Personal Memories-American Troops in Britain In WW 2

Recently, I told you about my visit with my Dad and sisters to the Currahee Military Museum. Remember I told you the paratroopers were sent to England to await the news for D-Day? Of course, there were many other troops that were stationed there. (My Uncle George, my Dad's brother, was one of them.  He was an MP and he spent two years in England.  How I wish he were still around so I could talk to him about this!)  I was most pleased to hear from a friend in England who told me that his father had good memories of the American troops that he knew as a youngster in Herefordshire.   I was delighted to learn that he had even met JOE LOUIS!  And if you do not know who he is, then I strongly suggest you learn about him!  I have a link for you just here!  

What an amazing and interesting man, see if you don't agree! (And that is something that Joe Louis, the American boxer known as the "Brown Bomber" has in common with the Englishman, Henry!)

 The thousands of Americans that were stationed in Great Britain - I have heard the phrase about them, "Oversexed, overpaid and over here"...yes, I know that but I have to tell you that from anyone that I have ever met the only thing that I have felt is a great relief and gratitude that the "Yanks" as they call us, came into the war. They were very thankful that they did so. The Brits had been at war since 1939... okay, now for those personal memories from Henry who was from Herefordshire!
(My thanks to Henry for speaking with his Dad and getting this information to me and thanks to Henry Sr. for the memories! Cheers from this very grateful YANK!  xx)

Note- "Fags" means cigarettes in Britain!

           Henry on the right, with his wife, Joy and son, Henry.

- The code name for the conveyor belt of American battalions that would pass through Herefordshire on the way to the Continent was Operation Bolero. The main site for the encampment of troops was Berrington Hall, home to the Cawley family, which stood in hundreds of acres just outside Leominster (pronounced Lemster). 

- Henry remembers thousands of troops, drawn from all over the States, being there at any one time. The earliest troops to arrive were black - the first 'negroes' that the locals had seen - and their role was to build the camp. Lady Cawley deliberately  had crops planted at the front of the hall so that the troops would have to live at the back and not be so visible. She was, though, agreeable to the hall being used as a hospital.

- H met Joe Louis briefly. Louis was there more as a morale booster than a regular soldier and it was noticeable that he was treated with more respect than the average black. H recalls going in US Army vehicles over the local hills. And plenty of fags and gum.

- Most of the early units arrived 18 months later in early '44. General Patton, dressed in an Eisenhower jacket and  riding breeches, and bearing a crop and ivory-handled pistols, addressed the troops in June and used the F word liberally

- Other units were stationed around the county. A hospital was set up at the bottom of Hergest Ridge near Kington. Hergest would come to prominence 3 decades later as the brief home of Mike Oldfield and title of his second album

- The main hospital was located just to the north of Leominster at Barons Cross. Its dual functions were the welfare of troops in the vicinity and as a general hospital for those injured in Europe after 6 June and its capacity was 1,000 beds. The water supply came from nearby wells.

- The hospital was put to use just a few days after D-Day when the first trainload of combat casualties arrived at Leominster station. The trains kept coming. 70% of the injuries would be orthopaedic in nature and death was rare. Elective surgery was not carried out on those not expected to return to duty within 90 days

- The heaviest pressure on the hospital was after the Battle of the Bulge. It was not unusual for soldiers to be readmitted to hospital 2 or 3 times after further spells of active duty. The last hospital train arrived on 9 May 1945 and 2 months later the hospital ceased functioning.

- The hospital had its own dance band 'The 135th Woodchoppers'. Christmas 1944 was observed in much the same way as it would be in hospital today.    

-  Many of the menial tasks at the hospital were done by German and Italian POWs who became occupants of the tents and the nissen huts when the Americans left Berrington Hall in early August 45.

  

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