大象传媒

D Day The Build-up
I am telling this story as I remember it as a 14 year old youth
The first American Army personnel seen in Weymouth was in the winter of 1942. That鈥檚 when the build-up of troops began.
Weymouth and Portland were the main ports of embarkation for landing on the beach known as Omaha. The county of Dorset was a temporary home for thousands of GI鈥檚 as the American troops were known.
The Chapelhay area of Weymouth was heavily bombed leaving streets evacuated because of the damage to the civilian population. It was used at first by British No 9 and No 3 Commando. In the art of street fighting. It was later used by the Americans to hone their skills in preparation for D-Day 鈥� 6th June 1944. The GI鈥檚 were part of the 1st Army known as The Big Red One. The harbours of Portland were full of ships of all types from Aircraft Carriers, Battleships, Destroyers and Motor Torpedo Boats. In Weymouth Harbour fo a long part of the war were stationed a Flotilla of air sea rescue craft who鈥檚 job was to rescue downed aircaft crew at sea. At times they also rescued German aircraft crew.
By 1944 the build-up of Landing Craft made it plain that an invasion of France was getting close.

I can recall the American troops as very friendly people to us civilians also very generous to the children who鈥檚 favourite saying was 鈥淕ot any Gum chum鈥� Chewing Gum was new to us as were most sweet products as they were rationed. As Chapelhay boys we had a lot of contact with the troops when they were training in our area. We were often invited to stand in line and to eat their 鈥榗how鈥� as they called their food. In return we helped clean their weapons before they returned to camp.
As D-Day approached secrecy was very strict. The whole area was shrouded in smoke generated by canisters towed on trailers. The smoke was very unpleasant and we had to keep our windows closed. The tanks landing craft lorries and jeeps made their way to Portland to embark on the landing craft. Children on their way to school had a good excuse for being late as the convoys were almost no-stop, crossing the road was delayed until there was a break in the Traffic. The GI鈥檚 threw their coins to the children knowing the next coins they would use would be French. The night of the 5/6th June we watched hundreds of planes, some towing gliders, on their way to Normandy.
The next few weeks saw frantic activity in the ports of Weymouth and Portland Ships coming and going carrying Supplies to the beaches and bring back the wounded and prisoners of war. The prisoners were sent to the officers playing field on Portland which was a temporary POW camp.
After all the activity of the months of preparation for D-Day it was very strange and quiet when all the troops left.
I shall always remember those days as very exciting and memorable. Boys living in those days will never forget those momentous times.

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