Margaret (Margie) Fahey McGrath

by Caroline Jarrold

Margaret (Margie) Fahey McGrath was a medical social worker for the American Red Cross in Norfolk during WWII. Stationed in Norfolk for 2 years from 1943, she was a prolific letter writer, with 200 letters between Norfolk and her family and friends in the US (Syracuse, NY) detailing her time here.

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Image: The American Library

MARGARET (MARGIE) FAHEY MCGRATH
1918 – 2000

How many families have old letters and photographs in boxes which give glimpses and insights into the extraordinary and yet ordinary lives of family members? Until the arrival of the internet and social media and even being able to telephone friends and family with ease, letter writing was central to communications and binding people together through news and stories of everyday life; the difficult and traumatic through to the amusing and moving and falling in love. What insights will next generations have of today’s lives in fifty or one hundred years’ time? (Probably not trawling through WhatsApp, Facebook or email messages). Perhaps it’s time to write more letters and diaries and take more account of personal stories from challenging times in the past.

Fortunately, Margaret Fahey, as a young American woman raised in the Catholic faith, who volunteered to serve in the American Red Cross in England in 1943, kept her correspondence with family and friends and her children recognised their importance as a record. Margaret had the skills to help through her training as a medical social worker and wanted to do something useful both to help patients emotionally and to bind their wounds. She also had a sense of adventure and lust for new experiences. Her some 200 letters make fascinating reading and they with photographs give a vivid picture of the times when she cared for patients at the 231st Station Hospital at Wymondham from 1943 – 1945. They also give insights into the experiences of those on both sides of the Atlantic during those years of determination and tragedy. Hearing of the recollections of one person and those around her really makes you think about the lives of everyone caught up in the terrible war (and other wars) on all sides.

Just the start of her journey across the Atlantic, with the risk of torpedoes hitting the ship, to a new and unfamiliar place in range of bombs and missiles from Germany was perilous; a terrifying prospect for all.

Margaret’s correspondence relates the everyday life at the hospital – empathy in supporting many young, injured men who had lost their friends and were traumatised by their experiences and her own perceptive observations and grief and anger at the terrible waste and loss of young men from her own community in Syracuse, New York State. She was seen as a problem solver and wrote about many situations where she had been consulted and tried to help resolve (some of which rather baffled her!). She had to take care with words, notably around D Day to avoid demoralising those at home and seeing the expansion of the hospital to cope with additional casualties during the last year of the war.

Her letters tell of diversions to entertain wounded soldiers and witty but sympathetic observations – bridge, other games, crafts, concerts, dances, a lending library and lots of talking and snacks; all activities to give enjoyment to the soldiers and those caring for them. There are somewhat thwarted attempts at setting up a garden with her friend, as a complete novice, and the willingness of a young airman to help them, but not wanting his colleagues to know.

She had an insatiable curiosity and managed to acquire a bike to explore the area. As young people, they also had fun and broadened their experiences. Many romances were formed, including Margaret meeting her own future husband, Canadian Lieutenant, Jack McGrath.

There were excursions to Norwich – hitching a ride on many types of American service vehicles (not a Sherman tank) – a city of considerable size and a very pleasant one. To Norwich Cathedral – exquisitely lovely, a place of peace and tranquillity even with the drone of aircraft overhead. How moving it was to hear Handel’s Messiah performed on Good Friday with the choir including members of the American Air Force alongside the Cathedral Choir- with a wry guilt about it not being sufficiently Catholic. (It makes you wonder that maybe the choir was lacking its own young men because they were serving elsewhere.)

Towards the end of her time in service, Margie wrote about understanding and supporting the aims of the war but feeling real anger that war had to be fought to achieve them and at those in charge.

Some 200,000 American service personnel were stationed in East Anglia for the last two years of the Second World War. It was such a short time, but their traces are well remembered in places around the counties. With fascinating small museums containing airmen’s equipment and uniforms, items handmade to while away the time and use and learn craft skills and photographs telling more stories of the people stationed here (so many, so young); showing how they were welcomed into the local communities, strips of old runways, and brought together at the American Library. All reminding us locals of their imprint and bringing their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to visit the places which left such a mark on their ancestors lives then find their own love for the area and its magnificent cathedral.

With grateful thanks to Margaret’s children – Julie, John and Paul for bringing Margie’s story to life.

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Excerpt from one of Margie’s letters. Credit: The American Library

To find out more about the life of Margie and similarly fascinating stories about American servicemen and women who were stationed in Norwich and Norfolk during the war, visit the UK’s only American Library (FREE, Monday – Saturday). Located in The Forum, it’s a living memorial to the Second Air Division, 8th Air Force, United States Army Air Forces, housing an incredible array of physical and digital archives.

As part of 2026’s Heritage Open Days, the American Library is displaying the letters and memories of Margie in a multi-media exhibition. First made available as part of last year’s Heritage Open Day’s commemorative exhibition Silver Wings: The United States Army Air Forces in World War II Norfolk, this year’s event will focus more deeply upon these documents and the role of women in World War II. In addition to displaying the correspondence, Letters Home will present never-before displayed Oral History interviews, as well as tailored talks and original creative writings inspired by this incredible woman’s story.

Author bio: Caroline Jarrold DL has lived in Norfolk for most of her life. She has worked for Jarrolds for over 40 years in a variety of roles and is the Secretary to the John Jarrold Trust; which supports a wide variety of charitable causes across Norwich and Norfolk. She was a founding Director of VisitNorwich, Chair of the Norfolk & Norwich Festival and is the Chair of Norwich Philharmonic Society and Cox’s Boatyard at Barton Turf and a Trustee of The Forum Trust and several other charities. Caroline has long been passionate about championing Norwich and Norfolk as a wonderful place to live, work and enjoy the huge range of activities within easy reach. She lives near to the Seething Control Tower Museum, which is a living memorial to the service personnel who served in the USAAF 448th Bomb Group, so she was particularly fascinated to be asked to research and write about Margaret Fahey McGrath. Caroline was Sheriff of Norwich from 2021 – 2023 and is a Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk.

Margaret (Margie) Fahey McGrath