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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
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
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.
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.
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
Duane Hart 4th from
left back row
Mingling with the crowds
in Cherbourg. Bandstand no longer there.
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
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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. 
