stands in memorial to seven US airmen who died when their B-17 Flying Fortress, Galley Uncle crashed on 9 December 1943. Five crew members survived due to the bravery of the Passionist Monks who rescued them from the burning plane. Grateful US soldiers contributed the £250 for the statue, which can be found in Our Lady’s Bower at the monastery. The memorial bears the names of all crew members of the Galley Uncle.

St. Angelo Airport (now Enniskillen Airport) was a former RAF airfield situated near the village of Trory. It was established in 1941 and originally designated as a fighter station used to intercept enemy reconnaissance and assist in the air defence over Belfast. A small detachment of US Naval aviators arrived in July 1943 and remained there until the end of the war as instructors to RAF pilots learning how to fly Catalinas. (www.enniskillen-airport.co.uk)

 

Necarne Castle is outside Irvinestown and once served as a military hospital during the Second World War for the RAF and the Americans.  The castle was requisitioned by the US and originally had 200 beds, but due to demand this had to increase to 500. It became known as the US 28^th Station Hospital. The Americans used the hospital to recuperate and build strength for their upcoming campaigns against the Germans on the beaches of Normandy. The veterans remember the kindness of the locals and visitors can view a memorial in the grounds commemorating the presence of both American and RAF personnel.  A sole mortuary slab is the only relic from this period.

Killadeas was an Operational Training Unit (131)on the shores of Lough Erne. The Lough Erne Yacht Club now owns the former site of this base which was constructed by the US government. It was commissioned in 1942 by the US Navy. RAF Coastal Command took control in 1942 and pilots were trained to fly Catalina’s and Sunderlands. Throughout the war Killadeas grew and had accommodation space for 2800 personnel and a new Catalina slipway on Gublusk Bay. Even though an RAF base for most of the war, Killadeas hosted US battalions from May until December 1942. The beautiful Manor House Hotel was once the Officers Mess.

The Ely Lodge forest comprises of 250 hectares of woodland along the shores of lower Lough Erne and was also used as a military base. During the Second World War Ely Lodge was home to elements of the US 8^th Infantry Division from 1942 – June 1944.For more information please visit www.walkni.com/walks/263/ely-lodge-forest-carrickreagh-jetty-walk/

 

The old Maguire Castle at Enniskillen Castle Museums once hosted US troops during the Second World War. Situated beside the River Erne, it was built almost 600 years ago and served as a military barracks until the mid 20^th century (www.enniskillencastle.co.uk).

 

Castle Coole, the magnificent 18^th century mansion is now a National Trust property but was once a former US military base.  General Patton addressed his US soldiers here when he visited on 8^th May 1944 – www.nationaltrust.org.uk/castle-coole

Supreme Commander General Eisenhower visited the grounds of Portora Royal School on 18 May 1944 to inspect 2000 troops drawn up on the playing fields in the build up to D-Day. His top secret visit was preceded by two dress rehearsals, which the public were invited to attend. To mark this occasion the school renamed their rugby pitches in 2014; The Eisenhower Playing Fields.

 

Celtic Park, Enniskillen was the former Headquarters of the 28^th Infantry Regiment. General Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces inspected and addressed troops at Celtic Park on 18 May 1944. A granite plinth can be seen at Model School, adjacent to the park. It is situated in the walls at the Dublin Road entrance to the school. It records part of Eisenhower’s address to the regiment ‘I inspected your camp and your training.  You are made to work hard and train diligently.  For this work and this training there will come a day on the battlefield that will find you happy and proud of what you were required to do and what was enacted of you in your training’.  General Patton inspected the Regimental HQ on the 8^th February 1944.

 

From Castle Archdale aircraft patrols protected ship convoys on the Atlantic from German U-boat attacks. There were 108 flying boat moorings offshore as well as 40 boat moorings. Some Americans trained RAF personnel how to fly and maintain the aircraft. Castle Archdale is famous for its role in the sinking of the Bismarck in May 1941. This German battleship sunk a British ship called  The Hood and as a result 1415 men were lost. Ensign Leonard ‘Tuck’ Smith, co-pilot of a Catalina and an American training RAF pilots, spotted the ship in the Atlantic. The following day the Royal Navy tracked and sank the Bismarck. A country park and caravan site is now situated close to where the base was, so visitors can access the site and see the original flying boat dock which was used to service aircraft while still in the water. Leonard ‘Tuck’ Smith, the American co-pilot of the Catalina AH545 ‘Z’ of 209 Squadron stated, “Lough Erne, the most beautiful runway in the world”.

Castle Archdale Flying Boat Base played an extremely important role throughout the Second World War in Northern Ireland. You can visit this country park which houses a WW2 exhibition and  find out more about these fascinating times on the shores of Lough Erne and the Squadrons based here. (http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/Castle-Archdale-Country-Park-Irvinestown-Enniskillen-P2905)

Castle Archdale during WW2 – images from Seawings.co.uk