If you think you may be descended from US soldiers stationed in the Midlands during WW2, please read on. We were passed this interesting information following a family history day held in Wolverhampton in November last year.
“We met at the Wolverhampton History Day on the 2nd November and I told you that there had been American troops stationed in our Village of Claverley in WW2. [1943 – 1944]”
There were two camps: the black soldiers were stationed at Chyknell – a Hall situated about a mile from the centre of the village and the white soldiers were stationed at Gatacre Hall about three miles from the village.
The black soldiers arrived first and were welcomed into the village, attending dances and the pubs. However, the atmosphere changed when the white Americans troops came and the two groups weren’t allowed in the village together.
Work on the two camps was undertaken and accounts show that the 95th Engineer General Service Regiment [a black unit] completed the majority of this.
The following black units were stationed at Chyknell:
The black troops came from Camp Myles Standish Massachusetts
642nd Quartermaster Troop Transport Company
445th Quartermaster Troop Transport Company
3918th Quartermaster Gasoline Supply Company
3919th Quartermaster Gasoline Supply Company
3920th Quartermaster Gasoline Supply Company
More details of the camp(s) can be found in the following book
The U. S. Army in South- East Shropshire 1944 by Adrian and Neil Turley pub 2004
Thanks to Sue from Claverley Memories for this information.