Pat Salmon was a schoolboy living at Mill End, Takeley at the time Stansted Airport was built by the Americans. He is now a member of Takeley Local History Society www.tlhs.org.uk



When the Americans arrived at Stansted I must have been 11 or 12 years old. Although there was a war on it was exciting for us young lads. They made two camps near to us. One was just down the road from us in a field in front of High House Farm (Mill End, Takeley) and another one a bit further round. They were well set out camps with all their huts and facilities. I have no idea how many men there were but there seemed to be an awful lot to us. The camps had guards on the gate . The sentries soon got to know us and more or less let us wander about anywhere.



A number of women who lived locally (including my mother) used to do a bit of washing for some of the soldiers. My father made me a little truck which I was able to pull behind my bike and I used to pick up bags of washing and then deliver them back in a few days. I also collected the money (plus a bit for delivery!).



The camp also had a KP as they called it where the men went to chill out. We also went in there and got a few treats etc. which were on ration outside. They also gave me cigarettes for my father and other bits and pieces which were difficult to get outside. I remember one Christmas they put on a big party for us kids with all the trimmings.



We got good friends with two of the soldiers. One I remember was called Sgt Bob Heaton. I often wondered what happened to him. After the airport was built the men all just disappeared. One day they were there the next all gone.



I remember Bob took me to London and showed me all the sights. They used to run a convoy of trucks up to London every now and again for men on leave. Bob managed to smuggle me on a truck.



We didn’t see so much of the Americans when the airport was operational, security was much tighter. The Americans we got to know were the ones who built the airport, the flyers kept themselves to themselves more, which was understandable.



Pat Salmon, 23/04/2015