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| 15th FAB Crest Patch |
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| 2nd Infantry Division |
Northern Ireland
Feb 22, 1944
Dear Mother,
This will be just a few lines as I've just finished a letter to Mrs. Wilcox so will drop you a line. Little hard today so am ready for bed but trying to heat a little water to shave. It's now too warm in this hut tonight.
I had a nice letter from Helen. She did have a little to say and seemed a bit sore but was nice about the whole thing in the end. Seemed good to hear from her.
Say Mom I have a British Sgt. sleeping beside me. He is here for two weeks and we're sending a fellow from here to their outfit. They watch, live, and see how we do things. Guess it is to build up a friendly feeling between us. He's a swell fellow and you sure think different of a person after living with them. Of course we all have to allow for the few differences in our ways. I have talked with him a lot and found he lost a brother in this war. He feels the same as we do, get this over with and go home. When the folks over here want to swear they say - bloody and boy is that bad. If you said or called someone a bloody bloat it's like son of a B-- in the states or just as bad. They say bloody any time if mad. They always say you chaps instead of fellows or boys. I've found him to be one swell chap (ha ha).
Well Mom I'm okay. Will let you know when I get my pen. Keep up your courage.
Love
Charles
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Reading about Uncle Charlie getting to know and understanding the British by having a British Sergeant staying in his hut for two weeks reminded me about a story an old sailor from Northern Ireland recounted at the re-dedication of the Memorial for US troops in Belfast on 14 September 1994. Below in RED is Harry Champion's statement.
I was in the Royal Navy, stationed at Belfast Castle, when the Yanks came in to Northern Ireland. We had to go down to the Pollock Dock. They came in and anchored outside, and they were brought up into Pollock Dock with one of the fleet barges. We brought them in. Next thing, the whole place was swarming with them. The American soldiers and sailors and the British sailors and the British airmen were always squabbling with one another and couldn't agree about this and couldn't agree about the other! One day there were two British sailors coming up through High Street in Belfast, and there was a water tank. Two American soldiers who had arrived were leaning against this water tank. They just turned around and said to the two British sailors, "We don't need you here any longer; we'll win the war for you." The two sailors just went by and they stopped all of a sudden, and put their hats on the back of their heads. They just walked back to the American soldiers and caught them and threw them into the water tank. So several of us had to rush and lift them out of the tank before they drowned. The next thing was, the four of them, the two American and the two British sailors, got together and they all went into the pub and spent the rest of the day drinking together.
Harry Champion
http://www.irelandseye.com/aarticles/history/events/worldwar/yank.shtm
This is the memorial that was rededicated in 1994.
In 1943 this commemorative stone was unveiled
bearing the crests of US Army, Marines, and Navy
alongside a portion of the Belfast coat of arms.
Below is a short video divided in two parts describing
how an American soldier was to behave if invited
into a Northern Ireland home for a meal.
How NOT to eat in a Northern Ireland home part 1
How NOT to eat in a Northern Ireland home part 2
A Welcome to Britain, 1943
A Welcome to Britain, 1943
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