The 'Brit House'

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. – Air Commodore Ian Elliott (left), Air Attaché for the British Embassy in Washington D.C. discusses the history of the home at 203 Daedalus Avenue with base leadership April 16 after unveiling a plaque declaring the home the ‘Brit House’. After more than 40 years, the Royal Air Force Exchange Officer program is leaving Barksdale and taking with it the home’s RAF tenants. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joanna M. Kresge)

The 'Brit House'

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. – Air Commodore Ian Ellott, Air Attache for the British Embassy in Washington D.C., and Maj. Gen. Floyd Carpenter, Eighth Air Force commander, unveil a plaque outside 203 Daedalus Avenue April 16. After more than 40 years, the Royal Air Force Exchange Officer program is leaving Barksdale and taking with it the home’s RAF tenants. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joanna M. Kresge)

The 'Brit House'

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. – The recently unveiled plaque destined to hang in 203 Daedalus Avenue proclaims the house to forever be known as the ‘Brit House’. The plaque will hang in the entrance hall of the historic home listing all the Royal Air Force Exchange Officers who have lived at that address over the past 40 years as the EO position moves to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joanna M. Kresge)

An era comes to a close

Published April 23, 2010
By Senior Airman Joanna Kresge
2d Bomb Wing Pubic Affairs

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- The house at 203 Daedalus Avenue was dedicated April 16 as the 'Brit House' after more than 40 years of Royal Air Force tenants.

During that time, the Eighth Air Force has been host to a RAF Exchange Officer program. A position in which one RAF Airman comes to Barksdale and one U.S. Airman goes to work with the RAF, traditionally the RAF Airmen would always reside in what later became known as the 'Brit House'. Later this spring the position will leave Barksdale and transfer to the 24th Air Force at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas leaving the home without its EO tenants.

"Since 1942, we have had a RAF member on staff here and we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with them," said Mr. Lane Callaway, Eighth Air Force headquarters historian. "We have collaborated a lot with the RAF and adopted a lot of procedures and techniques from them."

To help this era come to a close Air Commodore Ian Elliott, Air Attaché for the British Embassy in Washington D.C., visited Barksdale to help unveil the dedication plaque for the historic home along with Maj. Gen. Floyd Carpenter, commander of Eighth Air Force.

"This house has had a really special place in history not just for the RAF but certainly for the Eighth Air Force as well," said Air Commodore Elliot. "As one chapter of our history together closes, another opens."

During his visit Air Commodore Elliott was also invited to be the guest speaker at the Military Ball of the Ark-La-Tex where the theme was "a toast to our British Allies", and he received the furled RAF ensign to mark the end of this particular relationship.

As the current RAF EO, Wing Commander Mark Barmby packs his house to leave Barksdale, he reflects on his time with the U.S. Air Force.

"I enjoyed this post because of different challenges," he said. "Being in the military, we relish something new, and this has really been different for me and I've learned a lot. We [my family and I] also really love the local area, the people are so welcoming and we have made such great friends here."