Climbing on: S/Sgt. Eddie L. Young
On the right holding on: Louis Gerstle
Another scene.
On November 3, 1943 we were escorted to the trains. Our destination was the Replacement Depot, Station 594, Stone, England.
Before we boarded in New York we were issued “K” rations - a small box of food. Those of us who saved these were glad, because this is what we had to eat on the train. The train cars had compartments, each held six GIs, and we shared everything we had to eat and drink, stale water from our canteens and “K” rations.
On arrival at Stone, England most of us tried to take a shower. We hadn't had one since we left the States. The English really complained because we used too much water, and they had a shortage of water.
At Stone only NC0s served on KP, so for the second time that I was in Service I was on KP. It wasn't bad; in fact it gave me something to do and I sort of enjoyed it.
On November 13, 1943 I was shipped to the 2nd Mobile R & R Squadron. at A.P.O. Station 127, Little Staughton, England. Immediately upon arrival at Little Staughton we picked up our GI bags, were shown to our barracks, and were given our assignment.
HISTORICAL RECORD
2nd MOBILE R&R SQUADRON
2nd Mobile air Squadron
T/0 1-8595 AAF Station 547
APO 636
Authority for activation:
2nd Mobile R&R Sqdn. was designated from the 3013th Mobile R&R sqdn. (Prov) as of November 1943, under the authority of General orders #52, paragraph 3, dated 1 November 1943, with tentative T/0 1-859, Hq. VIII Air Force service Command, APO 636, 1 November 1943.
Locality of activation:
Little Staughton, Bedfordshire, AAF Station 127.
Authority for reorganization:
Reorganized under T/0 1-8595, dated 6 1944 per General Orders #13, Hq. VIII Air Force Service Command, dated 24 August 1944.
Location since activation;
(1) Little Staughton, Bedfordshire| AAF Station 127.
(2) Abbots Lipton, Huntingdonshire: AAF Station 547.
Historical Summary:
EM of this unit are attached to the 35th Air Depot Group for administration rations and quarters. The duties of these EM are performed in one of
the four divisions of this Strategic Air Depot, namely, Maintenance, Transportation, Supply or Administration Divisions. And has never operated
as an individual unit.
My assignment was in Air Force Supply. I worked in the supply hanger or warehouse doing just about the same things that I had been doing as a civilian at Bowman Field. We worked all hours of the day and night, storing supplies, filling orders and doing general warehouse work.
Little Staughton Staff Officers
I remember the first night out on pass in England. The first place we visited was a pub (Public House). It consisted of several rooms with a common bar. One room was the public room, one the family room and the other one the private room. Beer was different prices in each room. The beer was cheapest in the public room, so all GIs, with all the noised gathered in the public room.
On this first night out several of us went to the nearest town which was St. Neots. At the Pub we were introduced to English beer. We first drank plain Bitters and then Mild Beer. We finally decided that half and half was the best, half Mild and half Bitters. After this we tried the English Ale; this was the best, of all so from then on we drank mostly ale. If the weather was hot, the beer was hot; if the weather was cold the beer was cold. There was no refrigeration or ice for beer.
I also visited Bedford several times in 1943. A GI truck took us there in the early evening and picked us up in the square at 11:00 PM:
On one of our first nights out we were introduced to an English favorite of mine – “Fish and Chips”. We would know this as fish and French Fries. I would visit a Fish and Chip Shop to buy some - they would be wrapped in newspaper. I would then take them to a Pub, order a beer, and enjoy a good meal or snack.
Mud, mud, mud everywhere - no walks - nothing nut mud! This is my main memory of LIttle Staughton. You could not go anywhere on base without going through some mud.
Christmas 1943 was another usual day. However we did go to Christmas Mass after which we worked as usual.
We also hosted a Christmas Party for the local children as pictured below:
