Nice Titbit about the American troops at Pheasey

As we all know American troops were billeted at what is now the Collingwood Centre from 1942 until 1945.

Often my Dad who then lived on the Queslett aged 3-5 would tell me stories of the troops and how they were generous to the kids (he remembered this at such a young age) and that helped to clarify in my mind the special place Pheasey is.

Looking for something today I came across this article from an American Dentist, just gives an insight into what happened

On the morning of October 28, 1942, the shores of Ireland and Scotland were sighted and after a slow tortuous trip around wrecked and sunken shipping down the Mersey River, late at night, the port of Liverpool, England, was reached.

Undoubtedly the most exerted and overly exercised personnel in the army were finally walked, carrying all luggage to trams which deposited a badly worn outfit at Liverpool railway station and then to strictly blacked out railway carriages.

After a trip of several hours in the blackest of nights again the unloading process and another bus ride in the blackout. Finally a low cost housing estate known as Pheasey Farms, some ten to twelve miles from Birmingham, was reached and billets were assigned. The first “exposure” to the British “Nuttin but Mutton” occurred at 3:30 A. M. in the form of “muttonbergers” and Brussels sprouts, plus tea.

An eventful month of staging with an occasional stolen sight-seeing trip followed. Again the deluge of rumor along with British rain and fog.

It seems half of what is now Pheasey and was built was given over to the American camp and must have been a great time for all the local kids with gum, chocolate etc.

Some good photo’s here

Discussion thread here

Details of a book (just ordered from Amazon) written about the troops.

If anyone has any stories from this time or can related their parents/grandparents stories then please e-mail me at

ianrobo1@virginmedia.com

and I will put them up