I arrived in Europe in May 1944, one year after I was inducted into the Army. I was nineteen years old. We landed in Wales, England. After listening to a small brass band play a few uninspiring marches, we disembarked. From there we traveled to a camp somewhere in the exterior of England. Looking back, I realize we were to be replacements for the expected casualties of D-Day. It was a large camp, and we just played the waiting game. They kept us busy with calisthenics and hikes through the beautiful British countryside. The rolling green hills covered with red poppies were a sight to behold. Beautiful and foreboding.
After a fortnight, they posted a notice on the bulletin board. “Boxing matches, sign your champion up to represent your outfit”. What outfit? We were just a bunch of numbers with faces. Yet, after almost 60 years I still remember the name of our boy, PFC Webb. A big strapping farm boy who had a magnificent physique better suited to wrestling than boxing. Six foot four inches, 220 pounds of pure bone and muscle. “No one could beat our hero,” we kept telling him as we pushed him towards the arena.
As he was climbing into the ring, I spotted his opponent, about five foot ten, 175 pounds. The way he carried himself and was moving about, reminded me of the fighters I saw hanging around Stillman’s Gym on 8th Avenue in New York City. I knew PFC Webb was in trouble. As it turned out, it was David and Goliath all over again. Webb caught everything “David” threw at him with his head. Thank God it only lasted three rounds. I hope Webb had better luck with the Krauts.
Would you believe Webb is the only name I remember from my stay in England, and I never even spoke one word to him. I was #30205647.
This was about all I remember about my stay in the British Isles. Oh yeah, I once wrote a letter to my mother at ten o’clock in the evening, it was still light out. The weather was mostly overcast, and I never saw an English girl. We were isolated.
Editor’s note: it seems possible that the Webb to whom Joe refers could be Pvt Elmer C. Webb (35329149) who was later assigned to 24th Cav Recon Troop B. I believe that Joe sailed on May 14 1944 from Boston, US, to Cardiff, in Wales, on the troopship SS Explorer, arriving probably 23-27 May. He then spent several weeks in a replacement depot awaiting assignment to a unit.