After the evacuation from Dunkirk in 1940 the Allies realised that an assault on German-occupied Europe would be the only way to end the Second World War. However, planning for such a military exercise involving thousands of vehicles, ships, aircraft and personnel would be years in the making. This gathered pace after the United States entered the war in December 1941 and plans to transport over 1.5 million American troops and their equipment to Britain were formulated. Accommodation and training facilities would be provided in preparation for the assault on Europe, although it would not be until 1943 before training for the future operation, codenamed ‘Overlord’, which commanders had set for the summer of 1944 intensified, what we all know today of course as D-Day.
AMERICAN TROOPS IN IVYBRIDGE
AMERICAN TROOPS IN IVYBRIDGE
In Devon and Cornwall, it was men of the 29th Infantry Division who arrived in the greatest numbers. Following their first few months at Tidworth Barracks, East Wiltshire, they moved to the South-West between early–mid 1943.
The large influx of men were accommodated in military camps whilst the officers often commandeered local country houses. The 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment arrived in Ivybridge on 29 May 1943 and were based on the outskirts of the village at Uphill military camp on Exeter Road. The site could house up to 1,500 men in nissen huts, while the officers were based at Stowford House. An additional fuel (gas) supply depot was established at nearby Wrangaton where a railway siding was conveniently located for receiving and despatching goods and equipment.
The 116th Infantry Regiment contained a significant number of soldiers from the National Guard unit in Virginia who originally held civilian jobs alongside their part-time military training. The 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment was made up of four infantry companies and a battalion HQ under divisional commander Colonel Charles Canham (later promoted to Major General). The four company commanders were Taylor Fellers of Company A – a National Guard Unit from Bedford, Captain Ettore ‘Zapp’ Zappacosta of Company B – men from Lynchburg, Captain Berthier Hawks of Company C – men from Harrisonburg and Captain Walter Schilling of Company D – men from Roanoke with the whole unit commanded by Lieutenant Colonel John Metcalfe.
These American soldiers remained in Ivybridge for approximately one year while they trained and prepared for the assault of occupied Europe. Ivybridge was ideally placed for the rugged military training grounds on Dartmoor. A grass airstrip was built near Ivybridge at David’s Cross to allow small aircraft such as the Piper Cub to bring in senior military officers to monitor progress.
The training of the 116th Infantry Regiment was relentless, apparently receiving the longest training programme of any American infantrymen. The barren and bleak landscape of Dartmoor was generally loathed by the troops. They marched across the moors and camped out, often in deplorable weather. They became proficient in the use of many different types of weapons, simple first aid, camouflage, swimming and map and compass work.
“From day one with the 116th in Ivybridge training on the moors would consume every waking hour from 5am to 5pm, except on Sundays. Every third day we would dig in, set up camp and bed down on this inhospitable swampy moor, anticipating live artillery and mortar fire.”
PFC John Barnes joined A Company in February 1944. As a New Yorker he found himself a little out of place amongst men who had grown up with one another. He recalled how the company would practice landings from an imaginary boat and simulate beach assaults with each man designated a specific role from cutting barbed wire defences to blowing up coastal defences.
BLUE AND GRAY DIVISION
The 29th Infantry Division (29th I.D.), also known as the “Blue and Gray”, is an infantry division of the United States Army. The 29th Division has existed continuously since 1917 as a part of the National Guard.
As the division was composed of men from states that had units that fought for both the North and South during the Civil War, it was nicknamed the “Blue and Gray Division” division, after the blue uniforms of the Union and the grey uniforms of the Confederate armies during the American Civil War.
The 29th Infantry Division has been featured numerous times in popular media, particularly for its role on D-Day. The division’s actions on Omaha Beach are featured prominently in the 1962 film The Longest Day, an American epic historical war drama film. They also provided the inspiration for Steven Spielberg’s film Saving Private Ryan made in 1998 and starring Tom Hanks.
UPHILL CAMP - IVYBRIDGE
Occupying a series of fields and bordering a row of houses on the lower side, the army camp at Uphill comprised of over 100 curved corrugated metal Nissen huts, each one capable of accommodating 24 men with 12 double bunks, six down each side. The first of these huts were only a few yards from the main road behind a wire perimeter fence.
Recreation ground commandeered.
Only a few years before, in 1938, one of the requisitioned fields known as ‘Lower Abbot’s Field’ had been donated to the community of Ivybridge by Stephen Lee MacAndrew for use as a recreation ground. The only stipulations were that the field had to remain an open space in perpetuity and that it ‘be recorded in some suitable way that the field had been dedicated to the public in memory of the late James J. MacAndrew’, the uncle of Stephen. James MacAndrew together with his wife Barbara had been local benefactors and were well known amongst the community of Ivybridge having built several properties just a short distance away on Exeter Road which they rented out.
Following acceptance of the kind gift on 4 July 1938, discussions soon took place with Ivybridge Association Football Club. They were interested in using the ground for their home matches during the 1938-39 season. A sports pavilion was presented by Commander C. Davey and Mr. H.D. Smith and was erected by local builders, Messrs. Vincent, Yabsley and Blight.
Shortly after the declaration of war on Germany, the fear of bombing raids on Britain’s cities and towns prompted the government to evacuate children and mothers with infants to the relative safety of rural locations. Evacuation was voluntary, but many urban schools were completely closed. A group of ten teenage boys from Acton Technical College in London and twelve 10-year-old girls from Acton Wells Elementary School were among the first wave of evacuees. They arrived in Ivybridge on 2 September 1939 where they greeted by welcoming families who would provide them with a temporary safe home. The boys were permitted to use the recreation ground during their stay in Ivybridge but due to reports of bad behaviour which reached their Head Teacher they were only permitted to use it under direct supervision by a master!
It is not clear whether any football was ever played on the field but by 1940, the local council had been approached by the War Department regarding commandeering the field along with adjacent land for a planned military camp. By 6 June 1941 this had become official, and the field was permitted to be grazed by livestock until the military arrived in 1942. After the war, when it returned to a recreational ground, it became known as MacAndrews Field after the benefactor. Due to its direct connection with the American soldiers, it later became the site of two memorial benches (more on this below).
The military camp of nissen huts erected on concrete bases was constructed by the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME). Apart from sleeping quarters these nissen huts served a multitude of purposes. One was converted into a cinema for the men to view ‘movies’, another a canteen. Others were workshops and there was even a jail. B and C companies were located in the former recreation ground whilst further up a slope and beyond a hawthorn hedge were A and D companies.
The corrugated huts were incredibly noisy and when the rain hammered down on the metal roofs in true South West style, it would resonate inside the huts making it sound even louder, much to the annoyance of everyone inside!
Nissen & Romney Huts
In April 1916 Major Peter Nissen, of the 29th Co Royal Engineers, began thinking about how to make a standardised building that could be erected quickly in different conditions, and used for a wide range of (initially military) purposes. In August 1916 Nissen huts went into production and some 100,000 were manufactured during the First World War. Even larger numbers were produced in the Second World War. These prefabricated buildings, made from curved iron sheets, were put to many uses around the world; many still exist.
At the outbreak of World War II, the British military developed a further series of prefabricated huts to supplement the World-War-1-era Nissen hut. The original design was called the Iris hut but this design tended to collapse if there was any weight of snow on the roof, so it was superseded by the Romney hut in 1941.
LIFE IN IVYBRIDGE 1943-1944
Outside of training there was little for the average GI to do in wartime Ivybridge. The term GI in America denoted ‘government issue’ or ‘general issue’ and with its prevalence in society it had led soldiers to refer to themselves too as GIs.
In the quiet rural setting of Ivybridge, letter writing, watching movies, meeting local girls and frequenting pubs offered the only distractions. Weldon Rosazza and John Clifton, two soldiers known for their neat appearance apparently captured the hearts of many young ladies. John even went on to get engaged to one.
Amongst the young women the GIs would have met were members of the Land Army, responsible for Britain’s wartime agricultural production. Described as ‘robust women’, these Land Girls, despite their outward demeanour, were unable to resist the well-paid Yanks with their smart uniforms and American cigarettes and considered them as ideal wartime boyfriends!
Homesickness was a problem but like so many communities across the country, the local people opened their doors and made these young men feel as welcome as possible, many acquiring to what amounted to surrogate families. Initially greeted with a degree of apprehension, these young men soon settled in. Through this close contact and helping the young soldiers draft letters home to their loved ones, lasting relationships were forged between the respective families, many extending far beyond the war years.
Charlie Lyttle – Camp Photographer.
There are many photographs in existence of the 116th Infantry Regiment in Ivybridge attributed to photographer Charlie Lyttle. He was a member of Company A who sailed across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary in September 1942. In Ivybridge he was transferred to the Regimental Headquarters as the Personnel Clerk of A Company. An amiable man, he befriended several families in Ivybridge.
The sudden influx of American troops almost doubled the population of Ivybridge and businesses were booming, not least the pubs. After Tidworth which only had one public house, Ivybridge was a veritable ‘drinkers paradise’. A total of eight different pubs were available to the men. The Sportsmans Inn, The King’s Arms, the London Hotel with its ‘tap room’ and main bar, the Bridge Inn, The White Horse, the Duke of Cornwall, the Imperial Inn and the Julian Arms on the outskirts of the village.
Vera Luckham, the landlady of the Sportsman’s Inn, the one nearest to the camp was keen to encourage the officers to frequent her establishment, declaring that “the troublesome ones can go elsewhere”. The ranks soon learned to pass by the Sportsman’s and go to one of the others.
“Although they drank our beer, they never really liked it as they thought it was too warm, so what they really enjoyed was the scotch… They had a special arrangement with the village children. They would give the youngsters Hershey’s chocolate bars and American chewing gum in return for what they called Apple Jack, which we called Scrumpy cider”.
Vera Luckham.
Fracas during the evenings were not uncommon. The military police, referred to as ‘snowdrops’ by the soldiers due to their white helmets, were often kept busy rounding up the miscreants, returning them to camp where they would be left to cool off in ‘the Hutch’ located opposite the guard room and jail, close to the camp entrance.
The troops were particularly good to the local children. They were invited to the cinema at Uphill camp where they enjoyed doughnuts. During the Christmas period of 1943, the men arranged several Christmas parties for the children where they were given sweets and gifts. Invitations were extended to children from the surrounding areas, so no child missed out.
‘The Bedford Boys put on some very good dances at their camp. They were very good company, and our girls had a fantastic time. But it was just good fun. I only wish that I had been a bit younger. I did go to a few dances though with some of the younger girls, which was nice, and they certainly helped our town a lot as they spent money here, helped the church and were also very good to children and old people’.
Vera Luckham.
The American soldiers updated the village’s swimming pool on the River Erme which was formerly the reservoir providing drinking water during the previous century. This pool was not only used for leisure but served as part of their training regime. Located in Longtimber woods and next to the River Erme the men would climb over camouflage netting, descend into the pool, wade through the water, and then continue on to Henlake Down and the moors beyond for further exercises, all to simulate what lie ahead on the beaches of Normandy.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
The Ivybridge Heritage & Archives Group publication “Ivybridge and the Americans during WW2” is now on sale at The Watermark (library) in Ivybridge. Priced at £3.00, this 28 page booklet provides interesting details of the American servicemen billeted in Ivybridge in the build up to D-Day.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
The Ivybridge Heritage & Archives Group publication “Ivybridge and the Americans during WW2” is now on sale at The Watermark (library) in Ivybridge. Priced at £3.00, this 28 page booklet provides interesting details of the American servicemen billeted in Ivybridge in the build up to D-Day.
We are indebted to Noel Blackler for a wealth of information along with images of the soldiers who made Uphill camp their temporary home. Noel’s recollections of daily life within his hand-written ‘Memoirs of an Ivybridge Paper Boy’ were invaluable in presenting this web page.
In 1943, Noel was a nine-year-old boy. His family owned the local newsagents at 14 Fore Street and he and his two brothers, Derek and Colin, delivered newspapers to the American Camp at Uphill twice a day. Before they had been given access to the camp their father had met with Colonel Canham to obtain a pass. Each morning Noel would be met by Don McCarthy of HQ Company. The soldier’s favourite paper was the Daily Mirror due to the inclusion of the comic strip character ‘Jane’. The heroine was frequently found in a state of undress after ‘inadvertently’ losing her clothes!
Noel is pictured above (bottom left) during a procession through Fore Street for Salute the Soldier week which took place during May 1944. He was 9½ at the time and on his way to choir practice. The photograph was taken by local photographer Mr. E. Moysey. Amongst the parade were the Air Training Corps, Army cadets, Girls Training Corps, the Home Guard, the National Fire Service, the Air Observer Corps and the Special Police Force.
Several American servicemen became good friends with Noel and his family including Roy Stevens, Ray Nance, and Bedford and Ray Hoback, all of A Company. Amongst the other companies were Dalton Slaughter – B Company, Bob Lowry, Buck Campbell, Joe Turner and Henry Hausler – C Company and John Slaughter better known as Bob (no relation to Dalton) and Don Brin – D Company.
We are indebted to Noel Blackler for a wealth of information along with images of the soldiers who made Uphill camp their temporary home. Noel’s recollections of daily life within his hand-written ‘Memoirs of an Ivybridge Paper Boy’ were invaluable in presenting this web page.
In 1943, Noel was a nine-year-old boy. His family owned the local newsagents at 14 Fore Street and he and his two brothers, Derek and Colin, delivered newspapers to the American Camp at Uphill twice a day. Before they had been given access to the camp their father had met with Colonel Canham to obtain a pass. Each morning Noel would be met by Don McCarthy of HQ Company. The soldier’s favourite paper was the Daily Mirror due to the inclusion of the comic strip character ‘Jane’. The heroine was frequently found in a state of undress after ‘inadvertently’ losing her clothes!
Noel is pictured above (bottom left) during a procession through Fore Street for Salute the Soldier week which took place during May 1944. He was 9½ at the time and on his way to choir practice. The photograph was taken by local photographer Mr. E. Moysey. Amongst the parade were the Air Training Corps, Army cadets, Girls Training Corps, the Home Guard, the National Fire Service, the Air Observer Corps and the Special Police Force.
Several American servicemen became good friends with Noel and his family including Roy Stevens, Ray Nance, and Bedford and Ray Hoback, all of A Company. Amongst the other companies were Dalton Slaughter – B Company, Bob Lowry, Buck Campbell, Joe Turner and Henry Housler – C Company and John Slaughter better known as Bob (no relation to Dalton) and Don Brin – D Company.
THE TRAGEDY OF EXERCISE TIGER
In 1943, around 3,000 people in the South Hams villages of Slapton, Torcross, Blackawton and East Allington were instructed to leave their homes with no explanation. By the Spring of the following year tens of thousands of American troops had arrived to carry out military exercises in preparation for D-Day, in an operation code named Exercise Tiger. Slapton Sands provided a similar environment to the beaches of Normandy and was therefore a perfect place to simulate the amphibious assault which was planned for later in the year on a French beach, code named Utah on the Cherbourg peninsula.
Exercise Tiger was designed to be as realistic as possible and from 22 April 1944, landing craft loaded with soldiers, tanks and equipment were deployed along the coast.
However, tragedy was to unfold over two days on 27 and 28 April. During a practice assault an incident involving friendly fire occurred. The practice exercise included naval bombardment prior to the landing of troops. However, due to poor communication, a wave of soldiers landing on the northern section of Slapton Sands, codenamed Red Beach, came under direct fire by salvoes of shells from a British cruiser and destroyers resulting in an unknown number of casualties.
Sadly, a further loss of life was to follow. German torpedo boats off the Devon coastline picked up Allied radio communications and spotted several craft. Before any warning could be transmitted, torpedoes began to hit the craft with considerable loss of life. Two landing craft carrying US army personnel, trucks and amphibious vehicles were hit and sunk, whilst a third was severely damaged. In all, over 700 American servicemen lost their lives from these two incidents.
For fear that the Germans might uncover the reason for the assembled vessels off Devon and to avoid any negative impact on morale, the two tragic events remained classified and were not revealed until long after the war had ended.
At Slapton Sands there is a preserved Sherman tank which was recovered from the bay where it sank and stands as a memorial to the young Americans who died during Exercise Tiger.
On Sunday 4 June 1944, tanks rolled down through Dartmouth and troops converged on the harbour with its landing craft and ships. The following day 485 ships left the harbour and at dawn on the 6 June, the invasion of France began. Thanks to the training at Slapton, fewer soldiers died during the actual landing on Utah Beach than during Exercise Tiger. The mistakes made during these rehearsals resulted in changes to operational orders and allowed D-Day to be the success it was.
Up until May 2020, despite being maritime military graves, the wrecks off the coast were only protected by US law but now the British Government has given the two vessels scheduled status, the same designation given to monuments including Stonehenge.
THE AMERICAN TROOPS SAY ‘GOODBYE’ TO IVYBRIDGE.
During late May the 116th Infantry Regiment left Ivybridge to travel to Dorset in preparation for the mission they had trained for. They massed in large camps ready for the men to load onto ships that would carry them across the English Channel. For the 116th, it was the Empire Javelin, part of the LSI (Landing Ship Infantry) fleet which, as well as transporting the men, would carry the LCAs (Landing Craft Assault), the British made landing craft which would take the men to the beaches of Normandy.
‘It really was a sad occasion when they left as they marched off to the station in their smart uniforms, lots of people turned to wave goodbye’.
Vera Luckham, landlady of The Sportsman’s Arms.
‘I was on camp the morning the boys left. I was stood on the left hedge of the main gate looking out into the main A38 road. I felt sad that the friends I made were leaving and I wondered what I was going to do with my newspapers’.
Noel Blacker, newspaper boy.
On 4 June the troops loaded onto ships in Weymouth, one of the smaller ports to be used to load the invasion force. However, for the troops on the boats, D-Day, originally scheduled for June 5, would not come until a day later. Poor weather in the English Channel forced a postponement of the operation to 6 June. On the ships, confidence was high despite the delay. Many were just glad to be away from Dartmoor. The battle for which they had trained over many months was finally about to begin.
On 6 June 1944, D-Day, the 116th Infantry Regiment was given the task of assaulting part of the coast of Normandy codenamed Omaha by Allied planners. The 29th and 1st Infantry Divisions had the task of capturing Omaha Beach, while to the west, the U.S. 4th Infantry Division would land on Utah Beach. The 116th Infantry Regiment were to be the only National Guard unit to land in the first wave on D-Day.
THE BEDFORD BOYS
Amongst the ranks of American servicemen stationed in Ivybridge were soldiers of Company A, 116th Infantry Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division which comprised mostly of Army National Guard companies from Virginia plus draftees from across the United States. Many of the men of the National Guard were based out of the town of Bedford. The Virginia National Guard had been ‘deputised’ into the regular Army on Feb. 3, 1941.
The town of Bedford at the time was a small farming community in Virginia with a population of 3,200 people, nestled in the heart of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, sandwiched between Lynchburg to the east and Roanoke to the west.
Following their selfless sacrifices on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day these men of Company A are endearingly referred to as the “Bedford Boys”. Their story has been recounted by many, including those with personal experiences. A wealth of information can be found online on various websites whilst their actions have been chronicled in books dedicated to them.
On the momentous day of 6 June 1944, the Americans had divided the Omaha landing site into eight zones given that it was almost 5 miles wide: Charlie, Dog Green, Dog White, Dog Red, Easy Green, Easy Red, Fox Green, and Fox Red. Company A landed on the Dog Green sector. Omaha Beach was known to be the most difficult of the five landing beaches due to its rough terrain and bluffs overlooking the beach. It was also well protected with rows of barbed wire and German machine guns in fortified positions.
When they surged over the edge of the Empire Javelin and into their landing craft in the early morning, each carried a 60-pound combat pack. As a part of the first wave, their chances of surviving even the first few minutes would be slim. At dawn on 6 June 1944, while the small town of Bedford was sleeping, 19 of its young men died on Omaha beach.
The policy of recruiting complete companies from specific towns and areas in this instance had led to dire consequences. In comparison with its wartime population, the town of Bedford had made the highest per capita sacrifice of any American community.
Captain Taylor Fellers had been one of the first to step foot on Omaha Beach during the invasion of Normandy and sadly was one of the first to fall. Suffering from an illness before the company had set sail from England, he chose to avoid military hospital and lead his men in the brutal assault of Omaha beach.
Within Company A there were several sets of brothers. Roy Stevens survived but Ray his twin brother was sadly killed shortly after leaving the landing craft. Brothers Bedford and Raymond Hoback both lost their lives on D-Day. Raymond’s bible was found in the sand by a soldier who later sent it back to his sister. She later kindly donated it to The Bedford Boys Tribute Center to be placed on public display. Earl and Joseph Parker were also killed in action. Earl would never meet his daughter who had been born after he had left for England. Henry ‘Clyde’ Powers survived but his younger brother Jack Powers died on the beach on D-Day.
Both Weldon Rosazza and John Clifton mentioned earlier did not survive D-Day whilst First Lieutenant Ray Nance although wounded survived. However, for him, the war was over. He was evacuated to England for treatment before returning to the United States a few months later.
The full list of the men from Company A who died on D-Day:
Staff Sgt. Leslie C. “Dickie” Abbott Jr., Pfc. Wallace R. Carter, Pfc. John D. “JD” Clifton, Tech Sgt. Frank P. Draper Jr., Capt. Taylor N. Fellers, Pfc. Nickolas N. Gillaspie, Pvt. Bedford T. Hoback, Staff Sgt. Raymond S. Hoback, Pvt. Clifton G. Lee, Staff Sgt. Earl Lloyd Parker, Pfc. Jack G. Powers, Pfc. John F. “Jack” Reynolds, Pfc. Weldon A. Rosazza, Staff Sgt. John B. Schenk, Tech Sgt. Ray O. Stevens, Sgt. Gordon “Henry” White Jr., Master Sgt. John L. Wilkes, Staff Sgt. Elmere P. Wright, Sgt. Grant C. Yopp.
Pfc. Charles W. Fizer was killed in action on July 11, 1944, near Saint-Lô, France.
These men were just a few who sadly lost their lives on or after D-Day and are now buried in the war graves in Normandy or back home in America. More than 800 members of the 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division were killed, wounded or missing during the assault on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944.
News of the tragic loss of life reached Bedford when the Western Union teleprinter at Green’s Drug Store began to type the names of the men killed in action. One after another, each a separate tragedy. Today, the historic Green’s Drugstore is the home of the Bedford Boys Tribute Center. This is a comprehensive museum exclusively dedicated to furthering the legacies of the Bedford Boys.
News of what happened on D-Day also reached Ivybridge some time later and was received with shock and extreme sadness. These young men who had only up to a few weeks before had been socialising with so many of its inhabitants. The relationships which had been forged between various families in Ivybridge and Bedford continued with letters flowing in both directions. This was to continue long after the war years and explains why today the people of Ivybridge still remember those young American men alongside all the fallen from Britain’s own isles.
Following the death of Roy Stevens in early 2007, Ray Nance became the last surviving member of the Bedford Boys who actually landed on Omaha beach on 6 June 1944. He passed away in April 2009. Another member of A Company, Allen Huddlestone missed D-Day due to a broken ankle he endured during training, something which most likely saved his life. He rejoined the company two months later. When he died in 2016, he had been the last surviving member of the “Bedford Boys” unit.
Regarding the many other names mentioned in this article, Lieutenant Colonel John Metcalfe, the commanding officer survived D-Day until he was severely wounded later on 29 June. He was brought back to a hospital in Cambridge in England but sadly died on 15 July 1944 and is buried in the American Cemetery in Cambridge.
All the other company captains sadly did not return home. Both Captain Ettore Zappacosta and Captain Walter Schilling died on D-Day whilst Captain Berthier Hawks died on 6 April 1945.
Colonel Charles Canham, Don McCarthy, John Barnes, Charlie Lyttle, Bob Lowry, Buck Campbell, Joe Turner and Henry Hausler all survived D-Day and the rest of the war. Don Brin although wounded was brought back to Salisbury for rehabilitation. He even received a visit from the paperboy from Ivybridge along with his two brothers. Bob Slaughter also survived and became a leading figure regarding the establishment of a national D-Day memorial in Bedford, Virginia.
THE NATIONAL D-DAY MEMORIAL
During the late 1980s support for the creation of a lasting monument to D-Day in the United States gathered momentum. In 1996, the American Congress selected the town of Bedford as the site of the National D-Day Memorial in recognition of what had happened and the greatest loss of life per capita of population that the town had endured.
The Memorial was built upon consecrated earth, a mixture of sand from the coast of Normandy and Bedford soil. A 44-foot arch embellished with the word ‘Overlord’ serves as the signature monument and was completed in time for the dedication of the Memorial’s first phase. On 6 June 2001, the U.S. President, George W. Bush dedicated the National D-Day Memorial on the invasion’s 57th anniversary, honouring all those who died that day, fighting in one of the most significant battles in the nation’s history.
The 50-acre grounds located at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains take visitors on an archival journey through World War II and creates a solemn atmosphere for both veterans and visitors alike.
THE IVYBRIDGE MEMORIAL
6 June 2024 – the 80th Anniversary of D-Day.
The town of Ivybridge of course has its own war memorial which honours the American servicemen who befriended the local community and sadly lost their lives on D-Day. This memorial is located at Harford Road car park and was formally unveiled at a special ceremony on 18 November 2001.
The inscription on this memorial reads: Dedicated to all the American Servicemen based in Ivybridge 1943-1944 particularly the 1st Battalion 116th Infantry Regiment who made many friends with residents. Sadly, many of these men were to die on, or after, D-Day the 6th June 1944.
The memorial had been the fruition of a long campaign in Ivybridge to commemorate the Allied troops from across the Atlantic.
In 2004 Ivybridge signed a friendship Treaty with the town of Bedford, when a group of its residents visited Ivybridge for the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings. The town of Ivybridge was suitably adorned with red, white and blue and the visitors were greeted with warmth and affection. The second leg of the trip took the party to the beaches of Normandy. The formation of the Ivybridge – Bedford Alliance continues to preserve the special relationship between these two towns as well as remembering their historic bonds. The following year a group of people from Ivybridge visited Bedford to return the compliment.
10 years later veteran Don McCarthy made the trip across ‘the pond’ and met up with the newspaper boy, Noel, who he had not seen since leaving Ivybridge in 1944. At 91 years old, this would be the last time Don would get to see his former military camp and later, Omaha beach in France which he had visited previously for most of the major anniversaries of D-Day in Normandy. As luck would have it, MacAndrew’s Field in Ivybridge was the venue for a fete when he visited and those attending were delighted to meet an American D-Day survivor who had actually stayed at Uphill camp.
THE BEDFORD BOYS MEMORIAL BENCHES
The recreation ground which had been kindly gifted to the people of Ivybridge in 1938 was eventually handed back in 1949. It obviously took some considerable time before the site was suitable for recreational activities again. The concrete bases of the nissen huts had to be broken up and removed and the ground ploughed and levelled. Today it remains an open space to be enjoyed by the local community, as was the wish of the benefactor all those years ago.
In 2014, to coincide with the 70th Anniversary of D-Day, two handmade chestnut and oak memorial benches were placed at MacAndrews Recreation Field in recognition of the young men who lost their lives for the freedom of others. Uphill camp was of course located on this very site.
The somewhat unusual design of the benches reflects what each upright represents. Incised with the name and age of individual servicemen, each one is proportional to their age when they died. The front edges of the two seats are carved – one with the inscription ‘In memory of the Bedford Boys June 1994’ and the other ‘We’ll always remember the Blue and Grey’.
These memorial benches were organised by the Friends of MacAndrews Field, a community group formed at the beginning of the 2010s (now disbanded) dedicated to maintaining the site for recreational and environmental purposes for the benefit of the community.
At the bottom of MacAndrew’s field, a ‘Cornus Florida’, a flowering dogwood, the state tree of Virginia has also been planted along with some other native American tree species in memory of the Bedford Boys.
Ivybridge owes an endless gratitude to these brave young American soldiers who befriended the local community and displayed incredible courage on D-Day 6 June 1944. The sacrifice that the Bedford Boys made on D-Day will never be forgotten.
UPHILL MILITARY CAMP REPURPOSED
Once Uphill camp became vacant, the site was used for a variety of purposes, including initially, occupation by other military units, although only briefly. The camp was eventually decommissioned around 5 years later.
Former military camps with their large numbers of nissen huts such as the one in Ivybridge were ideal for accommodating prisoners of war during the preceding years. There were several PoW camps and hostels located in and around the area. The former U.S. troop camp at South Brent was similarly repurposed whilst Chaddlewood House in Plympton served as the headquarters for all the South Devon prisoner of war working camps.
Following the repatriation of Italian and German PoWs during 1947 and 1948 the camp provided accommodation for civilianised prisoners of war. These were German men who, whilst qualifying for repatriation, had chosen to stay under a twelve-month contract by applying to the Labour Exchanges. Many of them were former agricultural workers and had become good English speakers during their time in Britain.
The camp also served as a Displaced Persons (DP) camp. European voluntary workers (EVW) were people from all parts of Europe who found themselves without homes or means of support. A scheme, initiated by the British Government aimed to recruit foreign workers to fill key occupations in industry as well as agriculture and importantly, the new Health Service, which came into being in July 1948.
During the summer of 1948 the camp (now termed the County Agricultural Committee’s hostel) provided accommodation for the first volunteer agricultural workers from London. Made up of around 50 men and women, they had given up their summer holidays to help with the cereal and potato harvest. Their arrival followed a government initiative to tackle the rural labour issue and encourage voluntary urban labour through the granting of concessions. Many of the volunteers came from civil service roles but as they were unaccustomed to hard physical labour they did not find the work easy. The accommodation was described as ‘comfortable, though not luxurious, the military atmosphere having given way to a more home-like appearance’.
Also before the camp was derequisitioned, it provided temporary accommodation for members of the Polish Resettlement Corps. After the war there were thousands serving in the Polish Armed Forces under British Command and many did not want to return to Communist Poland. The British Government therefore decided to bring them to Britain where they could make the transition from military to civilian life. Most of them only stayed at the hostel for a short period before finding more permanent alternatives or private accommodation. Once in Britain they were provided with tuition in English, and many received training in trades or permitted to work with private contractors to increase their chances of getting a civilian job.
Apart from the open space of MacAndrew’s Field, the former military camp site is now a housing estate and its presence a distant memory. However, on occasions there have been reminders of what once existed! In 1994, two ammunition dumps were unearthed in a neighbouring field, part of a sports grounds of the secondary school. Within these dumps were detonators, live machine gun belts and rounds of rifle bullets. After experts were called in to deal with the live ammunition the remaining items were removed for display in a museum at Tidworth much to the displeasure of local historians who would have liked to retain some of the items for posterity.
Whilst there is little to remind people of the military camp, the odd street sign in Ivybridge gives a subtle hint. The memorials in Ivybridge however, dedicated to the American servicemen, will always be a more visual reminder of their contribution in bringing peace and defeating tyranny.
AMERICAN TROOPS ARRIVE IN IVYBRIDGE
After the evacuation from Dunkirk in 1940 the Allies realised that an assault on German-occupied Europe would be the only way to end the Second World War. However, planning for such a military exercise involving thousands of vehicles, ships, aircraft and personnel would be years in the making. This gathered pace after the United States entered the war in December 1941 and plans to transport over 1.5 million American troops and their equipment to Britain were formulated. Accommodation and training facilities would be provided in preparation for the assault on Europe, although it would not be until 1943 before training for the future operation, codenamed ‘Overlord’, which commanders had set for the summer of 1944 intensified, what we all know today of course as D-Day.
In Devon and Cornwall, it was men of the 29th Infantry Division who arrived in the greatest numbers. Following their first few months at Tidworth Barracks, East Wiltshire, they moved to the South-West between early–mid 1943.
The large influx of men were accommodated in military camps whilst the officers often commandeered local country houses. The 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment arrived in Ivybridge on 29 May 1943 and were based on the outskirts of the village at Uphill military camp on Exeter Road. The site could house up to 1,500 men in nissen huts, while the officers were based at Stowford House. An additional fuel (gas) supply depot was established at nearby Wrangaton where a railway siding was conveniently located for receiving and despatching goods and equipment.
The 116th Infantry Regiment contained a significant number of soldiers from the National Guard unit in Virginia who originally held civilian jobs alongside their part-time military training.. The 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment was made up of four infantry companies and a battalion HQ under divisional commander Colonel Charles Canham (later promoted to Major General). The four company commanders were Taylor Fellers of Company A – a National Guard Unit from Bedford, Captain Ettore ‘Zapp’ Zappacosta of Company B – men from Lynchburg, Captain Berthier Hawks of Company C – men from Harrisonburg and Captain Walter Schilling of Company D – men from Roanoke with the whole unit commanded by Lieutenant Colonel John Metcalfe.
These American soldiers remained in Ivybridge for approximately one year while they trained and prepared for the assault of occupied Europe. Ivybridge was ideally placed for the rugged military training grounds on Dartmoor. A grass airstrip was built near Ivybridge at David’s Cross to allow small aircraft such as the Piper Cub to bring in senior military officers to monitor progress.
The training of the 116th Infantry Regiment was relentless, apparently receiving the longest training programme of any American infantrymen. The barren and bleak landscape of Dartmoor was generally loathed by the troops. They marched across the moors and camped out, often in deplorable weather. They became proficient in the use of many different types of weapons, simple first aid, camouflage, swimming and map and compass work.
“From day one with the 116th in Ivybridge training on the moors would consume every waking hour from 5am to 5pm, except on Sundays. Every third day we would dig in, set up camp and bed down on this inhospitable swampy moor, anticipating live artillery and mortar fire.”
PFC John Barnes joined A Company in February 1944. As a New Yorker he found himself a little out of place amongst men who had grown up with one another. He recalled how the company would practice landings from an imaginary boat and simulate beach assaults with each man designated a specific role from cutting barbed wire defences to blowing up coastal defences.
BLUE AND GRAY DIVISION
The 29th Infantry Division (29th I.D.), also known as the “Blue and Gray Division”, is an infantry division of the United States Army. The 29th Division has existed continuously since 1917 as a part of the National Guard.
As the division was composed of men from states that had units that fought for both the North and South during the Civil War, it was nicknamed the “Blue and Gray” division, after the blue uniforms of the Union and the grey uniforms of the Confederate armies during the American Civil War.
The 29th Infantry Division has been featured numerous times in popular media, particularly for its role on D-Day. The division’s actions on Omaha Beach are featured prominently in the 1962 film The Longest Day, an American epic historical war drama film. They also provided the inspiration for Steven Spielberg’s film Saving Private Ryan made in 1998 and starring Tom Hanks.
UPHILL CAMP
Occupying a series of fields and bordering a row of houses on the lower side, the army camp at Uphill comprised of over 100 curved corrugated metal Nissen huts, each one capable of accommodating 24 men with 12 double bunks, six down each side. The first of these huts were only a few yards from the main road behind a wire perimeter fence.
Recreation ground commandeered.
Only a few years before, in 1938, one of the requisitioned fields known as ‘Lower Abbot’s Field’ had been donated to the community of Ivybridge by Stephen Lee MacAndrew for use as a recreation ground. The only stipulations were that the field had to remain an open space in perpetuity and that it ‘be recorded in some suitable way that the field had been dedicated to the public in memory of the late James J. MacAndrew’, the uncle of Stephen. James MacAndrew together with his wife Barbara had been local benefactors and were well known amongst the community of Ivybridge having built several properties just a short distance away on Exeter Road which they rented out.
Following acceptance of the kind gift on 4 July 1938, discussions soon took place with Ivybridge Association Football Club. They were interested in using the ground for their home matches during the 1938-39 season. A sports pavilion was presented by Commander C. Davey and Mr. H.D. Smith and was erected by local builders, Messrs. Vincent, Yabsley and Blight.
Shortly after the declaration of war on Germany, the fear of bombing raids on Britain’s cities and towns prompted the government to evacuate children and mothers with infants to the relative safety of rural locations. Evacuation was voluntary, but many urban schools were completely closed. A group of ten teenage boys from Acton Technical College in London and twelve 10-year-old girls from Acton Wells Elementary School were among the first wave of evacuees. They arrived in Ivybridge on 2 September 1939 where they greeted by welcoming families who would provide them with a temporary safe home. The boys were permitted to use the recreation ground during their stay in Ivybridge but due to reports of bad behaviour which reached their Head Teacher they were only permitted to use it under direct supervision by a master!
It is not clear whether any football was ever played on the field but by 1940, the local council had been approached by the War Department regarding commandeering the field along with adjacent land for a planned military camp. By 6 June 1941 this had become official, and the field was permitted to be grazed by livestock until the military arrived in 1942. After the war, when it returned to a recreational ground, it became known as MacAndrews Field after the benefactor. Due to its direct connection with the American soldiers, it later became the site of two memorial benches (more on this below).
The military camp of nissen huts erected on concrete bases was constructed by the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME). Apart from sleeping quarters these nissen huts served a multitude of purposes. One was converted into a cinema for the men to view ‘movies’, another a canteen. Others were workshops and there was even a jail. B and C companies were located in the former recreation ground whilst further up a slope and beyond a hawthorn hedge were A and D companies.
The corrugated huts were incredibly noisy and when the rain hammered down on the metal roofs in true South West style, it would resonate inside the huts making it sound even louder, much to the annoyance of everyone inside!
LIFE IN IVYBRIDGE 1943 – 1944
Outside of training there was little for the average GI to do in wartime Ivybridge. The term GI in America denoted ‘government issue’ or ‘general issue’ and with its prevalence in society it had led soldiers to refer to themselves too as GIs.
In the quiet rural setting of Ivybridge, letter writing, watching movies, meeting local girls and frequenting pubs offered the only distractions. Weldon Rosazza and John Clifton, two soldiers known for their neat appearance apparently captured the hearts of many young ladies. John even went on to get engaged to one.
Amongst the young women the GIs would have met were members of the Land Army, responsible for Britain’s wartime agricultural production. Described as ‘robust women’, these Land Girls, despite their outward demeanour, were unable to resist the well-paid Yanks with their smart uniforms and American cigarettes and considered them as ideal wartime boyfriends!
Homesickness was a problem but like so many communities across the country, the local people opened their doors and made these young men feel as welcome as possible, many acquiring to what amounted to surrogate families. Initially greeted with a degree of apprehension, these young men soon settled in. Through this close contact and helping the young soldiers draft letters home to their loved ones, lasting relationships were forged between the respective families, many extending far beyond the war years.
Charlie Lyttle – Camp Photographer.
There are many photographs in existence of the 116th Infantry Regiment in Ivybridge attributed to photographer Charlie Lyttle. He was a member of Company A who sailed across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary in September 1942. In Ivybridge he was transferred to the Regimental Headquarters as the Personnel Clerk of A Company. An amiable man, he befriended several families in Ivybridge.
The sudden influx of American troops almost doubled the population of Ivybridge and businesses were booming, not least the pubs. After Tidworth which only had one public house, Ivybridge was a veritable ‘drinkers paradise’. A total of eight different pubs were available to the men. The Sportsmans Inn, The King’s Arms, the London Hotel with its ‘tap room’ and main bar, the Bridge Inn, The White Horse, the Duke of Cornwall, the Imperial Inn and the Julian Arms on the outskirts of the village.
Vera Luckham, the landlady of the Sportsman’s Inn, the one nearest to the camp was keen to encourage the officers to frequent her establishment, declaring that “the troublesome ones can go elsewhere”. The ranks soon learned to pass by the Sportsman’s and go to one of the others.
“Although they drank our beer, they never really liked it as they thought it was too warm, so what they really enjoyed was the scotch… They had a special arrangement with the village children. They would give the youngsters Hershey’s chocolate bars and American chewing gum in return for what they called Apple Jack, which we called Scrumpy cider”.
Vera Luckham.
Fracas during the evenings were not uncommon. The military police, referred to as ‘snowdrops’ by the soldiers due to their white helmets, were often kept busy rounding up the miscreants, returning them to camp where they would be left to cool off in ‘the Hutch’ located opposite the guard room and jail, close to the camp entrance.
The troops were particularly good to the local children. They were invited to the cinema at Uphill camp where they enjoyed doughnuts. During the Christmas period of 1943, the men arranged several Christmas parties for the children where they were given sweets and gifts. Invitations were extended to children from the surrounding areas, so no child missed out.
‘The Bedford Boys put on some very good dances at their camp. They were very good company, and our girls had a fantastic time. But it was just good fun. I only wish that I had been a bit younger. I did go to a few dances though with some of the younger girls, which was nice, and they certainly helped our town a lot as they spent money here, helped the church and were also very good to children and old people’.
Vera Luckham.
The American soldiers updated the village’s swimming pool on the River Erme which was formerly the reservoir providing drinking water during the previous century. This pool was not only used for leisure but served as part of their training regime. Located in Longtimber woods and next to the River Erme the men would climb over camouflage netting, descend into the pool, wade through the water, and then continue on to Henlake Down and the moors beyond for further exercises, all to simulate what lie ahead on the beaches of Normandy.
We are indebted to Noel Blackler for a wealth of information along with images of the soldiers who made Uphill camp their temporary home. Noel’s recollections of daily life within his hand-written ‘Memoirs of an Ivybridge Paper Boy’ were invaluable in presenting this web page.
In 1943, Noel was a nine-year-old boy. His family owned the local newsagents at 14 Fore Street and he and his two brothers, Derek and Colin, delivered newspapers to the American Camp at Uphill twice a day. Before they had been given access to the camp their father had met with Colonel Canham to obtain a pass. Each morning Noel would be met by Don McCarthy of HQ Company. The soldier’s favourite paper was the Daily Mirror due to the inclusion of the comic strip character ‘Jane’. The heroine was frequently found in a state of undress after ‘inadvertently’ losing her clothes!
Noel is pictured above (bottom left) during a procession through Fore Street for Salute the Soldier week which took place during May 1944. He was 9½ at the time and on his way to choir practice. The photograph was taken by local photographer Mr. E. Moysey. Amongst the parade were the Air Training Corps, Army cadets, Girls Training Corps, the Home Guard, the National Fire Service, the Air Observer Corps and the Special Police Force.
Several American servicemen became good friends with Noel and his family including Roy Stevens, Ray Nance, and Bedford and Ray Hoback, all of A Company. Amongst the other companies were Dalton Slaughter – B Company, Bob Lowry, Buck Campbell, Joe Turner and Henry Hausler – C Company and John Slaughter better known as Bob (no relation to Dalton) and Don Brin – D Company.
THE TRAGEDY OF EXERCISE TIGER
In 1943, around 3,000 people in the South Hams villages of Slapton, Torcross, Blackawton and East Allington were instructed to leave their homes with no explanation. By the Spring of the following year tens of thousands of American troops had arrived to carry out military exercises in preparation for D-Day, in an operation code named Exercise Tiger. Slapton Sands provided a similar environment to the beaches of Normandy and was therefore a perfect place to simulate the amphibious assault which was planned for later in the year on a French beach, code named Utah on the Cherbourg peninsula.
Exercise Tiger was designed to be as realistic as possible and from 22 April 1944, landing craft loaded with soldiers, tanks and equipment were deployed along the coast.
However, tragedy was to unfold over two days on 27 and 28 April. During a practice assault an incident involving friendly fire occurred. The practice exercise included naval bombardment prior to the landing of troops. However, due to poor communication, a wave of soldiers landing on the northern section of Slapton Sands, codenamed Red Beach, came under direct fire by salvoes of shells from a British cruiser and destroyers resulting in an unknown number of casualties.
Sadly, a further loss of life was to follow. German torpedo boats off the Devon coastline picked up Allied radio communications and spotted several craft. Before any warning could be transmitted, torpedoes began to hit the craft with considerable loss of life. Two landing craft carrying US army personnel, trucks and amphibious vehicles were hit and sunk, whilst a third was severely damaged. In all, over 700 American servicemen lost their lives from these two incidents.
For fear that the Germans might uncover the reason for the assembled vessels off Devon and to avoid any negative impact on morale, the two tragic events remained classified and were not revealed until long after the war had ended.
At Slapton Sands there is a preserved Sherman tank which was recovered from the bay where it sank and stands as a memorial to the young Americans who died during Exercise Tiger.
On Sunday 4 June 1944, tanks rolled down through Dartmouth and troops converged on the harbour with its landing craft and ships. The following day 485 ships left the harbour and at dawn on the 6 June, the invasion of France began. Thanks to the training at Slapton, fewer soldiers died during the actual landing on Utah Beach than during Exercise Tiger. The mistakes made during these rehearsals resulted in changes to operational orders and allowed D-Day to be the success it was.
Up until May 2020, despite being maritime military graves, the wrecks off the coast were only protected by US law but now the British Government has given the two vessels scheduled status, the same designation given to monuments including Stonehenge.
THE AMERICAN TROOPS SAY ‘GOODBYE’ TO IVYBRIDGE.
During late May the 116th Infantry Regiment left Ivybridge to travel to Dorset in preparation for the mission they had trained for. They massed in large camps ready for the men to load onto ships that would carry them across the English Channel. For the 116th, it was the Empire Javelin, part of the LSI (Landing Ship Infantry) fleet which, as well as transporting the men, would carry the LCAs (Landing Craft Assault), the British made landing craft which would take the men to the beaches of Normandy.
‘It really was a sad occasion when they left as they marched off to the station in their smart uniforms, lots of people turned to wave goodbye’.
Vera Luckham, landlady of The Sportsman’s Arms.
‘I was on camp the morning the boys left. I was stood on the left hedge of the main gate looking out into the main A38 road. I felt sad that the friends I made were leaving and I wondered what I was going to do with my newspapers’.
Noel Blacker, newspaper boy.
On 4 June the troops loaded onto ships in Weymouth, one of the smaller ports to be used to load the invasion force. However, for the troops on the boats, D-Day, originally scheduled for June 5, would not come until a day later. Poor weather in the English Channel forced a postponement of the operation to 6 June. On the ships, confidence was high despite the delay. Many were just glad to be away from Dartmoor. The battle for which they had trained over many months was finally about to begin.
On 6 June 1944, D-Day, the 116th Infantry Regiment was given the task of assaulting part of the coast of Normandy codenamed Omaha by Allied planners. The 29th and 1st Infantry Divisions had the task of capturing Omaha Beach, while to the west, the U.S. 4th Infantry Division would land on Utah Beach. The 116th Infantry Regiment were to be the only National Guard unit to land in the first wave on D-Day.
THE BEDFORD BOYS
Amongst the ranks of American servicemen stationed in Ivybridge were soldiers of Company A, 116th Infantry Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division which comprised mostly of Army National Guard companies from Virginia plus draftees from across the United States. Many of the men of the National Guard were based out of the town of Bedford. The Virginia National Guard had been ‘deputised’ into the regular Army on Feb. 3, 1941.
The town of Bedford at the time was a small farming community in Virginia with a population of 3,200 people, nestled in the heart of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, sandwiched between Lynchburg to the east and Roanoke to the west.
Following their selfless sacrifices on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day these men of Company A are endearingly referred to as the “Bedford Boys”. Their story has been recounted by many, including those with personal experiences. A wealth of information can be found online on various websites whilst their actions have been chronicled in books dedicated to them.
On the momentous day of 6 June 1944, the Americans had divided the Omaha landing site into eight zones given that it was almost 5 miles wide: Charlie, Dog Green, Dog White, Dog Red, Easy Green, Easy Red, Fox Green, and Fox Red. Company A landed on the Dog Green sector. Omaha Beach was known to be the most difficult of the five landing beaches due to its rough terrain and bluffs overlooking the beach. It was also well protected with rows of barbed wire and German machine guns in fortified positions.
When they surged over the edge of the Empire Javelin and into their landing craft in the early morning, each carried a 60-pound combat pack. As a part of the first wave, their chances of surviving even the first few minutes would be slim. At dawn on 6 June 1944, while the small town of Bedford was sleeping, 19 of its young men died on Omaha beach.
The policy of recruiting complete companies from specific towns and areas in this instance had led to dire consequences. In comparison with its wartime population, the town of Bedford had made the highest per capita sacrifice of any American community.
Captain Taylor Fellers had been one of the first to step foot on Omaha Beach during the invasion of Normandy and sadly was one of the first to fall. Suffering from an illness before the company had set sail from England, he chose to avoid military hospital and lead his men in the brutal assault of Omaha beach.
Within Company A there were several sets of brothers. Roy Stevens survived but Ray his twin brother was sadly killed shortly after leaving the landing craft. Brothers Bedford and Raymond Hoback both lost their lives on D-Day. Raymond’s bible was found in the sand by a soldier who later sent it back to his sister. She later kindly donated it to The Bedford Boys Tribute Center to be placed on public display. Earl and Joseph Parker were also killed in action. Earl would never meet his daughter who had been born after he had left for England. Henry ‘Clyde’ Powers survived but his younger brother Jack Powers died on the beach on D-Day.
Both Weldon Rosazza and John Clifton mentioned earlier did not survive D-Day whilst First Lieutenant Ray Nance although wounded survived. However, for him, the war was over. He was evacuated to England for treatment before returning to the United States a few months later.
The full list of the men from Company A who died on D-Day:
Staff Sgt. Leslie C. “Dickie” Abbott Jr., Pfc. Wallace R. Carter, Pfc. John D. “JD” Clifton, Tech Sgt. Frank P. Draper Jr., Capt. Taylor N. Fellers, Pfc. Nickolas N. Gillaspie, Pvt. Bedford T. Hoback, Staff Sgt. Raymond S. Hoback, Pvt. Clifton G. Lee, Staff Sgt. Earl Lloyd Parker, Pfc. Jack G. Powers, Pfc. John F. “Jack” Reynolds, Pfc. Weldon A. Rosazza, Staff Sgt. John B. Schenk, Tech Sgt. Ray O. Stevens, Sgt. Gordon “Henry” White Jr., Master Sgt. John L. Wilkes, Staff Sgt. Elmere P. Wright, Sgt. Grant C. Yopp.
Pfc. Charles W. Fizer was killed in action on July 11, 1944, near Saint-Lô, France.
These men were just a few who sadly lost their lives on or after D-Day and are now buried in the war graves in Normandy or back home in America. More than 800 members of the 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division were killed, wounded or missing during the assault on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944.
News of the tragic loss of life reached Bedford when the Western Union teleprinter at Green’s Drug Store began to type the names of the men killed in action. One after another, each a separate tragedy. Today, the historic Green’s Drugstore is the home of the Bedford Boys Tribute Center. This is a comprehensive museum exclusively dedicated to furthering the legacies of the Bedford Boys.
News of what happened on D-Day also reached Ivybridge some time later and was received with shock and extreme sadness. These young men who had only up to a few weeks before had been socialising with so many of its inhabitants. The relationships which had been forged between various families in Ivybridge and Bedford continued with letters flowing in both directions. This was to continue long after the war years and explains why today the people of Ivybridge still remember those young American men alongside all the fallen from Britain’s own isles.
Following the death of Roy Stevens in early 2007, Ray Nance became the last surviving member of the Bedford Boys who actually landed on Omaha beach on 6 June 1944. He passed away in April 2009. Another member of A Company, Allen Huddlestone missed D-Day due to a broken ankle he endured during training, something which most likely saved his life. He rejoined the company two months later. When he died in 2016, he had been the last surviving member of the “Bedford Boys” unit.
Regarding the many other names mentioned in this article, Lieutenant Colonel John Metcalfe, the commanding officer survived D-Day until he was severely wounded later on 29 June. He was brought back to a hospital in Cambridge in England but sadly died on 15 July 1944 and is buried in the American Cemetery in Cambridge.
All the other company captains sadly did not return home. Both Captain Ettore Zappacosta and Captain Walter Schilling died on D-Day whilst Captain Berthier Hawks died on 6 April 1945.
Colonel Charles Canham, Don McCarthy, John Barnes, Charlie Lyttle, Bob Lowry, Buck Campbell, Joe Turner and Henry Hausler all survived D-Day and the rest of the war. Don Brin although wounded was brought back to Salisbury for rehabilitation. He even received a visit from the paperboy from Ivybridge along with his two brothers. Bob Slaughter also survived and became a leading figure regarding the establishment of a national D-Day memorial in Bedford, Virginia.
THE NATIONAL D-DAY MEMORIAL
During the late 1980s support for the creation of a lasting monument to D-Day in the United States gathered momentum. In 1996, the American Congress selected the town of Bedford as the site of the National D-Day Memorial in recognition of what had happened and the greatest loss of life per capita of population that the town had endured.
The Memorial was built upon consecrated earth, a mixture of sand from the coast of Normandy and Bedford soil. A 44-foot arch embellished with the word ‘Overlord’ serves as the signature monument and was completed in time for the dedication of the Memorial’s first phase. On 6 June 2001, the U.S. President, George W. Bush dedicated the National D-Day Memorial on the invasion’s 57th anniversary, honouring all those who died that day, fighting in one of the most significant battles in the nation’s history.
The 50-acre grounds located at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains take visitors on an archival journey through World War II and creates a solemn atmosphere for both veterans and visitors alike.
6 June 2024 – the 80th Anniversary of D-Day.
The town of Ivybridge of course has its own war memorial which honours the American servicemen who befriended the local community and sadly lost their lives on D-Day. This memorial is located at Harford Road car park and was formally unveiled at a special ceremony on 18 November 2001.
The inscription on this memorial reads: Dedicated to all the American Servicemen based in Ivybridge 1943-1944 particularly the 1st Battalion 116th Infantry Regiment who made many friends with residents. Sadly, many of these men were to die on, or after, D-Day the 6th June 1944.
The memorial had been the fruition of a long campaign in Ivybridge to commemorate the Allied troops from across the Atlantic.
In 2004 Ivybridge signed a friendship Treaty with the town of Bedford, when a group of its residents visited Ivybridge for the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings. The town of Ivybridge was suitably adorned with red, white and blue and the visitors were greeted with warmth and affection. The second leg of the trip took the party to the beaches of Normandy. The formation of the Ivybridge – Bedford Alliance continues to preserve the special relationship between these two towns as well as remembering their historic bonds. The following year a group of people from Ivybridge visited Bedford to return the compliment.
10 years later veteran Don McCarthy made the trip across ‘the pond’ and met up with the newspaper boy, Noel, who he had not seen since leaving Ivybridge in 1944. At 91 years old, this would be the last time Don would get to see his former military camp and later, Omaha beach in France which he had visited previously for most of the major anniversaries of D-Day in Normandy. As luck would have it, MacAndrew’s Field in Ivybridge was the venue for a fete when he visited and those attending were delighted to meet an American D-Day survivor who had actually stayed at Uphill camp.
THE BEDFORD BOYS MEMORIAL BENCHES
The recreation ground which had been kindly gifted to the people of Ivybridge in 1938 was eventually handed back in 1949. It obviously took some considerable time before the site was suitable for recreational activities again. The concrete bases of the nissen huts had to be broken up and removed and the ground ploughed and levelled. Today it remains an open space to be enjoyed by the local community, as was the wish of the benefactor all those years ago.
In 2014, to coincide with the 70th Anniversary of D-Day, two handmade chestnut and oak memorial benches were placed at MacAndrews Recreation Field in recognition of the young men who lost their lives for the freedom of others. Uphill camp was of course located on this very site.
The somewhat unusual design of the benches reflects what each upright represents. Incised with the name and age of individual servicemen, each one is proportional to their age when they died. The front edges of the two seats are carved – one with the inscription ‘In memory of the Bedford Boys June 1994’ and the other ‘We’ll always remember the Blue and Grey’.
These memorial benches were organised by the Friends of MacAndrews Field, a community group formed at the beginning of the 2010s (now disbanded) dedicated to maintaining the site for recreational and environmental purposes for the benefit of the community.
At the bottom of MacAndrew’s field, a ‘Cornus Florida’, a flowering dogwood, the state tree of Virginia has also been planted along with some other native American tree species in memory of the Bedford Boys.
Ivybridge owes an endless gratitude to these brave young American soldiers who befriended the local community and displayed incredible courage on D-Day 6 June 1944. The sacrifice that the Bedford Boys made on D-Day will never be forgotten.
UPHILL MILITARY CAMP REPURPOSED
Once Uphill camp became vacant, the site was used for a variety of purposes, including initially, occupation by other military units, although only briefly. The camp was eventually decommissioned around 5 years later.
Former military camps with their large numbers of nissen huts such as the one in Ivybridge were ideal for accommodating prisoners of war during the preceding years. There were several PoW camps and hostels located in and around the area. The former U.S. troop camp at South Brent was similarly repurposed whilst Chaddlewood House in Plympton served as the headquarters for all the South Devon prisoner of war working camps.
Following the repatriation of Italian and German PoWs during 1947 and 1948 the camp provided accommodation for civilianised prisoners of war. These were German men who, whilst qualifying for repatriation, had chosen to stay under a twelve-month contract by applying to the Labour Exchanges. Many of them were former agricultural workers and had become good English speakers during their time in Britain.
The camp also served as a Displaced Persons (DP) camp. European voluntary workers (EVW) were people from all parts of Europe who found themselves without homes or means of support. A scheme, initiated by the British Government aimed to recruit foreign workers to fill key occupations in industry as well as agriculture and importantly, the new Health Service, which came into being in July 1948.
During the summer of 1948 the camp (now termed the County Agricultural Committee’s hostel) provided accommodation for the first volunteer agricultural workers from London. Made up of around 50 men and women, they had given up their summer holidays to help with the cereal and potato harvest. Their arrival followed a government initiative to tackle the rural labour issue and encourage voluntary urban labour through the granting of concessions. Many of the volunteers came from civil service roles but as they were unaccustomed to hard physical labour they did not find the work easy. The accommodation was described as ‘comfortable, though not luxurious, the military atmosphere having given way to a more home-like appearance’.
Also before the camp was derequisitioned, it provided temporary accommodation for members of the Polish Resettlement Corps. After the war there were thousands serving in the Polish Armed Forces under British Command and many did not want to return to Communist Poland. The British Government therefore decided to bring them to Britain where they could make the transition from military to civilian life. Most of them only stayed at the hostel for a short period before finding more permanent alternatives or private accommodation. Once in Britain they were provided with tuition in English, and many received training in trades or permitted to work with private contractors to increase their chances of getting a civilian job.
Apart from the open space of MacAndrew’s Field, the former military camp site is now a housing estate and its presence a distant memory. However, on occasions there have been reminders of what once existed! In 1994, two ammunition dumps were unearthed in a neighbouring field, part of a sports grounds of the secondary school. Within these dumps were detonators, live machine gun belts and rounds of rifle bullets. After experts were called in to deal with the live ammunition the remaining items were removed for display in a museum at Tidworth much to the displeasure of local historians who would have liked to retain some of the items for posterity.
Whilst there is little to remind people of the military camp, the odd street sign in Ivybridge gives a subtle hint. The memorials in Ivybridge however, dedicated to the American servicemen, will always be a more visual reminder of their contribution in bringing peace and defeating tyranny.
