From the Yorkshire Post 13 January 2014 France honours air museum director over war memorial THE director of the Yorkshire Air Museum and Allied Air Forces Memorial has been awarded one of France’s most prestigious honours. Ian Reed is among only 2,500 people worldwide to receive the country’s Ordre national du Mérite, or Order of Merit. It has been conferred in a sign of appreciation for Mr Reed’s career and his efforts to ensure proper recognition for the heroism of the airmen of France. During the Second World War, 346 Guyenne and 347 Tunisie were the French Air Force’s only heavy bomber squadrons, and were based at York’s RAF Elvington, now home to the Yorkshire Air Museum, from June 1944 to October 1945. Throughout eight months of fighting, they lost 41 aircraft and 216 men. Mr Reed played a leading role in securing a memorial to the French airmen that was unveiled at York Minster in 2011. The Allied Air Forces Memorial also has an exhibition running in London about the French Air Force. Further remembrance events are being planned this summer to coincide with the visit of the opening stages of the Tour de France cycle race to Yorkshire. Asked for his reaction to the award, Mr Reed said: “It’s a remarkable honour – I feel very proud. “For it to happen in the year that we are welcoming the Tour de France means another box ticked for Yorkshire. http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/main-topics/local-stories/france-honours-air-museum-director-over-war-memorial-1-6368225
Went to Elvington in 2008, a good day out. Recommend a visit to the museum to any member who goes that way. Nice to see they get some recognition from France.
From the Yorkshire Post today, Saturday 16th May 2020 Scandalous star who brought wartime glamour to York's 'French Quarter'. It was exactly 75 years ago that Josephine Baker dropped into the only RAF station in Britain to be operated by another country. https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/her...-wartime-glamour-yorks-french-quarter-2853785