THAT lots of American troops were stationed in Hampshire in the Second World War is well-known. Thousands were here between 1942 and 1945, especially in the run-up to D-Day in 1944.

But thousands also served in the county during the First World War.

A huge army base had been constructed at Morn Hill, off Alresford Road, on the area called No Man’s Land between Winnall and Morn Hill. Today part of the site is the Winnall Council estate, St Swithun’s School and Leigh House Hospital but most of it, now as then, is farmland.

There were camps all around Winchester including at Flower Down, today the site of the Sir John Moore Barracks, near Littleton.

By spring 1918 huge numbers of Americans were crossing the Atlantic to later decisively tip the balance against the Germans on the Western Front.

Whilst in the UK they needed bases and so Morn Hill and Flower Down were handed over to them.

These photos by the US Signal Corps show their life in the camp as well as featuring photos from their troops marching through the city centre or playing baseball on what looks like the water meadows or land at Bar End.

With almost all the photos it is difficult to get one’s bearings as landmarks such as the M3 are absent.

The photos were taken by Cpl CD Donnelly in the summer of 1918. They show not the heroics of military life but its usual humdrum routine; men washing clothes, playing baseball or craps, sitting in the mess or just hanging around.

Cpl Donnelly had been promoted to sergeant by the final photos and had also learned the correct spelling of Winnall.

l With thanks to American researcher Susan Strange for helping compile the photographs.