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MAGAZINE June 2010 Number Eight

Porthkerry Road Methodist Church, Barry

BARRY GI BRIDES MAGAZINE JUNE 2010 NUMBER EIGHT

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Welcome to B.G.I.B.M. Number Eight!

This month the spotlight is on some of the US Army officers of the Quartermaster

Section @ G-40 who married locally, two of them doing so at Porthkerry Road

Methodist Church, Barry (see front cover). QM personnel seemed to be stationed in

the area for a long time compared with other US servicemen, giving them more

opportunity to meet the locals.

These officers were attached to the Quartermaster Section, G-40, as

of April 1st, 1944. Those highlighted tied the knot...

Colonel Pilkington, George C. Commanding Officer

Major Stoltz, Otto W. QM Supply Officer

Captain Pendley, Alva E. Executive Officer

Captain Zackary, Walter G. Regular Supplies

Captain Goretzke, Everette T. Subsistence

Captain McKeown, Samuel M. C & E

First Lieutenant Caramia, John A. Mess Advisor

First Lieutenant St. Clair, Forrest W. Property Officer

First Lieutenant Weihrauch, Othmar H. Sales Store Supplies

First Lieutenant Passman, Peter P. Cold Stores Officer

Second Lieutenant Garnhardt, Lawrence A. Sales Officer

Second Lieutenant West, Floyd A. Asst. Subs. Officer

From another list (undated):

Captain Karcanew, James C. Deputy QM

First Lieutenant Napier, Thruman* Admin Assistant

Or “Thurman” … See below…


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Friday September 17th, 1943

NAPIER – TYLER

Miss Doris E. Tyler, second daughter of Mr and Mrs H Tyler, Romilly Park, Barry,

was married on Thursday to Lieutenant Thurman* William Napier, US Army, only

son of Mrs C H Baker and the late Mr W B Napier, Aztec, New Mexico. The

ceremony took place at Porthkerry Road Methodist Church, Barry… Lieutenant

O Weihrauch, US Army, was the best man and the ushers were Lieutenant

Scharaga, US Army...

Lieutenant Napier worked @ G-40, as an “Admin Assistant”.

Friday August 9th, 1946

WEIHRAUCH – STURGESS

Mr and Mrs W S Sturgess, Newlands Street, Barry, announce the engagement of

their daughter, Mary, to Captain O H Weihrauch, elder son of Mr and Mrs O.

Weihrauch of Erie, Pennsylvania, USA.

Friday December 20th, 1946

WEIHRAUCH – STURGESS

On December 13th, 1946 at Porthkerry Road Methodist Church, Captain O. H.

Weihrauch, eldest son of Mr & Mrs O. H. Weihrauch of Erie, USA, to Mary, only

daughter of Mr and Mrs Sturgess of Newlands Street, Barry.


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Monday November 6th, 1944

PENDLEY – ROBERTS

On November 5th, at Connaught Nursing Home, to Joanne, (nee Roberts), wife of

Captain A K Pendley, US Army, gift of a son, Christopher Scott.

Captain Pendley, it seems likely, married a Cardiff woman as their son was born

eight miles or so from Barry.

Another Quartermaster Officer:

Thursday April 12th, 1945 – SWE

KARCANES – BUTLER

At Woodlands Road Nursing Home, April 10th, to Mavis and Major Karcanes, US

Army, a son, Charles James, first great-grandson of Mr and Mrs F Butler, Lombard

Street. (Barry)

According to the above records, one Captain James C. Karcanew worked @ G-40,

as Deputy Quartermaster. So, was it Karcanes or Karcanew?

Feedback:

Mrs Denise Llewellyn who was a WREN during WW2 and was based in Cardiff

Docks @ Mount Stuart Square wrote: “I do congratulate you on your initiative in

researching all this material. I had often wondered how the girls who married GIs had

fared…” Especially as for some it did not work out.


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Lieutenant West looked east to the town of Penarth for a bride:

Thursday October 12th, 1944

WEST – KIDNEY

The wedding took place by special licence at Cardiff yesterday of Lieutenant Floyd

West, US Army, only son of Mrs Fedelia West, Virginia, USA, and Miss Patricia

Kidney, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Kidney, 29, West Terrace. Penarth...The

best man was Captain Keresky.

As of April 1st, 1944, according to US Army’s records these two officers were working

at G-40 in the Quartermaster Section:

Captain Everette T. Goretzke, was the Subsistence Officer and Second

Lieutenant Floyd A. West, was the Assistant Subsistence Officer.

So has Goretzke become Keresky? Or Keresky Goretzke?

Thursday May 9th, 1946

LEFT PENARTH FOR USA

Another well known Penarth lady, Mrs Mary West, formerly Miss Kidney, of 29,

West Terrace, has left Penarth to make her home in America. She sailed in the

Saturalia on Good Friday and arrived in New York on Saturday, where she was met

by her husband. Her new home will be in Virginia.

Mrs West was married a year last October, her husband being Lieutenant Floyd

West, of the US Army.


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A Brief History of G-40, activated August 14th, 1942

(from Uncle Sam’s records) "Situated on the south-eastern side of the town of Barry, in Glamorganshire, South

Wales, G-40 embraces the area and buildings which up to time of handing over to

U.S. Army, was used by the British Army as a supply depot and was known as No. 2

Supply Reserve Depot. This was a British project before the war commenced and

was intended to be used as a supply reserve depot, i.e., a depot supplying overseas

garrisons with subsistence and disinfectants. It actually functioned in June 1940,

before its scheduled time."

On August 14th 1942, Major James H. Finnerty... Quartermaster Corps, reported

for duty and was designated commanding officer of G-40... Colonel William R.

McMaster... QMC, reported for duty and was designated commanding officer of G-

40 by letter... dated August 21st, and Major James H. Finnerty was relieved as

commanding officer. On September 15th 1942, Lt. Col. George C. Pilkington...

QMC, reported for duty, and assumed command of G-40...

Improvements continued to be made and on or about September 25th, 1942, the

camouflaging of the depot became complete. The civilian staff had been gradually

absorbed by G-40, and on October 28th, 1942, all remaining civilians were

transferred to G-40. On January 1st, 1943, the portion of No.2 Supply Reserve

Depot, with the exception of No.5 Nissen Hut and Group V Officers Quarters, was

officially handed over to U.S. Forces at general Depot G-40. Officers and enlisted

personnel continued to arrive for duty at the depot, and on August 25th, 1943, Farm

Camp Sully, now known as Farm Camp, was taken over by U.S. Forces to house

troops. It has continually expanded to present date (April 1944) to approximately

2,200.

The Red Cross Club opened November 28th, 1943 at Farm Camp for the use of

military personnel, and at present is supervised by two Red Cross girls and a staff of

British workers.”


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Mr Stuart Farmer (with the Wales shirt!)

and Happy Friends @Brynhill Golf Club House

In May 19th, 2010 I had the great pleasure of meeting Mr Stuart Farmer of

Longview, Washington state, USA, at the Brynhill Golf Clubhouse, Barry. Stuart

was back home visiting friends and showing his new wife, Elaine, the Land of His

Fathers and England and Scotland, too!

I first met Stuart two years ago in “cyberspace” (thanks to Mr Steve Williams and

his really useful website http://www.barrywales.co.uk/index.asp,) since when we

have corresponded frequently. Diligent readers will recall that Stuart left the UK in

1957 to live near his sister Betty Nelson who had migrated to the West Coast over

ten years previously to join her husband Peter. Subsequently their parents joined

them “Over There” to live out their years in the Evergreen State.

http://www.barrywales.co.uk/index.asp


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Mr Gordon Lease, USS Landing Ship, Tank 381

...was a visitor to Barry for three weeks in summer 1944. His LST came here for

repairs. He did NOT marry a local lady, but he did date and he did have some

interesting memories...

“My memories of Barry revolve mostly around Knap Gardens and a large building

nearby where ballroom dancing occurred (daily?) Also, at the lower end of the

gardens, there was a sort of ‘Roman’-style covered porch where we and our

dates took shelter from the rains. It seems to me that it rained almost daily while

we were there.

Also, on the other side of the hill from Knapp gardens, there was an impressive

‘Swimming Bath’ which received fresh seawater from the rising tide daily.


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The warmth of the people in Barry and the high quality and quantity of the work done

on our ship were impressive and greatly appreciated by us “Yanks.” None of the

repairs failed and we completed many more trips to Normandy and Brittany…”

I have compiled a fuller account of that visit in a 12 page booklet:

OVER HERE: IN BARRY OVER HERE: IN BARRY OVER HERE: IN BARRY OVER HERE: IN BARRY

Mr Gordon Lease & LST 381Mr Gordon Lease & LST 381Mr Gordon Lease & LST 381Mr Gordon Lease & LST 381

SIXTY-FIVE YEARS AGO THIS MONTH,

in the Barry & District News…


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ANON

Here are some recollections of a Barry War Bride who shall remain anonymous. I

will call her M. They show how love and romance could overcome initial local

reservations regarding Americans, especially having Americans in the home which

touches on the touchy subject of billeting…

During the Second World War M worked at Barry Docks at the British Army’s Supply

Reserve Depot (SRD) Number Two. With other young girls she used to pack food

into tins, which were then sent to British forces overseas.

One day an American officer and a corporal drove into their shed on business. The

Americans were in the process of taking over the SRD and turning it into General

Supply Depot – G40. The next day the corporal named Alf returned to the depot

and later that afternoon he met M and walked her through the docks past the Barry

Dock Hotel to her home.

When they arrived there he said: "I was at this house today." " Really, why?" asked

M." "Well, we have to have billets. We were coming to get billets, the officer and I."

When the lady of the house had opened the door, she had taken one look at the

Yanks and said; "I have no room! I have no room!” It had been M's mum! She was

terrified. She wasn't going to let any Americans into her house.

But this changed when M met a GI sergeant from 11th Major Port, Transportation

Corps, named Bill, at Barry Island fairground and eventually a real romance began

so that M’s mother’s reluctance to have Americans in her home was duly overcome!

It was summer of 1943. The weather was warm and there were Americans in town...


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MISCELLANEOUS Regarding Jack & Sheila Poulosky nee Wiltshire, (see BGIBM Numbers Five &

Six) who married in June 1946 in the USA, and lived in Ponca, Nebraska, I found this

poignant notice on the internet:

Here is another interesting snippet from the post-WW2 press as a mother

ADOPTS HER OWN DAUGHTER!


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Another place where Brits and Yanks could dance the night away…

The “Marina” photo was sent me by the late Mr. Ed Doughty, 187th Ordnance

Depot Company @ G-40 in 1944

As usual, if anyone can add anything of interest to any of the people

mentioned in this edition please get in touch.

[email protected]

Telephone - Home: 01446 741886: Mobile: 07790998405

Number Eight was NICELY PRINTED @ COPY-IT, Holton Road, Barry

mailto:[email protected]

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