Welcome Back to GI William Saxelby

Glenn Booker was tidying up and found this interesting memory-

If you can help in his search, please contact Glenn at Barry Station War Museum

William Saxelby was with the 3121^st Signal Port Service Company U.S. Army Signal Corps. He arrived in Swansea in May 1944 and with his buddy Ralph Outten was billeted with Cyril Richards and his family in Cockett. Unfortunately William's attempts to trace Cyril Richards and his family have so far been unsuccessful. However he has many fond memories of his time in wartime Swansea...

"I have great memories of sing-songs in the parlour of the home we lived in and also in the side room of the local. I believe it was called 'the Lamb and Flag' We actually felt as part of the community and tried to supplement the war time rations of the Richards' with some items we could get from our quartermasters.

We were able to secure a Christmas Turkey from a local butcher by name of William's. It was a wonderful treat for men who hadn't been home for over a year. I will never forget "Leeks and the Sunday Joint" which was usually Lamb or occasionally Beef. "

Swansea Docks

My wife and I toured Swansea three years ago and spent a week there trying to find some of the places that were so familiar long ago. Fifty years causes great changes and I only recognized the Docks and St. Davids and Town Hill. One of my buddies was billeted with a family named James on Lon Coed Bran.

I did visit the bus depot and talked with a man who seemed to remember Cyril Richards but couldn't say what became of him. In the early fifties I wrote some but didn't get any replies. I moved some in those days so that may be the reason I never heard back."

I am of English descent. There is a town in the Midlands by the same name as mine. I visited Saxelby while in the U.K. but I enjoyed my visit to Wales more.

The Welsh I knew were very kind and warm people."