Warm Reception At The Cold War Museum

One chilly morning in early May I packed a sandwich, settled the dogs in their beds and headed for the far reaches of Suffolk to visit Bentwaters Cold War Museum. This was not an overnighter so no need to disturb HoneyBumble, instead I settled for my trusty old Volvo estate, ‘Sue’ (as per the song Runaround Sue). HoneyBumble is undeniably the most comfortable vehicle I have ever driven but she is inclined to be a bit greedy at the petrol pumps. Whereas Sue has far more modest needs and is my default vehicle for trips that don’t involve cooking, sleeping, or brewing tea after long walks in foul weather

On the way to Bentwaters, which is near Woodbridge, I collected eldest Grandson, J, from his home in Elmswell. Not only is J great company and a font of knowledge on all things flight related – he’s a blimming good navigator.

We spotted signs for potential places to visit on future trips – Rendlesham Forest and The Suffolk Punch Centre are on my to-do list for a Bumble adventure. It’s great to get a feel for where they are – I’m not great at orientatingbmyself theses days. My sense of direction seems to be deteriorating along with my eyesight, flexibility and tolerance for idiots. But that’s another story..

For some reason, the satnav sent us down a narrow leafy lane (it does that sometimes) where we followed an older couple on bicycles before they were able to draw into a lay-by to let us pass.They reminded me of my Grandparents who are no longer with us and will always be missed.

*Not my actual grandparents – but you get the vibe*

Neither Nanny or Grandad had a driving licence but they thoroughly enjoyed cycling holidays until Nanny’s knees gave up the ghost. They would take their bikes on the train to wherever they wanted to explore then navigate (using maps!) stopping at points of interest along the way and staying in Bed and Breakfasts or hostels. Clothes and very basic essentials were carried in panniers on their bikes and they always came back with photos and slides of their adventures. I wonder what happened to those memories….

The Restoration Shed – Worth An Extra £5 To Take The Tour

I’ve digressed. I wanted to tell you about the Cold War Museum. Wow! What an incredible collection of bits n pieces. And what a well preserved set of buildings. From press cuttings about a lady who dropped her washing when a plane crashed nearby, to actual planes, vehicles, clothing and equipment.

J and I went on the restoration shed tour which involved a minibus ride across the airfield and a taste of how the hangers and admin buildings have all been repurposed since the armed forces left. The guys in the shed were all eager to sheer their knowledge of all things mechanical and electrical and chatted in detail about their ongoing projects.

There was lots of enouragement for J who is hoping to forge a career in helicopter maintenance. We had a long conversation about school curriculums not offering enough practical learning in things like woodwork, mechanics, gardening etc. Or even knowing when to go to a and e vs taking a paracetamol and going to bed.

An Incredible Collection, Intuitively Displayed

Back at the museum we indulges in a light lunch in the 50’s style diner before heading into the bunker. It was rammed full of memorabilia all lovingly curated and cared for by volunteers who actually care about this stuff. For me, most of this was in living memory. Analogue phone systems, top gun etc.

Bob on the left with J at the Bentwaters Cold War Museum

The highlight of the trip was without a doubt Bob. Bob is a retired aircraft technician, originally from America, who was drafted into the services aged 18 and spent time in Vietnam before coming ‘over here’ to work at Bentwaters. He’s retired now and settled in the UK. Bob spent a good half hour explaining how the bunker and the airfield functioned during the tail end of the Cold War and I’m so glad we met him. Those lived memories really help keep the place alive and bring the human element into the equation.

The Boot Tree at Bentwaters Cold War Museum

As we left, we paused at the Shoe Tree. Several pairs of boots had been found hanging from a branch after the pilots and aircrew were relocated at the end of the war. It seemed they’d all tossed their footwear into a tree in celebration of the end of a scary era. I can imagine it was a joyfully noisy and liberating thing to do. Good for them!