History Part 1 - 70th Infantry Division Association

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JL he choice of a setting in which to place the beginning of this narrative history
in outline is made without a second thought. BARROW-IN-FURNESS! Situated in
the Northwest of England, Furneiss is a bit remote even fromits own Lancashire. This
rugged Old World peninsula sparkles like a lovely jewel when the stubborn northcountry
sun brushes aside the eternal rains which come sweeping in on high winds
from the Irish Sea.
It was in Furness that the men of the 101st Cavalry Group stretched their sea
legs and settled down to make final preparations for the job ahead. They were the
first Americans billeted in that particular section of England. The people seemed as
reluctant hosts at first, but it was not long before their native friendliness arid
deep sense of hospitality reached out in genuine welcome to these equally friendly
and well behaved "Yanks". BIARROW-IN-FURNESS, Camp Anty Cross, and the good
folk of all Furness always will hold a warm place in the hearts and memories
of these men.
Perfection Is Sought After
Flashing back to home shores for a moment ... let it be recorded here that no
group of soldiers ever worked more dilligently for the priviledge of entering the fight
than did the officers and men of the 101st Cavalry Group. InEngland they continued
to work withundiminished zeal and efficiency. They met every demand against time,
energy, ingenuity and patience. They opened every door and followed every lead in
their search for perfection in detail. They never were satisfied. This bit of unit
character was built through years of intelligent self-criticism which discouraged some
along the way but finally proved its true worth in the preparation of the unit for
actual combat. They kneiw that the term "100 per cent" could have only one meaning
and one result. They achieved that result.
Vignettes And Questions
LifeinEngland became a series of flashing vignettes and unanswered questions ...
Christmas Eve withits rapier like thoughts of home; midnight services and the mess
hall afterwards with steaming hot coffee, thousands of doughnuts and the Red Cross
girls who made them ... the little English Carol singers ... New Years Eve also
brought many disturbing thoughts. Some listened to the local "bellringers" as they
pealed in the New Year and then quietly went to bed. Others made an attempt to
transplant the gayety of an American New Yeans Eve... all looked about them as
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