A SPECIAL MOVING JOB

This stable block has special significance

The fate of the UK's many derelict buildings seems straightforward - they either get lovingly restored à la BBC's 'Restoration' programme, or they get demolished to make way for bigger and better buildings. Or do they?

Inside Out West discovers a rather novel approach to dealing with a dilapidated stable block in Wiltshire.

Instead of being restored, or being knocked down, this old building will be winging its way to America.

Eccentric export

Back in the 1960s Robert P. McCulloch bought the London Bridge, dismantled it brick by brick, and then rebuilt it in the United States.

This time it's an 80-year-old stable block in the heart of Wiltshire that is gaining overseas attention.

And one man has made it his mission to make sure the building gets to the States safe and sound.

But why all the interest in an old, dilapidated stable block?

Well, it seems the stables were once home to some rather famous World War II airmen.

And now it's up to Keith Sowerby to preserve a piece of history.

Foreign inhabitants

During 1942, the 101st Airborne division of the US Army landed in Aldbourne to prepare for the invasion of Europe.

Of course, with this massive influx of soldiers, the problem immediately became where to house them.

Once all the available housing was exhausted it was time for some improvisation.

Just off the village green in Aldbourne stood a stable block, previously used to house Major Powell's hunting horses.

And so, the final home for many soldiers before being parachuted into France on D-day was an old stable.

Far from being a "poor man's alternative", the stables became the comfortable home for many of the lads from "Easy Company", who are famously known as the "Band of Brothers".

Those who survived the invasion of France returned to Aldbourne for a few weeks before their eventual trip home to the United States.

And 60 years on, veterans still visit the stables to remember the good times they had.

Remember the time…

Ed Shames was one of the "Band of Brothers" during WWII, he's back to revisit the place that was his home all those years ago, before it begins its long journey.

"You know it brings back a lot of memories… Good memories, bad memories.

Thousands of American soldiers called the UK home during WWII

"But on balance we enjoyed being here, we had a nice relationship with the people, it's a very, very nice place," Ed comments.

Many of the US soldiers, including Ed, commented on the warm reception they received from locals.

"We had everything we wanted, 'course you know the war was ahead of us and that was it.

"Four people lived in these cubicles and we used to shoot crap in here quite a bit, a lot of money passed hands here," Ed remembers.

Bringing back history

The 101st Airborne was created in Tocca, Georgia, where the local museum has been trying to raise enough money to bring the stables across the Atlantic.

Cynthia Brown, from the Stephens County Historical Society, is one of those keen to make the project work.

"It will be part of the educational process for our local people who are just now beginning to realise the significance of camp Tocca…and the role the paratroopers played in World War II.

"It's going to cost approximately $75,000 from the time they begin to take it apart, until it is completed here," she explains.

Keith Sowerby is joined by son Stephen in taking down the building, and anticipation is in the air.

"I had always thought it would be brilliant if we could find some kind of time capsule locked within the void between the outer and inner walls.

"Especially if we could find some form of letter or something contemporary to that time," says Keith excitedly.

But before they can start to dismantle the stables, they need to make sure they know how to rebuild them, so labels are hammered into the building with earnest.

Getting set

Time isn't on Keith and Stephen's side, as the 101st Airborne division has a reunion planned in Tocca, in just a few months time.

And the stables are set to be the prime attraction.

But there's more to it than just pulling down a building, as Stephen explains.

"It all has to be crated up, but before that happens we now have found out that the American Department of Agriculture insists that anything that comes into their country has to be fumigated against pests."

Each piece of the stables had to be tagged before dismantling began

Although the clock is ticking, there is excitement in the air.

But not everyone is keen on the stables being moved.

Dick Winters was the former commanding officer of Easy Company is one of those who doesn't want to see the stables moved.

He feels that although the stables have significance to those who served there during the war, they are best left in Aldbourne, and that the village was their home, not the building itself.

What goes down must go up!

The dismantling begins, plank by plank, and Keith is feeling the excitement.

"It's the first time it's seen the light of day for 60 years," he comments as he sorts through the dilapidated building.

Once the stables have been removed there will be little trace of the Americans' wartime presence in Aldbourne, but interest in the story is at a high.

The HBO TV series "Band of Brothers" rejuvenated awareness of Easy Company's experiences during WWII and it seems the attraction is still growing.

Hundreds of participants join in re-enactment weekends, fully kitted out in costumes from the era.

Neil Stevens is a historian who is happy to see the public's interest in wartime events.

"In my perspective… more people are becoming interested in what happened in Aldbourne.

"The fact that Easy Company were here means people give an acknowledgement to the wartime history and ask questions about it.

"Whereas previously it was very hard to get people to acknowledge what happened here," he explains.

Audrey is an Aldbourne local who lived in the village during WWII, and she has fond memories of Easy Company.

"Oh yes I can remember all the ones that used to come to our house, they used to come to play cards or write letters.

"One of the things I particularly remember about the Americans was they smelled nice - they smelled of aftershave, Vaseline hair tonic and Camay soap," Audrey says with a laugh.

Historic finds

Back at the stables there has been a slight hitch - no one has decided how the building will actually be transported.

"We'll soon need to know because the next stage for us is fumigation," says Keith.

"Any timber going from here needs to be fumigated, including any crating material, and that's the essence of the thing - we need to know now whether these things have to be crated if they're going by plane or ship."

Whilst waiting for a decision, Keith and his helpers keep searching through the rubble and are making some exciting finds.

They find hundreds of razor blades around the bottom of the walls, all with "Made in the USA" on them.

The stables were housing a number of historic items such as this letter

But it is Keith who makes the most moving discovery - a letter from a mother to her soldier son, a man by the name of Rendleman.

"This was the one thing we had hoped for," says Keith, "and it had lain there down in this void for 60 years.

"We gently took the letter out of the envelope and there were three pages of writing. I was almost in tears reading this."

Movin' on out

Eventually a decision is made to fly the stables over to America, just in time for the reunion.

But, there's yet another problem.

The concrete slab for the stables to stand on hasn't been poured, which means the building can't be revived at this stage.

It seems the American's have run out of funding.

Keith takes the news hard, and decides there is no point in going over there if he can't start rebuilding.

So, the stables are still waiting to be brought back to life in their new home, and are spending their days in pieces in a stack of crates.

But, Keith is optimistic he will be able to get them built in time for the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII in 2005.

And in doing so, he will ensure the memory of those days during WWII are preserved.