War veteran, 99, to share stories at 1940s event

Joseph Bobrowicz operated 35 missions from Mendlesham during World War Two

A 99-year-old American war veteran will be sharing his stories from his time based at a former airfield during World War Two.

Joseph Bobrowicz, from Philadelphia, was a US Army Air Corp air gunner based at the former RAF Mendlesham, Suffolk from 1944 to 1945.

His son Mark Bobrowicz, 68, will interview him via a live broadcast during a popular 1940s event at Mid-Suffolk Light Railway on Sunday.

Mr Bobrowicz Jr and Mid-Suffolk Light Railway's marketing manager John Reeves said they were incredibly excited for the event.

Joseph Bobrowicz was a part of a B17 crew that operated out of Mendlesham in 1945

"I did an interview with him just as a rehearsal for practice," Mr Bobrowicz Jr, who is also from Philadelphia, said.

"We started at 10.30 in the evening and he spoke for over three hours.

"That was quite interesting because I knew little bits and pieces [of his story] but I never knew all the connecting pieces."

Mr Bobrowicz Sr will be broadcast live from Philadelphia to the event while Mr Bobrowicz Jr has flown over for it.

Joseph Bobrowicz is in fantastic spirits today according to his son

Middy in the 1940s will be held on Sunday and Monday and will include reenactments, displays, music performances and stalls.

On Sunday there will also be a spitfire flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

"We've got a Dad's Army troupe for the first time performing a sketch for us and it's really great entertainment for families," Mr Reeves added.

"So many people turn up in costume - even people that aren't a part of the reenactment groups tend to turn up dressed in their 1940s gear.

"It's real showbiz and very entertaining."

Mark Bobrowicz regularly visits Mendlesham to learn more about the area his father spent a lot of time in

Mr Bobrowicz Jr has spent a lot of time in Mendlesham and one meeting with a local resident really stuck with him and led to "one of the best days" of his life.

He met a man in his 90s named Roy Colchester, who had lived on a farm his whole life at one end of the former runway.

As a teenager during the war he would draw the planes and record their missions and remarkably, he had done just this for Mr Bobrowicz Sr's B17 bomber.

"He wrote in pencil next to the drawing of the aircraft that this plane had returned from a mission with a hole in the back tail fin, Mr Bobrowicz Jr explained.

"My father had told me the fact an anti-aircraft shell went up through the back tail fin of the aeroplane and exploded above it.

"I thought it was absolutely phenomenal that I would actually meet someone who recorded a note of this event.

"I did a Facebook video call to my father with this gentleman and it was absolutely astounding.

"How fortunate to meet people who saw something 70 years ago and I could put it together."