‘Got any gum, chum?’

I remember the US military at the Pheasey Estate very well. The entrance in to the camp was on the right side of The Trees pub. One night after visiting an aunt with my mom and dad and waiting for the bus (No 29) my father offered the US guard five shilling for wicker broom, he accepted it. Also, I can re-call seeing US military personnel around the general neighbourhood and as kids we would ask them ‘got any gum chum’ Down on the Kingstanding Circle area drunken GIs would be thrown in the back of military trucks and taken back to the Pheasey base by the MPs. When the US military finally left their Pheasey base they left behind the houses completely wrecked and trashed. The entrance in to the base is now Romney Way. A complete military base existed behind the Trees public house. You would see plenty US uniformed personnel around the Great Barr and Kingstanding area all with plenty of money to spend and dating the local girls. They would walk arm in arm with the girls showing them lots of attention. I know lots more.