Expert solves mystery of WW2 wall engraving

GI Mike Browning and Jackie Atwell are thought to have formed a friendship during preparations for D-Day in Bristol

A historian believes he has solved the mystery of who carved American place names onto a Bristol wall - and uncovered a D-Day romance in the process.

City and town names, including 'Hillsboro Texas', were spotted on a wall by walker Kelly Sheppard, in Westbury-on-Trym, in 2018.

After six years and two public appeals, it is believed that Mike Browning, an American GI who was placed in Bristol in preparation for the Normandy landings, was behind some of the engravings.

"To get the name of the person that carved into a brick in Bristol in 1944 is absolutely perfect," said amateur historian Oliver Davey.

"Finding the stories behind it has been wonderful," he added.

"This has been the highlight of my research."

The bricks with American place names such as 'Hillsboro Texas' inscribed

The carving was first spotted by Ms Sheppard when she was walking back from work.

"I'm naturally curious and the word 'Texas' caught my eye, and I thought 'what are the chances of that being in Westbury-on-Trym?'," she said.

Two years later, Ms Sheppard spotted a piece written by Mr Davey about 'Yanks in Bristol', and she sent him the pictures of what she had found.

Kelly Sheppard spotted the carvings when walking home back from work

"It was really exciting to receive the photos," Mr Davey said.

"I cycled down to see the bricks and Hillsboro Texas stood out because it's such a small place.

"There's only about 10,000 people [who lived there] so I thought there might be a better chance of finding out who was actually responsible for the graffiti.

"I tried to contact a local paper in Hillsboro - they were really interested and ran a story on it but we got no response from that."

Hitting a dead-end, the Western Daily Press ran the story which was spotted by Paul Atwell, the son of Jackie Atwell, who had dated a GI from Hillsboro during the war.

Oliver Davey said it was "wonderful" to uncover different D-Day histories

Mr Atwell then looked through his mother's photograph collection.

"She produced this photo of her and this American GI who she'd had a friendship with and went on a couple of dates with - he was from Hillsboro," he said.

"I said to mum 'isn't that where that chap comes from on the photo?'"

Mr Browning had been living with a family on Falcondale Road, near to where the inscription was found.

"I think they got on very well - they went to the zoo one day and then went up to a fair on the Downs one day in the bumper cars and had a good time," Mr Atwell added.

Paul Atwell and his mother Jackie spotted a photograph of the bricks in the Western Daily Press, adding the missing piece to the puzzle

After being contacted by the Atwells, Mr Davey began researching Mr Browning and discovered he worked at a department store before he was drafted.

"Mike came over and we think he was part of a maintenance company, so involved in a technical role supporting Avonmouth docks," Mr Davey said.

"We’ve heard of all the people that went on the first wave onto the beaches but there were a lot more people involved in the war.

"Their stories haven’t really been told in the same way so to have that tangible link to someone in Bristol that did that is amazing."