Somewhere in the MidlandsPaperback, 1 October 1998

Army Force Station 522, at Beakes Road, Smethwick, Staffordshire, was created on 25th August 1943 in order to meet the increasing demands of the United States Army Air Force in the European Theatre of Operations. Situated at least 50 miles from the nearest USA Air Force base, its Midlands location was appropriate for the movement of equipment throughout the country. Also, its distance from the airfields gave the depot a degree of security and it was not bombed during its American occupation.