Introduction
Springtown Camp, now known as Springtown Industrial Estate, was formally an American navy base during the Second World War. The first residents of the camp left America on the 2nd May 1942; they were the 400 members of the 1st Provisional Marine Battallion and they sailed aboard the 'Santa Rosa', a converted cruise ship of the Italian-American line. Not only did the 'Santa Rosa' transport the men but it also carried the materials for the construction of Springtown Camp.

With names like Busallo, Van Schaick, La Tour, Cassiero, these men were the first tenants (view photo gallery). They arrived in Derry on the River Foyle and quickly established Springtown Camp, which was America's first base on the European side of the Atlantic. One month later an augmentation force of 152 enlisted marines arrived on board the SS Slboney to join their comrades.

Springtown Camp comprised a collection of tin huts and a small number of wooden huts, which, after the Americans vacated (when the War was over), was promptly squatted into by a number of families who at that time had been living with their parents in extremely cramped conditions.

It wasn't long before there were approximately three hundred families living in Springtown. The council eventually gave every family a rent book and informed residents that this would be a short stay tenancy, i.e. six months duration, after which they would be rehoused; this short stay tenancy developed into a 20 year period for many of the families.

A battle insued between the Derry Corporation and the Rural Council as to who was responsable for the maintainance of the huts even though the Derry Corporation collected the rents for the huts of the people of Springtown. While they battled it out the huts quickly deteriorated into dreadful condition.

The people of Springtown Camp endured great hardship in living conditions that were arguably the worst in the country, but through it all they fashioned a very strong sense of community and pride – the common bond, their meagre circumstances.

A committee was formed in the Sixties to agitate for houses with great success. Eventually everyone was rehoused and the Springtown Camp closed its gates for the last time.

For a more in depth description of the people in Springtown and their struggle for re-housing please click Deery's Diary below, Written by Willie Deery

Deery's Diary>>


Above: The women of Springtown Camp taking over the Guildhall in protest of their living conditions in the camp.