Prior to D-Day, the USAAF 416th Bomber Group, stationed at Wethersfield, played a critical role in preparing for the European invasion, conducting missions primarily against German coastal defenses, V-1 launch sites, airfields, and marshalling yards.
On D-Day itself, the 416th carried out two missions in support of the Allied Expeditionary Forces who, after securing their beachhead, began the push toward Germany. Following the initial landings, the Group shifted focus to providing tactical support for advancing ground troops. It is worth noting that Wethersfield, along with all USAAF airfields in Essex and South Suffolk, were supplied with bomber and fighter munitions stored at Bures

The Bures Forward Ammunition Depot (FAD) was the largest of three significant sites in East Anglia, with the other two situated at Earsham in Norfolk and Barnham near Thetford in Suffolk. From 2005 to 2020, I undertook a comprehensive research into the activities and presence of the United States Army Air Force in Bures during the years 1943 to 1945.

During this period, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) requisitioned the land surrounding Butlers Farm on the Earls Colne Road, subsequently expanding into minor roads and the country lanes, to accommodate substantial stockpiles of bombs and munitions intended for airfields in Essex and South Suffolk. These munitions were typically transported by train from Liverpool and Immingham Docks, via the March (Cambridge) Marshalling Yard onward to Chappel.

The trains passed through Bures to avoid drawing attention to the nearby Ammunition Depot.
Consequently, deliveries continued to Chappel despite the inherent risks as the Luftwaffe frequently targeted the Viaduct and the Fuel Storage Depot alongside.

After fourteen years of research, I published a book on this subject in 2019. The book has attracted considerable interest in the UK, the USA, and Europe, leading to a third edition on June 1, 2024, which sold out within four weeks.

Upon arrival at Chappel, the Munitions were either loaded onto waiting lorries for distribution to the Bures Forward Ammunition Depot or transported via the local Colne Valley Line for storage at the Earls Colne and White Colne sidings.
Due to operational considerations, the Essex airfields were generally supplied from the Earls Colne Yard and the Bures Depot to Airfield north as far as Bury St Edmunds.

Notably, aside from its station number, there are no official records of the Bures Munitions Depot maintained by either the UK War Department or the USAAF records in the UK. The only source I found was in the USA Archives.

My research into this subject attracted the attention of families of deceased service members in the United States, who generously provided additional material. I extensively relied on interviews with residents from Bures, Pebmarsh, Colne Engaine, Wakes Colne, White Colne, Earls Colne, and surrounding villages, with contributions extending as far as Braintree and Rayne.

Numerous self-proclaimed experts on the Bures Ammunition Depot have delivered talks on the subject at various local meetings. Unfortunately, many of their assertions are fundamentally incorrect, often based on conjecture and hearsay. Online forums on the topic frequently contain fictionalized accounts. In contrast, my information is grounded in facts sourced from reputable archives, such as the USAAF Records held in the United States.

While the exact number of interviews I conducted is uncertain, it certainly exceeds eighty. Regrettably, all of these contributors have since passed away, yet their memories remain invaluable.
Consequently, much of the information I compiled is both unique and is not available through other sources.

After fourteen years of research, I published a book on this subject in 2019. The book has attracted considerable interest in the UK, the USA, and Europe, leading to a third edition on June 1, 2024, which sold out within four weeks.
Today in 2026, I am still receiving snippets of new information from around East Anglia