Preserve Penley Hospital

Interesting that other parts of the country are starting to wake up and realise it is worth preserving our WW2 heritage!

Housing would damage the "historic social narrative" of the camp.

I think Penley has a lot more historic social narrative!!!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c72280n6zp1o?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3gAfz51Ok_ByBAGomDspj3ABTlHwuRF1CWiIZIeTJ7lfXbpBI_ICCMzlY_aem_9302S6sqJXdGFvQSGpeVmA

Wetherby WW2 prison camp will not be demolished for housing Council turns down application for a Wetherby camp that was used to house Italian prisoners of war.

Emblem of the 82nd General U.S. Army Hospital Iscoyd Park
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇺🇸

United States Army Medical Corps from the 129th General Hospital at Penley presented the US flag (the one that had flown over Penley) to the Borough of Wrexham to be laid up in St Giles in gratitude for the towns hospitality.

Photo of one unit of the USAMC parading down Wrexham High Street.

On Monday 16th July 1945 some 400 officers, nurses and enlisted men from the 129th General Hospital paraded through Wrexham from Bodhyfred to St Giles Church for a short and impressive service, met by the Mayor & Mayoress and civic dignitaries.

The Stars & Stripes and brass plaque can still be seen in St Giles Church. The plaque bearing the inscription 'Presented to the town of Wrexham with gratitude for its hospitality, 129th General Hospital US Army. Haec olim meminisse juvabit" Some of the photos I have taken at St Giles below.

Col Blount officer commanding at Penley said,
"At Penley this flag flew over what was, through your courtesy, a little bit of US territory in Wales. During the last twelve months these Stars & Stripes have seen nearly 10,000 battle casualties enter and leave Penley. It is felt that no more fitting a shelter should be found for these colours than here in Wrexham Parish Church.

I will be paying my respects tomorrow on DDAY80 at St Giles Church.
(Photos Claire Lewis)

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇺🇸The tiny village of Penley In was to play such a big part in the DDAY Normandy landings..

Before Penley and it's sister hospitals were taken over by the Polish military hospital the hospitals had a big role to first play with the Normandy DDay landings.

Built for the US Army in anticipation of U.S. casualties for DDAY Penley became 129 General Hospital (1000 beds), Llanerch Panna became No.83 station hospital (800 beds) & Iscoyd Park (1500 beds)

Penley hospital alone treated over 10,000 battle casualties following DDAY!

The hospitals also treated wounded German soldiers who can be seen detraining at Malpas station and arriving at the hospitals for treatment.

An old photo and not so clear, but a line of Dakota aircraft and ambulances can be made out at Rednal Airfield also transporting patients to these hospitals on the Wrexham / Shropshire border.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿Image: Phil Godsal/Quintus Nicola

As approaches, little do people remember the huge role Wrexham and her borders were to play in DDAY at the purpose American Army built hospitals in Penley, Llanerch Panna and Iscoyd Park.
The old hospitals are 80 years old too..