The hospital sign at Kingston Lacy
I promised more about the 106th American hospital that was based at Kingston Lacy, near Wimborne in Dorset, so here we go with the tale of a Adrian D Mandel, Bacteriologist.
Adrian’s son John kindly scanned all the photographs he found including what his Dad had written on the back. I have made a small selection from the large collection and start his journey at Fort McClellan, then a few from his time at Kingston Lacy and finish with John visiting last year the places his Dad had been.
Fort McClellan all ready to go
June 18th 1944 – ‘Fort McClellan a few hours before leaving, the mens packs are all lined up ready to be slung on the racks. Today is the day we shall soon be off to lord knows where.’
accommodation block at Kingston Lacy
April 1945 – Kingston lacy ‘my home in the E.T.O, shared with 15 other men. Triangular affair on the right is our gas attack alarm. The building in the shadows on the right is the latrine or ablutions as the English say. Again note the trees, truly we are in one of the nicest locations in England’
Wimborne in Dorset
April 1945 – Wimborne ‘people lined up (que up) for ice-cream on one of the first days it was sold after 6 years of war. This so-called ice-cream tastes nothing like American ice-cream – probably due to the war.’
Inside one of the hospital buildings at Kingston Lacy
January 1945 – ‘Mandel and Meites and a late night ‘smorgasboard’ after a usual poor supper. Tea, orange juice, cheese, crackers, sugar, sausage, I think Joe is hiding a salami in this picture. Note our Coleman photo-electric spectrophotometer in the background’
Pamphill Green, Pamphill Manor on the left
May 1945 – ‘one of our field days, baseball game between officers and nurses. Nurse Lt Ventre at bat, Capt. Mac Farland mess officer catching, Spectators starting on the left Capt. Wroblewaki, Lt Col Cobb Chief of Surgery, my buddy Meites and then McNamara the catholic chaplain. The house on the left is where the land army girls were’
The clowns were part of the field day events.
May 1945 – ‘English children intently watching our two clowns (part of field day) Lt Mc Clellan and Lt Woodin making fun with a deck of cards. Those kids really had the time of their lives that day, including the best meal in 5 years’
Studious scene inside one of the hospital buildings at Kingston Lacy
October 1944 – ‘T/G Flaherty hard at work reading the ‘Stars and Stripes’ “well fellows according to todays paper we should be home by — followed by uncomplimentary sounds from the rest of the men in the hut’
The 10 bed isolation ward building
John at Kingston Lacy in the doorway of one of only three surviving structures left in the grounds of the house. This is a 10 bed isolation ward, now an archive store.
St Stephens Church on the estate April 1945
John Mandel at St Stephens Church Sept 2012
I must thank the families of the guys and girls who were based at Kingston Lacy for the information they give us it is amazing, a field of cows and sheep suddenly becomes filled with people going about their daily lives among the trees.
Archaeology National Trust SW 
My ancestors worked at Kingston Lacey the Cobb family Mr Richards kindly showed my sister
and myself the log books where they are listed I would love to be able to visit the cottage 601
Pamphill Farm where they lived
Hi Patricia, hope this finds you well, it is always great to hear from family of the people who helped run and looked after places and estates like Kingston Lacy it helps to bring them to life. Your best course of action would be to contact Kingston Lacy when we are all able to get back to our lives before covid 19. all the best Nance