Photo By Sgt. Toby Cook | The WWII “Blue Spaders” Memorial at Swanage, England dedicated to Soldiers of the...... read more read more
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SWANAGE, England – With the closing ceremonies of the 2012 Olympics now in the history books, Americans reflect with pride on the performance of all U.S. athletes who travelled to London to represent the red, white, and blue. With a decidedly dominant performance by these athletes as evidenced by the final medal count, it is clear U.S. significance remains very apparent in the world when it comes to Olympic competition.
While our world Olympic standing is measured regularly every two years during the summer and winter games, it is never guaranteed we will always come out on top. Standing of this nature requires continual proof that America still supplies many of the best athletes in the world. Fortunately, there have been times when our significance has lasted generations despite the fact we only had to prove it once. It is the stuff that American legends are borne of, primarily when it comes to the exploits of the U.S. military.
Not far from the epicenter of the 2012 Olympic Games sits the small coastal town of Swanage, England, a scant 130 miles south west of London. It was here recently that two members of the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment visited to commemorate the dedication of a new memorial created to honor the Blue Spaders of 1-26 who billeted and trained there leading up to the D-Day invasion.
On June. 30, Spc. Matt Winter, current Blue Spader and veteran of the Afghanistan Campaign, traveled to Swanage via rail with Wesley Mullen, a former Blue Spader who served in G Company, 1-26 during World War II.
The day, which was Veterans Day in the United Kingdom, was fitting for the elder Spader, as the last time that 87-year old rode on a train at Swanage was in May, 1944, when he and his fellow soldiers left from the station bound for the largest maritime invasion in history.
Winter, who was selected by the command team of the 1-26 to represent the current Blue Spader organization, reflected on the chance to be in the company of Wesley, who at one point during the European campaign was one of only eight soldiers in his platoon to survive a German ambush.
“It was definitely an honor to be there with Wesley Mullen and to go through [that] very nice ceremony,” said Winter. “I’m very appreciative that [my unit] decided to choose me. The Blue Spaders of the past set a really good impression [in Swanage, England].”
By this Winter was referring to the unbelievable fanfare that awaited the American visitors at the site of the memorial dedication.
Greeted by town dignitaries, “American G.I.s” dressed to the hilt in period combat uniforms emblazoned with the Big Red One shoulder patch, and big band music of Glenn Miller swinging over the loudspeakers welcomed the honored guests, all put on by town that bore the positive memory of an American fighting outfit that helped stop Adolph Hitler’s advance across Europe.
“It was really cool to take a little walk back in history,” said Winter. “There were some gentlemen there who were boys and teenagers [in 1944], and they would talk about their memories of that time. Those [previous] Blue Spaders set a high standard for us to use when we are representing ourselves as [current] members of the Blue Spaders.”
It was during this celebration that Wesley, for whom the visit had special significance, was able to convey his appreciation to the people assembled for the ceremony.
According to Andrew P.M. Wright, official press officer and photographer for the Swanage Railway, Wesley explained that the people of Swanage and Purbeck always held a special place in his heart and added “that he was overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness shown to him by local people and that it had been a long-treasured dream to return.”
Perhaps not as personal, for Winter the visit was still one of the major high points in his career as a soldier.
“[This] experience was fantastic, I never thought I would be given an opportunity to go to England and represent my Battalion as the only American soldier there, and as a lower enlisted none the less,” said Winter. “It’s something I will remember forever, and after [my service in] the Army, it will be one of the shiny points of my career.”
To read the Swanage Railway’s account of the event as told by Wright, visit http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/news837.htm
| Date Taken: | 06.22.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 08.14.2012 11:45 |
| Story ID: | 93189 |
| Location: | SWANAGE, ENG, GB |
| Web Views: | 410 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Current, former Blue Spaders part of UK town history, by LTC Travis Dettmer, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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