Cornwall property’s forgotten role on D-Day as US troops prepare for Normandy invasion revealed

Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park, often overlooked in D-Day history, played a pivotal role. Even eighty years later, remnants of the days when American troops were stationed in this little corner of the Southwest can still be found.

In May 1943, American troops began arriving in this part of Cornwall. They were part of the US 110th Field Artillery Battalion, which was incorporated into the US 29th Infantry Division, and were stationed at the Anthony House.

Their training took place on Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor, preparing them for their departure to Normandy. As part of this preparation, the troops built the now familiar concrete roads throughout the park.

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They also built ramps at Barn Pool and two nearby refueling piers, along with associated fuel tanks. The three round bases for the fuel tanks can still be seen just east of the house and Earl’s Garden.

According to Plymouth City Council, approximately 8,900 American personnel and their equipment were housed on the land spur between Whitsand Bay and Plymouth Sound prior to the D-Day landings.

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In May 1944, the 29th Division HQ moved to Fort Tregantle to set up camp. The headquarters of the US 115th RCT joined their headquarters at Tregantle Fort, which had been used as an Army gas school since 1942.

By the end of May 1944, senior officers knew that the invasions of Normandy were scheduled for 5 June. To cope with increased traffic ahead of D-Day, a house in Millbrook was demolished to widen the road.

A stone arch at the entrance to the park was dismantled and then rebuilt after the war.

Clues to the departure of troops on D-Day on the beach

Plymouth City Council points out: “On June 6, troops stationed at Mount Edgcumbe Country Park left Barn Pool Beach for Omaha Beach. There are several artifacts that can be found on the beaches at low tide: mooring rings, armored power cable, and the remains of the cable that held the anti-submarine net that reached Drake’s Island.

“On the beach next to the amphitheatre, there is a concrete ‘chocolate bar’. This was put in place to allow vehicles to cross the beach. The mat didn’t have to be solid, it had to flex with the movement of the sand. Having served their purpose in the war, many of the blocks found new uses in Millbrook.”

Stuart Morrissey, a final year BA and Material Practices student at Plymouth University of the Arts, has created ‘The Blue and Grey’, a memorial sculpture and bench dedicated to the 29th Infantry Division. It will find a permanent home in Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park.

He plans to hand over the sculpture to the house after D-Day on June 6.

Despite being in Cornwall, Mount Edgcumbe House is jointly managed by Plymouth City Council and Cornwall Council, who share responsibility for the strategic management and control of its country park.

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