Harper Posted 30 January , 2017 Share Posted 30 January , 2017 As 2017 is the centenary of the USA's entry into World War 1, I have been asked by a local history group to write an article on any American connections with Cheshire. So far my searches have been fruitless. I would appreciate any information, leads or suggestions. Thank you Harper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 30 January , 2017 Share Posted 30 January , 2017 Do you have any specific unit information or even suggested locations as to where troops were or might have been. Large numbers entered the UK at Liverpool and then moved through the country and on to France which might have involved stays in Cheshire obviously but from this end (in the US) it would be a lot easier if there was some hint of where or who....otherwise I am going to have to go through unit histories looking for references to Cheshire (which may not be made if the reference is to particular camps/town names) There were US Hospitals and Medical units at ports like Liverpool - so some of those may have been in Cheshire. I will have a look and see if I can find anything... Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 30 January , 2017 Admin Share Posted 30 January , 2017 Looks like a scheme was set up to provide hospitality to American Soldiers (Nantwich Guardian 02/08/1918) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 30 January , 2017 Admin Share Posted 30 January , 2017 Chester Chronicle 25th May 1918 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyH Posted 30 January , 2017 Share Posted 30 January , 2017 Have a look at the topic below. Three of the casualties were Americans who joined the RAF and were (presumably) killed in training accidents at nearby Sealand. I have photos of their headstones, and a lot of info regarding Lt. Leonard Morange. BillyH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 30 January , 2017 Share Posted 30 January , 2017 From this post it would appear that much of the American Expeditionary Force Cheshire may have been their first sight of England even if not many of them stayed around long. Hope it helps. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesa Posted 31 January , 2017 Share Posted 31 January , 2017 Good afternoon Harper, I have a note and some American coins given by American soldiers to my uncle, William Eve, when he was a small boy living in Cheshire at that time along with the name of the ship that they were on. I am not at home at the moment but will look the details up later this evening and post more information. Best wishes Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesa Posted 1 February , 2017 Share Posted 1 February , 2017 So , according to this note, the S.S.City of Glasgow was passing through Irlam Locks on the Manchester Ship Canal on August 5th 1918. My Uncle, William Eve, was a small boy at the time and was given some coins by the American troops on board. I cannot find these coins and please ignore the 5 shilling coin in the photo as this is dated 1953 and I think is a Coronation coin for Queen Elizabeth 2nd. The button has the letters US on it overlayed in smaller letters with NA. Having googled the City of Glasgow, it was a passenger ship that was lost a month afterwards on 1st September 1918 when it was torpedoed and sunk 21 nautical miles east of the Tuskar Rock, Ireland with the loss of 12 lives. Best wishes Charles Sorry August 15th 1918, not the 5th Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 1 February , 2017 Share Posted 1 February , 2017 Just FYI US NA = United States National Army The National Army = War Raised (draft/conscripted) units as opposed to Regular Army or National Guard - units. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesa Posted 1 February , 2017 Share Posted 1 February , 2017 Thank you Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 1 February , 2017 Share Posted 1 February , 2017 And us auld folk would probably call five shillings a crown - unimagined pocket money riches when I was a boy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesa Posted 1 February , 2017 Share Posted 1 February , 2017 You had me excited there Mr Brockway ! Unfortunately there is one on EBay " buy it now" for 2 quid !! Best wishes Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harper Posted 5 February , 2017 Author Share Posted 5 February , 2017 Thank you all for your contributions. Now I have some clues to follow up and investigate. For example which aero squadrons played baseball in 1918 and where were they stationed? I also found a useful site about American troops on Merseyside. http://www.merseyside-at-war.org/story/american-troops-on-merseyside/ Do you think that Lancashire would mind if I co-opted their part of Merseyside into Cheshire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 7 February , 2017 Share Posted 7 February , 2017 On 05/02/2017 at 16:28, Harper said: Thank you all for your contributions. Now I have some clues to follow up and investigate. For example which aero squadrons played baseball in 1918 and where were they stationed? I also found a useful site about American troops on Merseyside. http://www.merseyside-at-war.org/story/american-troops-on-merseyside/ Do you think that Lancashire would mind if I co-opted their part of Merseyside into Cheshire? Thanks for posting that link Harper. I've used the site plenty of times but never read that section. I followed up the mention of Everton's Goodison Park being used for American Football (it was the Superbowl Sunday so it seemed apt). Interestingly it took place on the 27th November which I think was the day before Thanksgiving 1918, between teams representing the US Army camp at Knotty Ash and the American troopship the Leviathan. There were a couple of reports in the local papers. What is also interesting is that the young Humphrey Bogart was a coxwain on the Leviathan, and one of his biographies suggests he joined the ship on 27th November, so I wonder if he was around for the game? Pete. P.S. I'm sure no one will mind if you stretch the concept of Cheshire a bit geographically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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