DAWN Gould got in touch with Looking Back after we appealed for information about the wartime American servicemen’s club, known as the Red Cross club, in Weymouth.

As a 17-year-old Dawn worked at the club, which was above where the Swan Inn now is in St Mary Street in Weymouth town centre.

Dawn, of Newstead Road, Weymouth, said: “It opened on January 30, 1944, which was the same day as my 17th birthday.

“They made a big fuss of me. I became the official hostess at the club and did different things every day.

“Sometimes I was in the hat check place and sometimes I was in the library.”

Dawn also remembers a big store called Hallett’s which was below the club.

She still has some very vivid memories of her time there.

“There was a restaurant there and we used to be able to eat there.

“Artie Shaw’s band was resident in the Royal Hotel and played at the opening of the club.

“I used to have the most wonderful time there whether working or dancing.

“One thing I do remember though is that the people running it were quite religious and I got told off for showing my petticoat while I was jitterbugging!”

Dawn has a whole photo album of wartime memories, including a photo of a GI who was her fiancé, who was killed at Omaha Beach.

She said: “The people who ran the club used to take us to Blandford Hospital to talk to the injured GIs.

“It was a wonderful time but it was a very hard time. I became a cub reporter on the Southern Times.

“My job was to visit families who had lost someone in the war and I had to get a photo of them and a few lines to put in the paper.

“We used to call the paper ‘the Suffering Times’.

“I was engaged to a GI and only found out he had been killed when I received a letter I had written to him saying ‘deceased, return to sender’.

“The GIs were well-educated and they respected women.”

- Looking Back would like to find out more about the Weymouth store Halletts and of the trips taken by volunteers to Blandford Hospital to speak to injured soldiers. We’d also like to hear more about your memories of the GIs in Weymouth.

If you have any information or photos, contact Looking Back on 01305 830973 or email joanna.davis@dorsetecho.co.uk