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SALVATORE VALENTI, 508 SQUADRON. WOLLATON PARK (Page 2)


Betty Smith at Aspley Playing Fields
(photo by Sal Valenti

I met Sal when I was 20 and he was 25. He was stationed at Wollaton Park as part of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment all living in tents.

My very first meeting with Sal was not auspicious. I was at the Palais-de-Dance in Nottingham with [my sister] Hilda and we danced together as we usually did. There were not too many boys around then to dance with, so women often danced with each other.

Hilda and I were both good dancers and we enjoyed partnering each other. I had paid 2/6 (12p today) to go in and was determined to have my hard earned moneys worth of dancing and this included choosing my own partners. Normally, Hilda and I danced the night away.
 


Edna (left) and Betty pose in a post-war photo

However, this particular night, we were dancing away as usual when 2 American soldiers came up to us and just started to dance with us. Usually this was only ever done in an excuse me dance, but of course the American boys didn’t know that.


Sal and
Betty on the steps of Nottingham's Council Hall during one of his post war visits

Hilda ended up with a guy called Jimmy and I got Sal. I danced politely with him, although secretly I did not like his way of dancing the jitterbug and such like. That was too modern and undignified for my liking and I wouldn’t do it. It was ballroom dancing or nothing for me.

After our dance I said thank you, excused myself, and went back to our table I was sharing with Hilda. Jimmy and Sal came over to our table and spent the evening dancing with us. Sal and I arranged to meet again.

It was difficult for the Americans to make contact with us because we had no phone at home and hardly anyone had a car, so communication was very difficult.
 

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