GLENN Miller's Burtonwood connection has been picked up on by reader Owen Taylor following a query as to whether the famous band-leader made his last appearance at the airbase before a plane carrying him across the sea mysteriously disappeared.

Legends have sprung from that incident, touched upon (January 30) by Ken Melling of Parr in revealing his youthful memories of the Burtonwood base.

But Owen, from Barrow Nook Lane, Bickerstaffe, says it's unlikely that Miller, then an American officer, and his 17-piece orchestra were at Burtonwood immediately before that ill-fated flight. Though he did, in fact, perform at Burtonwood on an earlier date.

He writes: "Major Glenn Miller was a very busy man after his arrival in Britain on June 13 1944. By the time he left for Paris in the ill-fated Norseman CO4 aircraft on December 15 that year, he had completed 71 concerts, mainly for US servicemen".

That he visited Burtonwood immediately prior to his tragic loss was unlikely, adds Owen, because plans to perform in the newly-liberated French capital had been arranged the previous month.

Glenn Miller and his orchestra, however, had performed at Burtonwood base exactly four months before the plane disappeared (August 15). He'd flown in after completing a strenuous tour of Northern Ireland.

"It was estimated that more than 7,000 troops and their friends were present on that memorable day, their largest audience ever encountered in Britain.

"The Forces' Sweetheart, Vera Lynn, was also engaged to sing her wartime hits and for the afternoon session, the Joe Loss Band, with vocalists Elizabeth Batey, Don Rivers and Harry Kaye was invited as supporting act".

At that time, the British performers were appearing at Liverpool Empire, adds Owen, who kindly forwarded a photo copy of a picture featuring Miller together with Vera Lynn and Joe Loss (sadly, the quality proved unsuitable for reproduction here).

AND Owen signs off by explaining that he received his information first-hand, from Elizabeth Batey (later to become Mrs Bence) who lives on Merseyside.