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FUN TIME: Elsie Lewis, kneeling at the front, with American GIs and staff at the Red Cross Club in Devizes

THE arrival of hundreds of thousands of American troops in Wiltshire during the Second World War still resonates in the county today and friendships established then still exist today.

West Country author Henry Buckton has followed up his enormously successful 2006 book, Friendly Invasion, with a film of the same name, which is now available on DVD.

The film examines the different types of relationships that were formed between American GIs and the people of Britain during the Second World War.

When the Americans entered the war in December 1941, the whole military make-up of Wiltshire was destined to change, as virtually the entire area would be given over for their use.

From June 1942 the build-up of General Omar Bradley's American First Army began, as tens of thousands of men trained in readiness for the liberation of Europe.

Salisbury Plain was the ideal location for this training to take place and Tidworth was established as the headquarters of the United States II Corps, under the command of General Mark Wayne Clark on July 22 1942.

Wherever American soldiers went, ladies of the Red Cross would shortly follow, to cater for their comfort and welfare.

Red Cross clubs were established in every American camp, many of which became known as Donut Dugouts, because they would serve up fresh doughnuts to the troops every day.

One of the best known was that set up on The Green in Devizes. Elsie Lewis, who is interviewed for Mr Buckton's film, was a young girl at the time and she volunteered to work in the canteen.

She said: "I helped to make thousands of doughnuts. The American girls we worked with were great."

Her boss at the canteen was called Ruth Drusken, who must have been happy in her work, because Elsie has vivid memories of her coming into the kitchen every morning singing Mersey Dotes and Dosie Dotes.

Elsie also remembers wonderful dances and making many friends, both male and female. For a while she was going out with a young soldier in the finance group called Mike Monez, but following D-Day she didn't hear from him again, and presumed he had been killed.

That was until 1978, when she had a phone call from America, because Mike was attempting to trace her. By then he had been married, divorced and had four children. They are still in contact today.

To obtain a copy of the DVD or video of Friendly Invasion, produced by 1st Take Films, go the company's website www.1st-take.com or phone (01454) 321614.

2:43pm Monday 4th February 2008

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