Yanks Go Home: WW2 Loughborough as I Remember it #1

6 May 2020

‘My older sisters were popular with the American Airborne Division soldiers based at Quorn and I had a ready supply of gum, sweets and doughnuts, etc.’

‘I acted as caddie at the Longcliffe Golf Course and from getting the customary half-crown for the three and a half hours heavy toting from the natives, the Americans were especially generous.  One day I was paid ten shillings!  The first time I had owned a note!’

‘Then suddenly the Americans were gone.  One morning en route to school the sky was full of heavy aircraft towing gliders, all bearing those funny white bands on their wings and fuselage.  The war was soon after ended and with it quite a lot of the excitement of our young lives.  Happy days!’

Extract (contributor unidentified) from: ‘Loughborough As I Remember It,’ edited by Jean Carswell.  Pub. Leicestershire Libraries and Information Service, 1989.  ISBN 085 022 270 2.

Read about Wartime Quorn at their online museum here.

Email us at lboro.history.heritage@gmail.com if you have photos or stories we could add to this post.