GUEST POST – Beyond the Map: The Faces of a Black GI Unit in Suffolk, Spring 1944
8 May 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day: Victory in Europe Day celebrating the formal acceptance by Allied Forces of Nazi Germany's surrender.
As commemorations of this important date get underway, The Mixed Museum returns to the critical but often overlooked story of Black American soldiers in Britain during the Second World War. In this guest post, independent researcher Charlotte Marchant reflects on a rare 1944 photograph containing names of Black soliders in the 529th Quartermaster Battalion. The photo was uncovered by Charlotte during her research as part of TMM’s ongoing collaborative project mapping the locations of Black GI bases in Britain.
Read on to learn how this image of an all-Black unit stationed in Suffolk and its accompanying unit history reveals the immense contributions of African American soldiers to the Allied victory.
Uncovering Hidden Histories for VE Day: Black GIs in Britain, 1944
On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, it is a timely moment to reflect on the often overlooked contributions of Black American GIs stationed in Britain during the Second World War. In a previous post, I shared insights from a 2023 pilot mapping project, funded by Anglia Ruskin University, which aimed to chart the locations of their bases across the UK. As part of this work, I travelled to the US National Archives (NARA) to photograph primary sources, including station lists and unit histories tracking the movements of US forces.
While the systematic collection of geographical data has been essential for this work, it is actually the unexpected discoveries that have truly brought this history to life. In particular, photographs and handwritten accounts lain hidden for decades within unit history records. As we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, these personal traces offer a powerful reminder of the many individual lives and contributions behind the broader story of Allied victory; stories that have too often gone unrecognised in official commemorations.
One such image, which immediately struck me, is a group portrait of the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment of the 529th Quartermaster Battalion, taken on 22 April 1944. More than a record of personnel, it provides a direct visual link to a specific group of Black American soldiers stationed in England at a pivotal point in the war. Unusually it also puts names to the faces of these men and their corresponding locations mapped during our earlier pilot project; work we hope to expand in future to better represent their presence and lived experiences.
A Rare Glimpse: Photographing the 529th Quartermaster Battalion
The date of the photo (22 April 1944) places this Headquarters Detachment in the critical phase of preparations for the D-Day landings in Normandy. Just weeks earlier, on 8 February 1944, the unit had undergone a major reorganisation. The original structure of the 529th Quartermaster Battalion was broken up, with its companies redesignated as separate service units. The Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment remained under the 529th name but took on a new role of overseeing a range of attached units.
By the time this portrait was taken, the detachment was stationed at Hilltop Camp, part of the larger Depot Q-107 complex near Stowmarket in Suffolk. They had relocated there on 11 March 1944.
Preparing for D-Day: Life at Hilltop Camp, Suffolk
As the unit history reveals, life at Hilltop Camp was busy and purposeful in the months before the invasion. Under the command of senior white officers (standard practice for the time), training was rigorous and included reviews of fundamental military skills, aircraft recognition (vital given the constant air activity), map reading, and crucially, learning how to handle mines and booby traps (dangers they would face in France). Regular marches, sometimes conducted at night to simulate operational conditions, tested their endurance.
Despite the demanding schedule, efforts were made to maintain morale. The unit history notes that white officer Lieutenant George Moseley (front row in the photograph) and Technical Sergeant Horace Marshall (middle row in the photograph) were instrumental in organising recreational activities. They ran volleyball and softball tournaments, fostering a sense of camaraderie and healthy competition. T/Sgt Marshall, showing another side to military life, directed the unit's dance band, the ‘Hilltop Swingsters’, which played for the soldiers on camp twice weekly between April and July 1944.
The Faces of the Detachment
The photograph captures the core personnel of the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment.
While not everyone is clearly identified or extensively documented in the unit history narrative, some key figures visible in the photo are mentioned, giving us rare and valuable insight:
- Lt. Col. Joseph H. Cerwins (Middle row): The [white] Commanding Officer, who took command just two months prior and attended specialised training in March for the unit's new role.
- Lt. George K. Moseley (Front row): Later the unit's [white] Adjutant, involved in the sports activities and later serving as a Post Police and Prison Officer in France.
- WOJG Floyd W. DeShields (Front row): The Supply Officer, also attended the March course. Tragically, he drowned in France just four months after this photo was taken, on August 17, 1944.
- T/Sgt Harry V. Braddock (Middle row): The long-serving Battalion Supply Sergeant, recommended for promotion later on.
- T/Sgt Horace G. Marshall (Middle row): The Personnel Sergeant Major and director of the "Hilltop Swingsters."
- M/Sgt Melvin N. Conley (Middle row): Attended the March course and served as a Color Sergeant.
- T/4 Richard B. Davis (Midle row): The Battalion Typist and Detachment Clerk, a former Color Guard, later a commendably serving court reporter.
- T/5 William A. Banks (Middle row): Possibly the courier mentioned for excellent work in France.
Do you recognise any of the men in the photo?
If you have any information, family connections, or memories related to the 529th Quartermaster Battalion or the Black GIs stationed in Britain during WWII, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch at:
From Suffolk to Normandy: The Mission of the 529th
The mission of this Headquarters Detachment was crucial: overseeing the administration, supply, and training of a range of attached units. Once the unit moved into mainland Europe, its history details the diverse types of units they supervised later in the year, highlighting the broad scope of their responsibilities. For instance, the Battalion supported Bakery Companies, Depot Supply Companies, units providing Fumigation & Bath services, and even Graves Registration Platoons. They played an essential role as administrative and logistical coordinators.
While the men in this photo were training in Suffolk, the clock was ticking towards the invasion. They landed in Normandy shortly after D-Day, on July 7, 1944, and received credit for participating in both the Normandy and Northern France Campaigns. Their work took them across liberated Europe, often operating close behind the advancing lines, ensuring that the crucial supply chain and administrative support reached where it was needed most.
Remembering the 529th on the 80th Anniversary of VE Day
These men formed part of the vital, often overlooked, logistical backbone that made the Allied victory possible. Their service, like that of so many Black GIs in segregated units, was essential. As we mark the anniversary of VE Day, it’s important to remember that victory in Europe was not only won on the front lines, but also through the tireless work of units like the 529th.
By uncovering and sharing images like this, we begin to connect various strands of textual based research together, bringing real human stories into view. In looking at their faces, we can honour their contribution and remember those, like Warrant Officer Junior Grade Floyd W. DeShields, who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Author bio
Charlotte Marchant, MA, is an interdisciplinary cultural heritage professional, historian, and researcher, known for her work on underrepresented histories of the Second World War, with a specific focus on the experiences and movements of Black GIs stationed in Britain. Her research involves interpreting undigitised military records and analysing complex datasets. She has worked for IWM and the National Archives (TNA) as Military Collections Researcher. In 2023, with Professor Lucy Bland and Dr Chamion Caballero, she co-led a project focusing on mapping Black GI bases in East Anglia, supported by Anglia Ruskin University.
Learn more
Read about Charlotte's visit to NARA for TMM's ongoing collaborative 'Mapping Black GIs in Britain' project, where the photo of the 529th was discovered
Learn about Charlotte's research into Black GIs in Cornwall which she conducted at Bodmin Army Keep Museum
Explore more findings into the presence of Black GIs in Suffolk and East Anglia in researcher Anya Ward's guest post on the 923rd Engineer Aviation Regiment
Discover more about Black GIs in Britain and the children born to them and local women - who have become known as the 'brown babies' of WW2 -in our award-winning digital exhibition
Sign up to our newsletter for latest posts!
Enjoyed this article?
Sign up to The Mixed Museum’s newsletter to stay updated when new blog posts like this go live. We send highlights from the museum's collection, links to new articles, and other interesting updates direct to your email inbox once a month.
