US Army in Lockerley, Hants 1944

 

Dunbridge (SU 3126)  a sleepy village in Hampshire, 200 metres South of the River Dun. In October 1943, was part of WW2's Operation BOLERO. Construction commenced, near the village of Lockerley (SU 2926), two miles to the west of Dunbridge, of a US Army depot which, when completed, consisted of fifteen miles of sidings and 134 sheds; Dunbridge was the connection to the SR main line from Eastleigh to Salisbury.

In June 1938, the station yard, which, in the summer was associated with the movement of strawberries, handled 182 wagons - six years later, in June 1944, it was a focal point in operation OVERLORD and wagon movements peaked at 5,246!  By October 1944 supplies were being sent direct to France.

Most of the Company ended up in Cherbourg France, See photos bottom of page. The depot was behind St Johns Church off of East Tytherley Rd in the grounds of Lockerley Hall and Bentley Wood. After the US army left and a period of use by the Royal Army Ordnance Corps it closed in the 1950's and now nothing but slight earth disturbance remains. Most of the grey-scale photos were taken by Capt. Duane M. Hart (photo left), commanding officer of the 820th Ordnance Base Depot Company during its assignments under Operation Bolero.  Many thanks to his grandson Jonathan Hart for scanning them and making them available.

There were also other Ordnance units including the 3266th Ordnance Base Depot Co. You can view photos of this unit and Nissan huts by clicking link below. Many thanks to Fred Lillibridge for these photos.

 

850th Company 850th in Cherbourg 3266th Company
 
  Your letters     
     

We have the names and photos of a number of US personnel below:

820th Ordnance Base Depot Company staff

 
J Bailey 
  
T/4 Raymond Burns
 
Capt. Duane M Hart 

Lt Miller

PFC Victor Spencer

T/4 James Daniels

Norman Gault

Alden Purvis

 PFC Richard Seager

T/sgt.  Mitchell

T/4 TSgt David Francis

  Lt Dave Goldman

Sgt. Luther Dalrymple 

Lt Abe Schwwartz

Pvt. Goldenstien 

Cpt. George Johnson

T/4 Joe Srain  

S/Sgt Roy Harrison  

T/4 Delbert Russ

Lt. Ralph Witt

T/4 "Pop" Coughlin

Pvt. Lieberman

PFC John Keegan 

Maj. Robert C. Deppe
     

Local history groups in Romsey are researching the camp and would love to hear from anyone who was stationed at the camp, or from any descendants of them. We would particularly like to learn more of Dave GOLDMAN who painted a number of murals on the walls of the huts. Make contact HERE

Your Letters

Vickilee Miller writes

My father was Alden Purvis stationed in Lockerley during WWII. Thank you for preserving the information that you have. I guess working in a supply depot in Lockerley preparing  for "Operation Overlord" does not seem as "heroic" as actually storming the Beaches of Normandy, but I'm still proud of him and pleased to know where he was and see the pictures!

 Alden  of Traverse City, USA, died Monday, Nov. 21, 2011,  aged 95

Rachel Fry writes

My mother was evacuated with her mother in 1940 from Southampton to Kimbridge. They stayed with her aunt who was the wife of the water bailiff, before he went away to the war. American soldiers were billeted in the next door cottage and gave my mum peanuts, chewing gum and sweets and would bring her windmills back from the market in Salisbury. Playing pooh sticks on the bridge one day she ran across the road without looking and collided with an American soldier riding his bike, bringing them both crashing down. The soldiers brought a bit of interest into a very quiet country childhood where the main entertainments were feeding the chickens and looking for minnows.

I have really enjoyed the photos of Romsey, where my grandparents lived.

Gill from Romsey writes

I've been looking at the photo's from 1944. my mum, Barbara Hodges and her sisters Joyce and Betty had fabulous memories of their times spent at the American dances....escorted by their mother Ada Hodges, of course! They were very happy times for them as teenagers and it made me wonder if they crossed paths with any of the young men in the photo's! How times have changed though. She told me that the camp was separated into blacks and whites, as the Americans did in those days.

Steve from Mottisfont writes

I came across a number of photos in your US Army in Dunbridge & Lockerley Gallery and was particularly interested in the photo of the gamekeeper as I am in regular contact with Bob Peach who attends every Mottisfont Cricket Club game (son of former Mottisfont gamekeeper Jack Peach).
I took the liberty of printing out the photo and showing it to Bob and he was adamant it is his father in the photo. Hope this helps.
He went on to regale me of tales of how his father (and Bob himself) would win money off of the US soldiers by challenging them to shooting challenges during the war!
Regards, STEVE GODWIN

If you have any memories to share why not  CONTACT Woodley Net

 

Model of the railway sidings and Nissen huts made in 2012 by the "Lockerley Mechanics" group

 

"Mill Arms" Dunbridge 1944 taken from vehicle of the US army  who were stationed in the area.

 

A pub in the area called Spring Cottage, now a private dwelling. Its at West Grimstead on Chapel Hill at the junction

with Grimstead Rd. No longer has a thatched roof. The sign is pointing left to East Grimstead and Farley.

 

Spring Cottage as it is now

 

Entrance (round building) at Home Farm going towards East Tytherley half a mile past the Star Inn

 

Tytherley cricket pavilion?

 

PFC Richard Seager by a Nissan hut

 

Sgt. Luther Dalrymple of the US Army on the B3084 near Kimbridge

 

Lt. Dave Goldman painted cartoons like this on the walls of the Mess Hall in Lockerley

 

Jack Peach gamekeeper of Mottisfont Estate on the left was hare hunting with ferrets. Possibly at Dunbridge gravel pit

 

Message from Jacks son Bob to Stephen Godwin "He went on to regale me of tales of how his father (and Bob himself)
would win money off of the US soldiers by challenging them to shooting challenges during the war!!!!!"

 

Sgt. Luther Dalrymple and T/4 James Daniels (When I nod my head, hit it)

 

T/4 James Daniels, Sgt. Luther Dalrymple, T/4 Raymond Burns

 

 

 

Funeeee!. Huts identical to Ganger POW Camp ones.

 

 

Dunbridge with former shop on left of bend

 

US army photographers at work

 

WD1961 in the picture above was not purchased by the Southern Railway. Similar locos were examined at Newbury and certainly WD1962 was purchased for use in Southampton Docks.

These locos were classified as S100 by the US Army Trasportation Corp and ended up in odd groups across Europe. The design was copied by Yugoslavian Railways in the 1950's and early 1960's. Interesting, when working at Lockerley Park, I would have thought it would have been lettered USATC 1961.

 

Capt. Duane M. Hart. (Photographer)

 

 

Lockerley Hall entrance

 

Building still there minus railings door and steps

 

Dakota?  flying over the camp

 

Stores and equipment arriving at Southampton awaiting shipment to France

 

On the way to Cherbourg from Southampton

 

 

Aerial view of the camp 1947

 

A wider view of the area showing airfield

 

When the 820th arrived in Cherbourg France

 

Duane Hart 4th from left back row

 

 

Mingling with the crowds in Cherbourg. Bandstand no longer there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3266th Ordnance Base Depot Company

With thanks to Fred Lillibridge for supplying photos taken by his father W J "Bill" Lillibridge

 

A bit of history of the company unearthed by Fred

"The 3266 Ordnance Base Depot Company does not show up on the UK list for 31 December 1943 but does on the 21 February 1944 list and they are shown at Devizes, Wiltshire. They show up there on the list of the following dates: 31 March, 30 April, & 31 May 1944. On the 30 June & 31 August 1944 list they are at Lockerley, Hampshire. Lists dated 31 October, 25 November, & 16 December 1944 have the unit at Hilsea, Hampshire. A Continental list dated 2 May 1945 shows the unit at Roeulx, Belgium."

Some of the USA 3266th soldiers names at Lockerley  were :-

Company Morning Report 22nd June 1944  
Station:-    Lockerley Hall, Hants. vU7446
Organisation:-    3266th Ord Base Depot Co  
Serial No. Name  Grade 
32554664 Maglia, Pasqugle, C  T/4 
35143347 Goffman, William S  (Hosp)  T/5 
32979627 Smelson, Joseph  Pfc 
36633913 Schumacher,Charles  Pfc 
36752571 Woith, George J  Pfc 
37703701 Mulky, James J  Pvt 
37527856 Smith, Jack M  Pvt 
35062785 Stolarski, John J  Pvt 
36466150 Zachar, Steve J  Pvt 
39464062 Bennett,William G  Pvt 
33486203 Tempest, Thomas E  Pvt 
38434285 Hall, Homer L  Pvt 
35730643 Hall,William E  Pvt 
36857804 Elmandorf, Everet T  Pvt 
35869041 Bailey, John R  Pvt 
36752305 Chick, Bernard R  Pvt 
36128946 Oberts, Bernard R  Pvt 
31288307 Roda, Patrick  Pvt 
35635218 Svadaj, Lawrence  Pvt 
36857589 Witt, Walter D  Pvt 
36752437 Ward, Edgar D Pvt
33333018 Sestak, John  Pvt 


Relaxation, fence making a very handy clothes line

 

Playing Baseball in the Nissan hut area of Lockerley Camp

 

Sleeping quarters

L to R — Joe Matiesi, SGT O K Roberts, SGT Fey, PFC C L Russell, SGT Joe Callahan and SGT Eddie Marazk

 

PFC Bill Lillibridge in the Teletype room

 

L to R - T/SGT O.K. Roberts, PFC Joe Matiesi, T/4 Robert Shaw T/S Elmer Leader and PFC John Rath.

This was taken inside the orderly room, at night

 

Complete Company Group photo before the days tasks

 

Not sure of location of this one, can you help?

 

PFC Bill Lillibridge

 

Three Joes. S/SGT Fey, PFC Bill Lillibridge and SGT Callihan

 

PFC Bill Lillibridge next to one of many Nissan huts

 

Dwelling in East Tytherley Road

 

 

PFC Bill Lillibridge

 

SGT Eddie Marrazk, PFC Bill Lillibridge and SGT O K Roberts

 

PFC Bill Lillibridge