AMERICANS IN EVINGTON

During the Second World War 12,000 members of the 82nd US Airborne Division were billeted in Leicestershire. Many lived in a tented village in Evington, Leicester, prior to D-Day.

A fifteen-strong group of former members of the Division visited Evington as part of a tour commemorating the 65th anniversary of D-Day and continued onto Quorn where some of them were also based.

The visitors were all in their 80s but still managed to make a long journey to see their bases. A local man, Deryk Wills, who is 81, is an honorary member of the regiment and he helped organise the tour.

They paid a visit to St. Denys Church, Evington, and saw the American Flag that they left as a gift 65 years ago. It still hangs in the church, together with a White Ensign which was on a British landing craft during the invasion.

In 1944 they also donated money so that the church could have an extension built. Howard Comstock, 84, from St Louis, said: “I was with the 504th, staying in Shady Lane and it was rough. But there were girls hanging around everywhere and we drank the pubs dry. Things have changed a lot, but it's great to be back and see everything.”

I met a local man who was a crew member in the very last raid on Germany in the war. He flew Halifax bombers from Pilkington in Yorkshire.

Mike Stevens

The American flag in St. Denys Church

Some former members of the 82nd US Airborne Division