Background
In 1939 Gilford was a quiet but thriving small town situated in County Down, Northern Ireland, on the main road between Banbridge and Portadown. The local railway station, known to many as the Madden Station, was just over a mile away on the main Belfast to Dublin Railway line on the way to Tandragee.
The countryside is lush with mature trees and undulating hills, whilst to the South are the peaceful lakes of Kernan, Drumiller and Drumarin.
The town is surrounded by a number of very large private houses and heavily wooded demesnes, many owned by the families of linen merchants.
The river Bann meanders through Gilford and also through the neighbouring towns of Banbridge and Portadown. Nearby is the Newry Canal which links up to the river Bann two miles north of the town near Moyallon.
The population of the town in 1939 was approximately 2000, with most people living in small terraced housing, built for the mill workers of the large Dunbar & McMaster spinning mill which still dominates the skyline.
These quiet surroundings soon changed, when shortly after war was declared the area became the location for thousands of troops from Britain, Belgium, America, Germany and Italy. The country lanes, fast flowing river and the natural terrain provided an ideal and well camouflaged training location for approximately 9000 troops.
Map of Gilford as it would have been in 1939