大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War by Doreen Bennett on behalf of Margaret Yendell and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

My name is Margaret Yendell (nee Harper). I worked in an aircraft factory in Gloucestershire in the early 40's, but married in '43. In 1944 I was back living on a small-holding at a village called High Street, three miles from St Austell with my mother and father, Annie and Horace John Harper,

In March 1944 two fields of this small-holding were taken over by the American Army who made a camp there.

These two fields were enclosed by the road from St Austell to Newquay (A3058). The B3279 which goes to Foxhole and St Dennis, the road which leads to a railway siding (this is a good line for the clay industry), and a lane which leads from the farm house to the B3279, which has a chapel at the top (now disused).

This lane was filled with lorries containing "ducks" (boats of a sort) covered with camoflauge netting. We had just enough room to walk up and down the lane with our cows.

The camp was set up by dark American soldiers, who put up all the tents etc. Shortly after white American soldiers came as well and whilst they were there we had to have a pass to get in and out pass the American checkpoint and I still have mine dated 01/04/1944.

The last Americans left the camp in July 1944.

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