As part of the 75th anniversary of their arrival, we will be looking into a US division’s time in the area during the war.

On November 6, 1943, the American First Infantry Division came to the county as part of the preparations for the D-Day landings.

Upon their arrival, the American servicemen were given seven pages of instructions to help them prepare for life in Britain.

Thank you to Robin Stapleton for providing the information on the soldiers’ ‘Dos and Do Not’ document, and for providing copies of Sgt Raymond Mohrlang's pictures of soldiers.

The instructions, which have now been published into a small book, included tips on the role of British women during the war, food, and etiquette, and were seen to be a taster of not only what awaited them, but how to cope with certain situations.

An extract from the instructions to set the scene for soldiers said: ‘The British have been bombed night after night, month after month.

Thousands of them have lost their houses, possessions, families.

‘Gasoline, clothes, railroad travel are hard to come by and incomes are cut by taxes to the extent we Americans have not even approached.’

The soldiers were urged to be polite, not to be too boastful and to keep out of arguments (something which one imagines was not always the case).

Soldiers were told to ‘not make fun of British speech or accents’ as they would sound just as funny to the local residents.

The instructions also gave the soldiers an insight into wartime Britain.

One extract read: ‘At home in America, you are in a country at war. Since your ship left port you have been in a war zone.

‘You will find all Britain is a war zone and has been since September, 1939. Britain may look a little shop-worn to you.

‘The British people are anxious to let you know that you are not seeing their country at its best.

“The houses haven’t been painted because the factories are not making paint – they’re making planes.

‘The famous English gardens and parks are either unkempt, because there are no men to look after them, or used to grow needed vegetables.

‘Hundreds of thousands of women have gone to work in the factories or joined military auxiliary forces.

‘You are coming from a country where your home is safe, food is still plentiful, the lights are still burning, so it is doubly important for you to remember that the British soldiers and civilians have been living under a tremendous strain.

‘It is always impolite to criticise your hosts. It is militarily stupid to insult your allies.

‘So stop and think before you sound off about lukewarm beer or the way British cigarettes taste.’

The extract then went on to mention that the British don’t know how to make good coffee, yet the US soldiers also do not know how to make good tea, so it was an even swap.

Soldiers were then warned that clothing is rationed, that old clothes were ‘good form,’ and that the British would welcome them as friends and allies, with many youngsters and housewives living through more explosives in air raids than many soldiers had seen in the last war.

The instructions ended with a list of 12 important ‘dos and don’ts.’

The soldiers, from what is understood, were fairly well received, with the thoughts from resident Mrs Williams, which are on display in the Bridport Local History Centre, referring to the generosity of the US troops at a time when many residents were feeling war weary and depressed, and after the American’s arrival, it seemed “like Christmas every day” with all the gifts of food, fruit and other luxuries provided.