Editing Bideford (section)

===World War II===
In 1942 American GIs arrived in Bideford. At first they were there to work in radar stations across North Devon and work on experimental things. More American troops began to arrive as the war progressed. Experiments nearby, including [[Panjandrum|The Great Panjandrum]], were said to be viewed in the area in secret by [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] and [[Sir Winston Churchill]] at the Strand Cinema.<ref>{{cite news |last=Christie |first=P. |date=13 August 1982 |title=Did Churchill visit Torridgeside? |newspaper=Bideford Gazette }}</ref> In 1943 more Americans arrived as D-day training had begun at beaches across North Devon<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bidefordheritage.co.uk/htdocs/gisinbideford.htm |title=GIs In Bideford |publisher=Bidefordheritage.co.uk |access-date=26 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629032108/http://www.bidefordheritage.co.uk/htdocs/gisinbideford.htm |archive-date=29 June 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> During the war Bideford Ordnance Experimental Station Depot O-617 was set up to experiment on waterproofing equipment for the D-day landings. The Americans' [[G.I. (military)|GI]] camp was at Bowden Green in Bideford, and had plenty of facilities, including a cinema. There was also a vehicle repair shop off the Kingsley Road, and the Pill was taken over by US forces as well. Because of the sheer number of American soldiers in the area by 1943 the [[American Red Cross]] opened a club near Chudleigh Fort in East-the-Water. Bideford had an [[Auxiliary Units|Auxiliary Unit Patrol]] at Cleave Mine, the men of this patrol were expected to be the resistance if Britain was invaded.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bidefordheritage.co.uk/htdocs/Auxunit.htm |title=Churchill's Secret Army &#124; Auxiliary Unit |publisher=Bidefordheritage.co.uk |access-date=26 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130628235512/http://www.bidefordheritage.co.uk/htdocs/Auxunit.htm |archive-date=28 June 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> During the war 2700 evacuees were expected in Bideford; a large number of these came and stayed throughout the war. During [[World War II]] a bomb was dropped on a house in Bowden Green and caused substantial damage. Also during the war an [[RCAF]] bomber crashed in East the Water; three men were killed and one badly injured. A memorial has been put on the [[Tarka Trail]] to commemorate this.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bidefordbuzz.org.uk/page/2/ |title=Newspages for the Bideford and district community. &#124; Page 2 |publisher=Bideford Buzz |access-date=26 June 2013 |archive-date=12 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130812150510/http://bidefordbuzz.org.uk/page/2/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It is also thought that during the war there was an experimental Royal Navy unit testing a secret petrol pipeline in the river. It is thought that after being rescued in the Bristol Channel, some German airman were brought ashore at Bideford, where they were taken to Bideford Hospital. There was also a [[POW]] camp at Handy Cross.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bidefordbuzz.org.uk/ |title=Newspages for the Bideford and district community |publisher=Bideford Buzz |access-date=26 June 2013 |archive-date=12 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812104850/http://bidefordbuzz.org.uk/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It has been discovered that the Nazis had a map of Bideford in readiness for a possible invasion,<ref name="germaninvasion">{{cite web|url=http://www.germaninvasion.co.uk/archiveimages/tp012-w.jpg|title=archiveimages/tp012-w.jpg|publisher=germaninvasion.co.uk|access-date=31 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218180603/http://www.germaninvasion.co.uk/archiveimages/tp012-w.jpg|archive-date=18 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>  also that the Nazis had an aerial picture of the area for intelligence purposes.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20141213013200/http://www.clique.co.uk/coloptics/luftwaffe/luftimages/LS-306.jpg Map] at clique.co.uk</ref>