An  American  Rest  Camp  was  constructed  accordingly,  to  the  account
of  the  United  States  Government,  at  Knotty  Ash,  on  each  side  of  the
Cheshire  Lines  Station  of  that  name,  situate  about  five  miles  from  the
nearest  of  the  Liverpool  docks.  Construction  of  the  camp  began  in
May,  1918.  It  was  at  first  composed  entirely  of  American  Field  Service
tents,  but  later  on  huts  were  adopted,  instead.  Work  on  the  camp  was
still  proceeding  when  the  Armistice  was  signed.  The  original  intention,
also,  was  that  the  camp  should  afford  accommodation  for  15,000  troops,
but  the  greatest  number  there  at  any  one  time  did  not  exceed  8,000.
The  troops  always  marched  from  the  docks  to  the  camp  except  during
October,  1918,  when  so  many  of  those  arriving  in  Liverpool  were  either
suffering  from  or  sickening  for  influenza  that  trains  were  then-  provided
which  took  the  men  from  Riverside,  Canada  and  Alexandra  Docks  via
the  London  and  North  Western  Railway  to  AUerton  Junction,  and
thence  to  Knotty  Ash  over  the  Cheshire  Lines.
In  the  dispatch  of  the  American  troops  southwards  from  the  Liverpool
docks  there  were  various  other  complications  for  which  provision  had
to  be  made.
