2 Replies Latest reply on Jul 7, 2017 5:01 PM by Liam Sutherland-Payne

    US troops in South Wales before D-Day

    Liam Sutherland-Payne
    Liam Sutherland-Payne Jul 7, 2017 4:21 PM

      Hi I was wondering if you could help me out with something, I'm from Cardiff in the UK and I've been doing a bit of research on Cardiff during world war 2. In Whitchurch where I live we've a plaque on the common that says the trees were planted by the 2nd evacuation unit of the US Army when they camped there during the war as a thank you to the people. Similarly in another park there was another camp and after a bit of digging I found out it was used by the 24th postal regiment and the 58th army postal unit. I'm assuming all were stationed there in the run up to D-Day but I haven't been able to find out anything about these units anywhere so I was hoping you may know something about who they were and what happened to them I hope that you can help me out with this. Thank you in advance.

      Liam

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        • Re: US troops in South Wales before D-Day
          Michael Chornesky
          Michael Chornesky Expert Jul 7, 2017 4:54 PM (in response to Liam Sutherland-Payne)

          Mr. Sutherland-Payne,

           

          Thanks for your question to History Hub.  The plaque marking the location of the "Second Evacuation Unit" appears to refer to the Second Evacuation Hospital, a U.S. Army medical unit formed in 1940 (but dating from World War I) which was stationed in Great Britain between September 1942 and D-Day.  According to a unit history compiled online, they were posted in the Whitchurch area outside of Cardiff between February and June of 1944 before departing for the Allied forces concentration area at Henley-on-Thames from which they would eventually embark for France after the D-Day beachhead was established.  They appear to have been billeted (temporarily bunked) with private citizens in the Whitchurch area while their semi-permanent barracks were under construction that February and left behind this grove of trees and plaque to express thanks for the hospitality they received during that time.

           

          A cursory search didn't turn up a sign of any of the other two regimental plaques you referred to in your question, but I'm sure a summary search by others will turn them up as well.  The unit history link above is pretty thorough, so it should answer most of your questions about that first plaque you referenced.  Hope this helps.

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