In front of the prop monument.

A stone block engraved with English text in black painted lettering listing the group’s associated units. 

The 91st Bomb Group was the seventh of an eventual 42 heavy groups to deploy to England. A Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress unit moved into RAF Kimbolton on 10 October 1942, but that station, in Huntingdonshire, had not yet been reconstructed to Class A standards and was immediately found to be unsuitable for operations. Bassingbourn had recently been vacated by the RAF and made available to the Eighth Air Force. The commanding officer of the 91st BG inspected Bassingbourn on 13 October 1942 and, not wanting to lose the opportunity, moved his entire unit there the next day before seeking permission.

The 91st BG was assigned to the 1st Combat Bombardment Wing, also at Bassingbourn. The group tail code (after June 1943) was a "Triangle A". Its operational squadrons and fuselage codes were:

• 322d Bombardment Squadron (LG)
• 323d Bombardment Squadron (OR)
• 324th Bombardment Squadron (DF)
• 401st Bombardment Squadron (LL)

The Eighth Air Force in general and the 91st Bomb Group, in particular, were critically short of support personnel, and the airfield remained under RAF administration until 21 April 1943. The final commanding officer of RAF Bassingbourn before its transfer was Squadron Leader J. S. Ellard.

The 91st began combat operations from Bassingbourn on 7 November 1942, as one of the four "pioneer" B-17 groups. The group operated primarily as a strategic bombardment organization throughout the war.

Source of information: en.wikipedia.org, www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk

Source of photos: Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register, Aviation History Around Anglia FB Page

Front face:

91ST BOMB. GROUP (H)

HEADQUARTERS

322 BOMB SQ     323 BOMB SQ

324 BOMB SQ     401 BOMB SQ

441 SUB DEPOT   1ST STA COMP

1696 ORDN       1204 QM

982 MP          863 CWS

556 APU         206 FINANCE

2024 ENGR FF    18 WEATHER

243 MED DISR (AVN) RED CROSS