The ammunition dumps at Bridestowe

My Father (G Gauler)was the signalman at Bridestowe station during the war and it was exceptionally busy as the US Army built a large ammunition dump at Bridestowe and in surrounding locations. As children the Army used to invite the schools around to a xmas party. Trnsport was provided in a lorry. They laid on tea and entertainment for us which considerably brightened up a rather restricted lifestyle. We used to get a coulored U S ARMY Officer visit us and his name was ANDIE. He did write to us for a couple of years after his return to the states but we never got any more replies. He would never visit us unless he brought me a box of chewing gum and some tobacco for my father. He was a superb gentleman.
My gran (Mrs H Holman) lived with us for the war as she was bombed out of Exeter. When my father was late turn she used to take his tea down to the station for him. She used to take the tea in a can with a cup for a lid and always filled it to the brim. Before getting to the station we used to have to show our identity cards and when she used to show hers she invaribly used to spill the tea. On being told of this by the sentry she used reply that that was OK as she had filled the can to allow for spillage.
Weekends the troops would go into Plymouth by catching the 6pm train from Bridestowe. One weekend the earlier train which did not stop at Bridestowe was late and the queue of troops waiting for their tickets saw the train approaching and made a mad dash across the railway lines to the other platform only to watch the train pass at speed. I can say watching them they were not happy until it was explained to them that their train would be arriving shortly.
The American troops were very kind to us during their stay at Bridestowe so much so that I had enough chewing gum to last me two years after the end of the war

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