A Service of Thanksgiving for the Restoration of the
Tower and Ceremony to Dedicate a Plaque in memory
of the men of the 305th Bombardment Group (H) of the
8th Air Force of the United States of America.
Wednesday, 24th September, 1980 at 2.30 p.m.
Conducted by the Vicar of the Parish Canon Roger W. Davison
in the presence of
Lt. Col. J. Chandos-Pole, O.B.E., J.P.,
Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant for Northamptonshire
The Rt. Hon. Norman St. John-Stevas, M.P., Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Capt. D. Heisinger, U.S. Defence Attache, Representing the American Ambassador
Councillor G. Osborne, Chairman of East Northamptonshire District Council
Councillor M. L. Foulger, Chairman of Chelveston Parish Council
Councillor Mrs. G. M. Murdin, Mayor of Higham Ferrers
Mr. Glenn F. Nelson, President of the 305th Bombardment Group Memorial Association
Col. Ellis C. Vander Pyl, USAF, Wing Commander R.A.F. Alconbury
U.S.A.F. Colour Party enters Church.
Introduction
 |
|
The Memorial Plaque on the Tower
|
Hymn:
Praise the Lord! Ye heavens, adore him;
Praise him, angels, in the height;
Sun and moon, rejoice before him,
Praise him all ye stars and light.
Praise the Lord! for he hath spoken,
Worlds his mighty voice obeyed;
Laws, which never shall be broken,
For their guidance hath he made.
Praise the Lord! for he is glorious;
Never shall his promise fail;
God hath made his Saints victorious,
Sin and death shall not prevail.
Praise the God of our salvation;
Hosts on high, his power proclaim.
Heaven and earth and all creation,
Laud and magnify his name!
Worship, honour, glory, blessing,
Lord, we offer to thy name;
Young and old, thy praise expressing,
Join their Saviour to proclaim.
As the Saints in heaven adore thee,
We would bow before thy throne;
As thine Angels serve before thee,
So on earth thy will be done.
The Lesson: II Samuel, Chap. 22 vv 1-7, 47-51
Address.
Hymn:
Now thank we all our God,
With hearts and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom his world rejoices;
Who from our mothers' arms
Hath blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love,
And still is ours today.
 |
|
The Memorial Plaque inside the Tower
|
O may this bounteous God
Through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts
And blessed peace to cheer us;
And keep us in his grace,
And guide us when perplexed,
And free us from all ills
In this world and the next.
All praise and thanks to God
The Father now be given,
The Son, and Him who reigns
With them in highest heaven,
The One eternal God,
Whom earth and heaven adore;
For thus it was is now,
And shall be evermore. Amen.
Prayers.
Hymn:
Mine eyes have seen the glory
of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage
where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning
of his terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on.
 |
|
The restored Tower and Memorial Plaque
|
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
I have seen him in the watchfires
of a hundred circling camps;
They have builded him an altar
in the evening dews and damps;
I have read his righteous sentence
by the dim and flaring lamps:
His day is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
He has sounded forth the trumpet
that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting put the hearts of men
before his judgement seat;
O be swift, my soul, to answer him;
be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
In the beauty of the lilies
Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in his bosom
that transfigures you and me;
As he died to make men holy,
let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Procession to the base of the tower for dedication of Memorial Plaque.
Invocation led by the Rev. Lyle Adams:
"Members of the 305th Bombardment Group Memorial Association, Wives, Family members and Friends, we are met in these days once again to remember those men who gave their lives in the cause of freedom, both during time of military action and over the years that have since elapsed."
Response; We remember them fittingly as heroes in whose glory we shared for brief moments of time.
Leader; We remember them as comrades in arms, with whom we risked our lives on many occasions.
Response: We remember them as patriots, who gave the supreme sacrifice that our national way of life might continue.
Leader; We remember them as members of a fighting unit that met every challenge and responsibility given to it.
Response; We remember them as friends with whom we have manifold associations.
All; We have not forgotten. We remember our fallen comrades of the 305th Bombardment Group and we join our hearts in this moment of silent prayer meditation in their honour and memory.
(Moment of silent prayer)
Address and Unveiling of Plaque by Mr. Glenn F. Nelson, President of the 305th Bombardment Group Memorial Association.
Blessing of Plaque by Canon Roger W. Davison.
NATIONAL ANTHEMS
U.S.A.F. Colour Party departs
