The ‘Red Diamonds’

Then for a short period during the war, the American army used the buildings at the station as a temporary staging post for personnel and equipment.  I remember that the soldiers had a red diamond on their uniform. 

I also remember getting into real trouble for inviting two soldiers home for dinner without first warning my mother.  In later years we heard that they went on to North Africa to fight against Rommel and sustained heavy casualties.

Some other memories that spring to mind are:-

Catching the NIRTB (Northern Ireland Road Transport Board) bus to travel to Camlough Lake for fishing and family picnics.

Walks up the Camlough Road to the Yellow House, then along the road past the flax dam at Correnshigo and back to the Camlough Road at the graveyard.

Walking up the lane after dark and seeing the glow in the sky from the fires in Belfast during the blitz.

Bicycle rides to Dundalk on a Saturday to bring back some butter and sugar and maybe some sausages from Melber’s butcher shop during the rationing years.  In winter it was hard to keep hands and feet warm so we would ride a while, then run a while and then ride again and so on.  It seemed to work.

Bicycle rides to Warrenpoint for a swim in the ‘baths’.

The occasional train ride to Greenore.

Family vacations at a boarding house in Kilkeel.

 

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