Memories of American 1st Division

SUBMITTED BY MRS. ANNE SALTER (NEE MASON), from Brading I>W>

I lived in Beaminster, Dorset, with my family, some of whom still live there.
Anne’s father and two brothers were in the war too.
Anne’s mother also took in 2 German Refugees from London. Anne visted Normandy for the 50th anniversary of D.Day and remembers particularly from that visit the gratitude of the ordinary peopleof France

MEMORIES

The lorries cam a-rumbling, into our little square.
The AMERICAN FIRST DIVISION — a sight so strange and rare.
They threw us gum and candy, things we’d never seen,
To us in those awful war years: was it just a dream?

Our Dad and brothers gone to fight, they brightened up our lives,
They made us kids feel wonderful, they made us feel all right.
We sewed their badges on for them, ran errands from morn to night,
Made dates with my lovely sisters (that got me in terrible fights)!!!
We peeped through windows at dances, such a splendid sight to see.
Our local girls “jitterbugging”, just uniforms and knees.
The band they had was super, it had a shield and a huge Number One,
To us it was an orchestra playing, the music was sheer fun.
Then cam General Eisenhower to see his troops so true:
The cooks at the camp sent us apple pie and ice cream, they told our family too
What’s good enough for Eisenhower is good enough for you !

The troops were awaiting a command, the camp overflowed with soldiers, and in the park all around.
We children fetched loaves from the baker, he was baking 24 hours a day,
They gave us lots of money and told us “That’s your pay”
The soldiers just waited and waited, playing cards, having fun, making toast,
They waited and waited, to be called to the coast

At long last came D Day — my ninth birthday too,
A G.I. made me a chocolate cake, white frosting and lots of goo !
I’d never had one like it, my heart went all of a flip,
But two weeks later (Mother told me) he was killed embarking from his ship.

Memories live for ever, and now I’m sixty two,
I won’t forget the FIRST DIVISION
This is my tribute to you !

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