Bill’s Mission To Discover More About US Troops’ Stay In Market Harborough

An American man researching his father’s time in Market Harborough during World War II is thanking all who have made contact with him.

Bill Bonnamy has been visiting to find out more about when troops from the US 82nd Airborne Division were stationed at Papillon Hall in Lubenham, in the run-up to D-Day in 1944.

Bill Bonnamy

His father, William, a paratrooper and gunner, was aged 23 at the time.

Bill has met with various people with memories from that era during his visit and visited buildings and places with connections to it.

Bill at the entrance to where Papillon Hall stood Pic: Andy Carpenter

He has been assisted by Dave Allen from Market Harborough, who appealed for information, old photographs and other memories via HFM last month.

Bill, a retired detective from Arizona, spoke to Hfm’s Nick Shaw about his research project:

Bill’s father, William

Bill has now returned to the US but continues to appeal for information about when his Father and other US troops were stationed here.

If you can help contact Bill via his website: https://319gliderman.com