Son Honors Unmet GI Father in Remembrance

A man whose father was a Black American soldier based in Dorset during World War Two has honored the memory of the parent he never encountered. John Stockley, aged 79, recently ascertained the identity of his father, Madison Glover, a GI who lodged in his mother’s guest house in Weymouth following the United States’ entry into the conflict. Mr. Stockley participated in the yearly remembrance ceremonies held at the US War Memorial in Weymouth. Mr. Stockley stated that his father and fellow soldiers had been “airbrushed out of history”. Prior to the D-Day landings in 1944, tens of thousands of American troops arrived in Dorset. Weymouth served as one of the departure points for the Normandy invasion, which marked the commencement of mainland Europe’s liberation from Nazi occupation. The Pioneers, Black regiments assigned to preparatory tasks like expanding roads and gates for the main American military force, were among the initial arrivals. Due to the prevailing Jim Crow laws, African American soldiers encountered prejudice within the military, mirroring the discrimination they experienced domestically. These soldiers were organized into segregated units, provided with distinct facilities and lodging, compelled into support roles behind the front lines, and frequently deprived of firearms. Additionally, there were documented cases of Black soldiers being killed by white service members. Mr. Stockley recounted that his mother operated a guest house in Weymouth that the military took over, where several soldiers resided. He stated, “Fallen in love, one night stand? Who knows? But she got pregnant with me.” He mentioned that his biological father was “never spoken about” during his childhood. He added, “I never knew – they kept things quiet as families did in those days.” Mr. Stockley reported experiencing abuse and derogatory remarks, with his mixed-race appearance attributed to a “birth throwback”. The experiences of Black US servicemen are chronicled by historian Louisa Parker in her book, *1944 We Were Here: African American GIs in Dorset*. She noted that local women were known to have formed relationships with Black soldiers. She further stated, “The face of Dorset was changed with the presence of thousands of African-American young men in a rural English county – this was the first and probably only time Dorset has had a large black population.” She added, “For children and adults it would have been the first time they saw a black person outside of the movies – they appeared to have made quite an impression, described by locals as friendly, courteous and polite.” The soldiers attended services at local churches, with white soldiers in the mornings and Black soldiers in the afternoons. Ms. Parker mentioned that local residents would gather outside the churches to hear them perform African American spirituals. Mr. Stockley indicated that he felt a connection to his US heritage when, as a young child, he later went to church services in Moonfleet. A stars and stripes flag was positioned next to a memorial inside the church, commemorating the US soldiers who died during the conflict. He recounted, “My grandmother used to hold me up to touch the flag – why did I want to touch that flag? Why did I know that was part of me?” Mr. Stockley only managed to uncover more about his ancestry in his 70s, initially by utilizing a DNA test kit. He learned that his father was Madison William Glover, who had served with the 1313 Engineering company in the US Army and passed away in 1964. Via a Channel Four documentary titled *Britain’s Secret War Babies*, Mr. Stockley learned he was not an only child and possessed living relatives on his paternal side. In 2022, he journeyed to San Diego to encounter his siblings for the first time. Mr. Stockley participated with others in paying respects at the yearly remembrance ceremony at Weymouth’s US war memorial. He stated that he was aware of at least 15 other Weymouth inhabitants whose fathers were Black GIs during their deployment in the war years, with additional cases yet to be disclosed. He remarked, “My father was an African American GI who came here to fight against tyranny, but he had his own battles – it was a segregated Army.” He continued, “Yet he still came here to fight in a war – our war.”