When the American GIs arrived: a collection of memories
Here, several local villagers share their memories of this welcome invasion
John Pressdee describes his memories, ‘The Yanks seemed big and black. I had never seen a black man before and thought that all Americans were Indians.
I remember bringing home two grapefruit and giving them to my Mother, who asked where I had got them. I also received Hershey bars. They were great. At that time there was no chocolate to be seen.
Trucks and the odd ‘jeep’ came up Castleton and the men threw out Hershey bars, PK rations, canned fruit, stewed steak, corned beef, tinned bacon and the kids would shout ‘The Yanks are coming!’ I used to be given Lucky Strike cigarettes and sometimes nylons, when they asked, ‘Have you got a sister?’
The Auxiliary Fire Engine outside Pressdee's Garage. John Pressdee is at the back right of this photo, c1939
The Auxiliary Fire Engine during training at Underhill Park
Several of The American Camps in Mumbles and Gower, 1944
Oxwich Bay
John Pressdee: Sometimes their exercises were held in Caswell and once or twice I cycled to Oxwich to watch them training for D-Day with landing craft and DUWKs.
We were kept away but still managed to see what was happening’.
Many beaches in Gower were used for Amphibious Training by American Forces
St. Peter's Church Hall
John Pickard recalls: I was a very young child holding my mother’s hand standing at the bottom of St Peter’s Road looking towards the church hall. You will appreciate that the field where the vicarage is now situated, behind the hall, was full of tents with American soldiers. The church hall was their canteen and the pine end used to open out completly. I could see the soldiers lined up across the wall being served with food by the Chefs. The first time I ever saw a Chef in his hat etc.
Most evenings the American troop carriers would be lined up Newton Road, waiting to refuel at Newton Garage. Whilst stationary, alll the children used to be on the doorsteps and the soldiers would pass us 'Candy.'
Others mentioned that a DUKW (an amphibious truck which was usually called a 'Duck') once knocked down the wall by Newton Garage.
Betty Sivertsen recalls- When the American GIs arrived in Mumbles, at first, they lived in Saint Peter's Church Hall and out at Summerland and marched down to Underhill Park for their meals every day.
Underhill Park Changing Rooms from late 1943
Three Huts were built by the Americans in late 1943, for dining and shower facilities and were later used postwar, as changing rooms by the football, rugby and cricket clubs. The hut on left was basically unaltered, at least on the outside and later demolished.
The central hut was still in use by Mumbles Rugby Club, after being substantially refurbished in 2007, thanks to a grant from Mumbles Community Council.
The right hand hut was replaced on the original base.
An aerial view of Underhill Park, taken before the begining of the redevelopment project.
Underhill Park Pavilion and Changing Rooms
project by Mumbles Community Association
project by Mumbles Community Association
UPDATE- The Changing Rooms at Underhill Park, Mumbles, have been replaced with a new building , shown below along with the updated Pavilion. and were opened to the public on 19th July 2023. See notice!.
Full details of this development can be found at 'GO Underhill'. Website - https://go-underhill.com
Go Underhill is a major plan by the community in the Mumbles area to transform Underhill Park, developing facilities which are fit for the modern day.
One day my brother brought a coloured American GI to our home at Newton Road, (see note below) and asked our mother if he could have a bath. I should have had a camera when my mother saw her first black person; the look on her face was worth recording, as she had not seen one in the flesh before. He was welcomed; had his bath and we found out that his name was . . . FLOWERS and he wanted to be back in America with his family.
Barbara Brimfield remembers when the Yanks arrived and were housed in tents in Caswell Valley.
The American flag was flown from a flagpole on the to of the cliffs overlooking Caswell Valley, near the main American Army Camp. Officers lived close by in Summerland House a
Apart from all their War equipment, they had some secret weapons — Nylons, Chocolate and Chewing gum and, to people starved of such things, it was heaven. Daily they were besieged by children outside the Hall and they were generous to them.
The locals used to have them in their homes for baths and a meal, which they used to call ‘mommas home cooking.’
They did appreciate whatever folk did for them.
Dare I mention girls ! !
Summerland House, Caswell
Summerland House, used as an American Officers Club, from 1943. The house was built around the turn of the twentieth century and together with its estate was owned by Miss Catherine Davies. Her large garden was kept in immaculate condition by Sidney Roland McKay
Valerie McKay remembers her father, in the photo, telling her how these solders threw rations over the wall to her family in the gardener’s cottage and of a visit by GI Rocky Marciano (later to become a World Heavyweight Champion boxer) to Summerland House.
American Landing Craft
A co-ordinator of this project, is Mumbles born John Powell,
who can be contacted on 01792 520540 and email:j.powell20@ntlworld.com
He can keep you up to date and is always willing to receive information regarding
GI veterans who served in the area of Swansea & Gower.