Valenti (4)

SALVATORE VALENTI, 508 SQUADRON. WOLLATON PARK (Page 4)

The comfort of a family home was a bonus for him and sometimes he brought along his pal, a medic called Jimmy, another nice boy.

Hilda and Jack made them so welcome and we became a family for Sal, in fact he always referred to us as his English family, until the day he died.

My mum always wrote “to my American son”, and signed her letters “from your English mother”.

Hilda and Jack had 4 children who also loved this charming American G.I. After a while we even helped Sal with a little business venture he had. Sal always had an eye for a money- making scheme and we all sat around making identity bracelets for the G.I, s.
Jack had the disc’s and chains silvered at the factory where he worked and we sat around the kitchen table and made them into bracelets, which Sal then sold to other American G.I,s.

Well, this little venture was very successful and each time he was allowed out of camp he would turn up with a list of identity bracelets wanted and we set to work.

It did occur to me that I could have been out dancing all this time and not making identity bracelets.

Sal must have known this and picked up that I was getting restless and suggested we get engaged. Sal had a beautiful engagement ring made for me – to his own design and I wear it still to this very day.

I remember one night in particular when Jack, Hilda, and I decided we would like to go and see a film. This wasn’t at our local cinema but involved a bus ride towards the centre of Nottingham. Sal wasn’t expected that evening off, so of we went.

Watching films was a popular pastime then, as it has been during the 1920,s – 30,s as well. As always, we joined a long queue and waited our turn to go in.

All the seats were taken and we were packed into the middle of a long row.
We had settled down to watch the film when I became aware of the usherette slowly moving down the aisles and using her torch to shine on every person there. Behind her stood my Sal.

I told Hilda I would have to go, as there were no spare seats where we were sitting and so I had to manoeuvre my way out the whole length of the row, trying not to tread on peoples feet.

The usherette managed to find us two seats at the front of the cinema so that we could sit together.

Now who would get service like that? My Sal did.

For a time Sal was stationed at Quorn, Leicestershire and fortunately Jack had the use of the firms van and petrol coupons and when I was on the right shift I would accompany Jack wherever he had to go on company business.
Hilda, at this time was working part time as well. But Jack always made sure his journey took him through Quorn so that he could pick Sal up. I remember going there one time and there was Sal, waiting patiently at the roadside and with a smile on his face.

On the way back to Nottingham, Jack would stop by the woods and pick bluebells for Hilda.

I was working doing war work in a local factory when my mother appeared at the factory door.

She asked me to go home to her house when I finished work. For the first time, Sal had found his way there and was waiting for me. He had thoughtfully brought with him a wonderful chocolate cake for tea a real treat as luxuries were rationed or non-existent then.

After we had eaten the cake, we went to the cinema that was right next door to where I worked and during the interval the audience sang songs. We all joined in and my mother thoroughly enjoyed herself. It is a fond memory.

Sal and I spent many happy, carefree, innocent days like this and the sense of friendship and affection was very strong. However, one day everything changed.

Sal was recalled to camp at Wollaton Park where he and other G.I, s were confined to camp. We didn’t know then, but the D-DAY invasion was about to take place.

The G.I.s were not allowed to contact anyone and the next thing we knew was that Wollaton Park was empty. The Americans had de-camped and moved away.

Not being able to contact a loved one or know what is happening, especially in war time when you know you may never meet again is harrowing, but we had no choice but to wait and hope.

About 3 weeks later, there was a knock on Jack and Hilda’s door. Hilda went to answer, and the next thing we heard such a squeal.

Minutes later she came into the living room hugging this bearded stranger as if she would never let him go again. Then I squealed, it was my Sal with 3 weeks growth of beard on his face.
He had come over on an aeroplane to fetch stores and come all the way from goodness knows where to see me.

We had to observe the blackout rules and he wasn’t in a truck or a jeep, so how he found his way through the black English countryside is amazing. I still do not know where his plane landed, but can only think it must have been Hucknall or Tollerton RAF camps which were miles and miles away from us.

That evening we had a lovely, but too short time together and he finally said a long goodbye to me, at the garden gate and was gone again. But thank god he had survived and had managed to let me know.