Airmen participate in British celebration

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Scott Wakefield
  • OL-A, Detachment 4 AFNEWS
BURY ST. EDMUNDS, England --  Airmen from RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall help the town of Bury St. Edmunds celebrate the 400th Anniversary of the Jamestown, Virginia, colony.

Volunteers from both bases came out in great numbers to showcase Air Force equipment and people, and help out in anyway they could. The Lakenheath Honor Guard carried the colors for a parade that led through the main road in the middle of town, with crowds of spectators, both British and American, looking on. Members of Mildenhall's Honor guard carried a Declaration of the "Freedom of the Borough", which gives military members of RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall permission to march in the town. Lakenheath High School's Junior ROTC also performed drill maneuvers on Angel Hill right outside the towns Cathedral.

The celebration marks the 400th Anniversary of one man's dream to create a colony in the New World. Bartholomew Gosnold chartered the Virginia Company through King James I of England to stake a British claim in the Americas. Gosnold made his home in Bury St. Edmunds with his family prior to embarking on his historic expedition. On May 14th, 1607, three ships belonging to the Virginia Company landed at Jamestown, which most regard as England's first colony in the United States.

Airman Basic Joshua Driscoll is a member of the Security Forces Squadron at RAF Lakenheath, he just arrived and is in the First Term Airmen Center. FTAC made it their project to help out with the days events, and with Airman Driscoll only having been in country a few weeks, he's already getting an early start being an unofficial American Ambassador.

"It's important to be a part of the community you're in," he said.

Another "Defender", Captain Shaun Flint volunteered to help coordinate Air Force participation in the celebration. He says the Bury St. Edmunds Council and the two bases have been coordinating the festivities since September. When the call went out for help they had an immediate response, and actually had to start turning people away.

The town's Mayor, the honorable Frank Warby, is very appreciative of American participation in the event. He felt it was "practical" to have the Airmen be a part of the "remembrance", because it's just as much a part of American history, as it is British history.

"I think it proves the friendship between the two states, America here, and the Queen currently in Jamestown," he said.

Bartholomew Gosnold also named Cape Cod, Massachusetts and Martha's Vinyard in honor of his daughter on an expedition to the Americas in 1602.