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The Yanks come to Town
By Bernard Mc Cormack
Location: Derry, Northern Ireland

It was a dull drizzly day with little going for it. People had dandered along the edge of the pavement in Spencer Road-just where it meets the Craigavon Bridge. Two RUC men stood idly be keeping a fitful eye on the pedestrians.

A commotion started at the far end of the Bridge and there were signs of movement. Standing beside me and Barney Grimes, a British soldier looked at us with mock seriousness and said “you boys will have to behave yourselves, the Yanks are coming”

Straight ahead of us in ranks six deep marched the Americans. Although they were fully kitted out and under command of an officer they had a disturbing relaxed, easy going manner which you would never find in a British soldier. Oddly enough they still wore the round tin hat of world war vintage which made them more amenable to us boys. At the end of the Bridge they turned into Duke Street towards Ebrington Barracks. Behind them an endless column of khaki coloured vehicles with the soon to be familiar white star stencilled on their sides.

To be truthful I was more impressed by the convoy of lorries and jeeps than with the soldiers. The RUC men stood well back. Later I was to learn that they had no authority over the newcomers.

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