A GI who during the chaos of war, helped bring Christmas back to a small Luxembourg town, and unknowingly created a holiday tradition that continues to this very day, was once stationed in Tenby for the winter.

In December 1944, knowing they wouldn’t be home again for the holidays, soldiers from a 112th regiment Signal Company Message Center in the storybook town of Wiltz in Luxembourg, realised that although the town had been liberated after nearly five years of Nazi occupation, the ravages of war had left the townspeople with nothing to celebrate the season.

Hearing this, Corporal Harry Stutz gathered some fellow soldiers and together they organised a Christmas party for the children - a party that would include a special visit from ‘St. Nicolas’ himself, thanks to a reluctant Corporal Richard Brookins!

Wearing the mass robes of the local priest and a crudely fashioned rope beard to complete the costume, St. Nicolas rode through town on an Army jeep, stopping to meet the children and passing out treats baked by the Army cooks or donated from the soldier’s care packages from home.

Ten days later however the Battle of the Bulge erupted in the Ardennes; Wiltz and the 28th Infantry Division are overrun.

In the weeks of fighting that followed, most of the town is damaged or destroyed, mostly from Allied bombing. Tragically, some of the townspeople including children were killed. The joy of that one St. Nicolas day was gone...but not forgotten.

Following the war Wiltz rebuilt and those who survived vowed never to forget the kindness and generosity of those few American soldiers that one St. Nicolas Day.

From then on, to honor those soldiers, the Wiltz St. Nicolas Day celebration would include a new tradition - someone would dress not as St. Nicolas, but rather as the American St. Nicolas and recreate his 1944 jeep ride through town and party after. This tradition has continued faithfully for more than seven decades.

In 2009 Richard Brookins, at the age of 87, made what was thought to be his final visit to be American Saint Nicolas in Wiltz - celebrating the 65th anniversary of the first American Saint Nicolas and the rebuilding of Wiltz.

However, he visited again in 2014, at the age of 92, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the American soldiers’ party for the children of Wiltz.

In July of this year he received Luxembourg’s highest military honor ‘The Military Medal’ in a ceremony held in his home town of Rochester, NY.

Seimon Pugh-Jones director at The Tin Shed Experience in Laugharne which collects wartime memorabilia, is planning a GIs in Wales exhibition for next year, and thought that the connection of the ‘American St Nick’ Richard W Brookins, who was stationed at Tenby from October 1943 to May 1944, would make a timely festive reminder of the tale for Pembrokeshire people.

According to Peter Lion, indeed GI Brookins was at Tenby, apparently in some ‘apartments’ (that were really hastily constructed housing) along the seafront.

“He still remembers the sound of the tide coming in and going out every day, also he distinctly recalls frequenting ‘The Arches’ pub - although it’s the Five Arches, the soldiers just called it The Arches,” he explained.

“If anyone one has any stories, artefacts, photographs etc, on GIs in Wales, we would love to hear from them,” added Seimon.

You can contact Seimon at the Tin Shed Experience on 07974 106 157 or via email at [email protected]