About the site

Introduction

Welcome to this site dedicated to telling the story of when the US Military descended on Bristol, England in the Second World War. Starting in 1942, the ‘Yanks’ arrived in vast numbers in preparation for D-Day and the subsequent battles through to VE Day. The primary aim of this site is to record the experiences of these boys, thousands of miles from home and the Bristolians who housed them.

For many Americans it was their first overseas trip and when they arrived in Britain, and particularly Bristol, they got to see first-hand the suffering that had been inflicted on the city during the Blitz. Despite this, they were widely welcomed be the locals who knew how vital they were in achieving a decisive victory over the Nazi regime.

^{American soldiers with children outside the Hippodrome, February 1943}

This site now includes a comprehensive survey of many of the buildings the Americans used: whether for planning D-Day, sleeping in or socialising. Also, all the open spaces they stored vehicles in or set up a camp. Indeed, anywhere on which the Yanks left their mark.

Photographs of Bristol and tales of G.I.s’ experiences must exist in family archives all over the United States. It would be wonderful, for those who wish to, if they could share those stories here to preserve their family history and to produce a collective memory.

Contemporary sources are always fascinating so we have included newspaper stories to show what was being reported at the time without the benefit of hindsight. The articles are usually discreet and it’s interesting to see what isn’t said as much as what is. There’s a noticeable absence of stories from those few days before D-Day when the US First Army quietly packed and left on their way to battle.

Lifelong friendships were made, marriages forged and frequently broken and lives were created. There are so many stories to tell and if you can contribute, we’d love to hear from you at YanksinBristol@gmail.com

^{A G.I. meets a little Bristolian, June 1943}

Inspiration

My primary inspiration in starting this project was that my great aunt was a G.I. bride herself. The story I’m told is that she worked at a social club by The Downs, met a G.I. and after the war sailed on the Queen Mary to join him in America. However, like many others, the marriage was not to last but unlike some she didn’t return to England but made a new life and settled in Washington State. When I tried to find out where she may have worked I realised there was very little information available about the Americans’ presence in the Second World War so I subsequently bought every Bristol history book that I could find. And when I asked questions on a couple of local Facebook groups about where to research the arrival of the ‘Yanks’ it became clear that so many people had their own stories and it would be useful to record them all in one location.

The other inspiration came from the wonderful We Have Ways podcast with James Holland and Al Murray. At the start of the 2020 pandemic, they started a weekly livecast for a group of dedicated listeners that were known as the Independent Company. Hearing James and Al discussing research while James was writing his latest book, as well as hearing what other members of the IC were doing, inspired me to get in on the action. It clearly had to be something that I would be passionate about and a project that had meaning for me. Researching ‘Yanks in Bristol’ provides the perfect project for me with so much yet to discover.

Thanks for visiting. I hope you enjoy the stories as much I have collecting them. If you have anything to contribute or any constructive feedback please do get in touch YanksinBristol@gmail.com

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