​​In the days leading up to the invasion of Normandy, the saloon bar of the Golden Lion Public House, Southwick was taken over as an unofficial officer's mess.

​In those days the bar consisted of two rooms, the front being known as the ‘Blue Room’ and the one at the rear the ‘Gold Room’. These were so named by the officers to reflect the colour of the decorations and furnishings.

​Some years on, the barmaid who served at the house in 1944 still resides in the village confirms that General Dwight D. Eisenhower drank half pints of bitter here, whist General Sir Bernard Montgomery confined himself to grapefruit juice.

​The beer dispensed to the General was brewed in the brewhouse at the rear of this property.