The 'Friendly Invasion' of Mumbles

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. Three huts were built by the Yanks which after they left, were used as changing rooms by the Rugby, Football and Cricket Teams.

Betty Sivertsen continues-

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.

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?’

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’.