This is a novel which opens in the autumn of 1943. Hitler's invasion hasn't happened
and the tide of the war is gradually turning against Germany. Most able-bodied men are
away at war and in the south of England the women and older men are about to experience
an abrupt interruption to their way of life.
Essentially the book tells a series of stories about the impact
of the American GIs on the area, the local people, and their interactions.
And at its heart, the attempts by the American military authorities
to introduce US-style segregation into British villages and towns.
One in ten of the American soldiers were black troops. Many of
the others came from the US southern states where the Ku Klux
Clan was still a powerful force. The results were often incendiary.
It was a time when young people grew up quickly. The Home Front
as much as the battlefields was a place of 'coming of age'. Evacuees
and the GIs were all 'outsiders' in southern England, and for
the locals, their homes and lives were indelibly touched by the
'friendly invasion'.
The novel is actually the result of very considerable research. When I set off on its journey I had great
support from author, John Fowles, and then Jo Draper at Lyme Regis Museum, and the D-Day Museum in Southsea
and latterly Teignmouth Museum. Along the way I interviewed dozens of locals and a few American GIs, and
amassed literally hundreds of books on the period.
I have also shared the book with a number of fellow writers before publication. You can see some of their
comments on the back cover. A couple of other comments are offered below:
I really enjoyed the clever blend of fact and fiction to create
an informative yet entertaining tale. The sub-division of sections
works well to make the story into mini-episodes and the dialogue
adds a realistic dimension. Overall, I think it's a cracking
story. Phil Bayliss
I've enjoyed reading your story and hope that a lot more people
will do the same. Ric Rogers
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The Friendly Invasion - as the US GIs trained for D-Day