Famous American jazz cornet/trumpet player, Jimmy McPartland (born: Chicago, Illinois - 15 March 1907) joined the US Army in late 1942 as a soldier, not as a musician. He trained at Camp Hahn, California, with the 462nd AAA Combat Battalion. Subsequently, he set sail on a troop ship which crossed the Atlantic before docking in Scotland.
Jimmy McPartland trained at Pembroke and confirmed in a letter to me, as follows: 'I spent six wonderful months in your lovely country in 1944 - January to June. We were at a camp near Angle until the Normandy invasion'. On D Day Plus 4, McPartland was with a combat team in Normandy.
During his spell in Wales, inevitably, there was some musical moments as he had brought with him, his cornet and veteran Swansea jazz enthusiasts have recalled the sight and sound of him sitting-in with a group at the Patti Pavilion in Swansea during those first six months of 1944.
David Griffiths
Read other WW2 stories from Swansea
your comments
We're making some changes to the sites shortly and although this form will be closing, you will have other opportunities to contribute on our new-look site.
Be the first to write a comment on this!
Do you recall seeing Jimmy McPartland in Swansea? Send in your comments here.
David Griffiths of Langland recalls the time Jimmy McPartland spent in south west Wales during WW2.
