The menu offered at these showpiece social functions is surprising in view
of the legendary opulence of American fare, The food offered was always
“cold plate”, comprising ham roll, spam, corned beef and Alaskan
sardines, while the drinks were cold beer, coca cola and fruit juices. On
one occasion there was the rider “and whatever the boys can sneak in!”
The camp mess fed 1,400 men and could cope with a further 200 casuals.~ As
well as the formal facilities, there were the comforts of the canteen. Miss
Day worked there as a volunteer from 1943 to 1946.
“Once they had settled,”
she
recalls, “the American Red Cross opened a canteen and started casting
around for local volunteers. .1 first went there on 31 December 1943 to
stand behind the counter anti serve the cokes and cakes and soup.. I cycled
to the camp on Friday nights to work for a couple of hours.”
The Journey along the Ashchurch Road in the blackout was so hazardous that
eventually the authorities provided a car to pick up the volunteers who
worked on Fridays and Sundays.
Miss Day confirms the absence of luxury foods: “we were allowed a coke
and something to eat, but only one hamburger when they were on the menu.”
She confirms the legendary importance of leg attire when she states that
“my first pair of nylon stockings came from winning a game of poker dice
there.”
