Billy Fiske

[Soulman]

Billy Fiske, i believe to be the first American to die in WW2.
Last Saturday i drove to Tangmere, which is about 19 miles away from where i live.
I went to the RAF Museum at Tangmere and read all about this fellow. I won't go into to much detail but afterwards went to Tangmere Church and looked at the 30+ allied troops graves and about a dozen German pilots graves. I left the Tangmere church and drove to Boxgrove.
Now Billy had a love for a church nearby at Boxgrove, a beautiful church which has a brilliant stained glass window of a Hurricane plane with an obituary to Billy etched in the glass and he is buried in the churchyard.
Pride of place in the corner his gravestone still facing the fields, beautiful, and the two USA flags are placed on the grave.

Here is a bit about Billy
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Fiske

If you click on this link and scroll through the pictures of the church at Boxgrove, you will see a few of the stained glass window dedicated to Billy. One clearly shows the words.....i stood for about 5 minutes within touching distance, alone and quiet.
www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g186406-d4922883-r218134752-Boxgrove_Priory-Chichester_West_Sussex_England.html#photos;geo=186406&detail=4922883&ff=106446770&albumViewMode=hero&albumid=103&baseMediaId=106446770&thumbnailMinWidth=50&cnt=30&offset=-1&filter=2

Here is a photo of the grave, if you can imagine standing behind the headstone, that is when you look out on open fields.
www.alamy.com/stock-photo-grave-of-pilot-officer-william-billy-fiske-st-mary-and-st-blaise-church-37415374.html

[Soulman]

I walked along the same route last week, the church and churchyard has not changed a bit.

[Soulman]

For any of you liking real history.

Boxgrove priory and church, also the stained glass window and grave of Billy Fiske, World War two Hurricaine fighter pilot who was killed during the battle of Britain. Boxgrove Priory, in the village of Boxgrove in Sussex, was founded in about 1066 by Robert de Haye, who in 1105 bestowed the church of St. Mary of Boxgrove upon the Benedictine Abbey of Lessay. In about 1126 upon the marriage of Robert's daughter Cecily, to Roger St. John the number of monks living at Boxgrove was increased from the original three to six, and by 1187 there were a total of fifteen. The nineteenth monk was added to the priory in about 1230 by William de Kainesham, Canon of Chichester. By 1535 the priory's possessions were worth £185 19s. . gross, and £145 10s. 2½d. clear. The ruins are a Grade I listed building.

[beth]

Thanks for that, Soulman. Our ghosts will always be there in spirit (so to speak).