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| Missing Sign |
Workers on the Rackheath Industrial Estate, including staff at Tilia Properties have been mystified by the strange disappearance of the Witchcraft Way road sign.
Here at Tilia we own and manage many properties on the estate and have played a big part in naming many of its roads, based on the estate’s former life as a USAAF base.
This is the third time the sign has vanished, meaning long spells with the road appearing unnamed. Twice we have replaced the sign only for it to be taken again. It’s a puzzle as to why it’s being repeatedly removed.
It may be that those responsible don’t understand the origin of the road name, believing it has magical connotations. However, the road is actually named after the most famous of the B24 Liberator aircraft that flew from Rackheath in World War II, which was called Witchcraft. The plane flew 130 successful strategic bombing missions whilst based at the airfield, serviced by the ground crew of the 467th Bombardment Group, under the expertise of crew chief Joe Ramirez – for whom another adjoining road is named.
Whilst we’ve been making a few jokes about the disappearance of the sign, we feel it is quite sad too, as amongst other road names and landmarks on Rackheath, it acts as a memorial to the men of the 467th Bombardment group.
At Tilia we are proud of Rackheath’s history and like to commemorate it with such gestures as road naming and restoration of the buildings such as the Control Tower, that is situated at the end of Witchcraft Way.
If anyone has any information about the disappearance of the Witchcraft Way sign, then please contact Tilia Properties on 01603 722892.
