Jitterbugging and GI dances at Devoran Village Hall, 1942 to 1944

“One young girl who attended the Christmas social of the Devoran Women’s Institute being held in the Village Hall was watching the members sedately dancing, when the doorway was suddenly filled with smiling figures attracted by the sound of the small band.

Within seconds, the ladies found themselves being whirled around the floor by their American partners in a most exciting way.

Soon the visitors were teaching the local girls the extrovert skills of jitterbugging, much to their delight.”

Viv Acton and Derek Carter, Operation Cornwall (1944, p.99)

This would be Christmas 1942 or Christmas 1943?

Local boy James Harris remembers:

“With the GI’s came an unwelcome realization to the people of Devoran. Shortly after their arrival a dance was arranged in the Village Hall to make them welcome but unfortunately white and black Americans were invited which resulted in fights throughout the village in which knives were used.

This behaviour was completely alien to Devoran residents, however dances afterwards were segregated.” James Harris

https://devoranwarmemorial.wordpress.com/2016/02/24/early-memories-of-devoran-by-james-harris/

This happened in several other towns in Cornwall, notably Launceston.

Some older residents of Devoran such as Jo Sweet that I spoke to preparing for the Devoran WW2 talk said that some families were ambivalent about having Americans in the house.

Others such as the late Betty Phillips (who lived next door to Devoran Village Hall) remembers one of the coloured troops from Tullimaar camp “who was welcomed by her parents into their home where he came to practice his violin. On his return home he became a member of a symphony orchestra.”

Viv Acton and Derek Carter, Operation Cornwall (1944, p.104)

The Eve of D-Day and May 1944 in Devoran Village Hall

2024 is the centenary of Devoran Village Hall (April 1924) and also the 80th anniversary of D-Day 6 June 1944.

The number of veterans from D-Day is steadily and inevitably dwindling.

Like many areas of the south coast, Devoran and nearby villages had many American troops or GIs (both black and white) stationed  or camped nearby. Many visited village hall dances, some were welcomed into people’s homes as guests far from home and there was  even the odd romance with local girls. 

Americans had access to foods that were then scarcities in rationed Britain. Without letting slip why, some of this lavish food was shared with the welcoming local population in May 1944 …

A farewell party was held in Devoran Village Hall in May 1944 as a thank you  for the hospitality the men had received in the area.

Jean Nunn remembers the “wonderful food” and the room beautifully decorated with flowers from the gardens of Tregye and Killiganoon, where medical units had been stationed.

Black GI troops were also stationed at Tullimaar and Perranarworthal.

Quote / memory and information from Viv Acton and Derek Carter, Operation Cornwall (1994). There are several more recent slim paperback volumes about Cornwall or Falmouth and D-Day available from local bookshops. Maps show where some of these camps were such as Tregye.

In the recent 2023/24 A30 road dualling, a D-Day era US Army repair camp and its rubbish pits was unearthed near Chybucca, the other side of Truro.

Trebah Gardens (with its embarkation ‘hard’ concrete matting on the beach) has a small memorial to these many brave young Americans and to the British airborne forces.

Blog post by Mark Norris as part of DVH100 Devoran Village Hall centenary, 19 April 2024.