大象传媒

This story has been input by Robbie Meredith of 大象传媒 Northern Ireland's Big Yellow Bus on behalf of Victor Corrie, the author. The author understands and accepts the terms and conditions of the site.

I collect travel books as a hobby. While browsing in a bookshop in the USA on holiday one day I came across an attractive little book with a green cover which caught my eye. It was by an Irish writer called Stephen Gwynn and was entitled 'Highways and Byways in Donegal and Antrim.' It was a lovely little book and I would have bought it anyway, but the dedication inside the front page clinched the purchase. It was written in fine strong handwriting and read as follows:

'Robert M Pennington

Arrived Belfast on US troopship 'Chateau Thierry' with 34th Infantry Division January 1942. Stationed Londonderry (Clooney Park camp), Antrim, Garvagh, and Enniskillen. My ancestors Margaret Potter (1776-1853), Jane Wright and John Potter were born in Co Tyrone, Ireland.'

Trooper Pennington arrived in Ireland on the 'Chateau Thierry' in 1942. This troopship was one of the first to arrive in Ulster from the USA, and trooper Pennington obviously saw a lot of the country while he was here. I often wonder about what became of Trooper Pennington, and I hope he wrote in the book on his way safely home from the War.

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