The logistic side of World War 2 is often overlooked as to some it is boring and dull compared to the engagements and sacrifices during battle. Though this is the case the Logistic side of World war 2 is what runs the war machine which let each side continue it, A part of the logistic side of World War 2 was the Marston Mat/Marsden Mat. The name Marston Mat came from Marston,North Carolina near Camp Mickall where the matts were first used. This is the story of the Marston mat in Cebu.
During World war 2 these mats that are long strips of steel with small circular holes in them were used to construct airfields in very fast time, The Marston or Marsden mat was used all around the world from Europe to the Philippines, after The war these matts were used as Walls, Gates and even as bridges and other home decorations, the mats were designed perfectly for this role as they could be disassembled and assembled very quickly and there were hundreds of kilometers worth of the matts scattered around the Philippines which quickly made them into a common site. Aside from the amount and how easy they were to use, they were extremely durable, as they were designed to have aircraft land, take off and park on them, many survive today as walls and gates as a testament to their durability. The matts in the 1950s and 1960s were readily available in large pieces that could easily be made into a gate or fence. In the CIT campus of Cebu, at one time these matts were used as Canal and Drain coverings. Their use in constructing buildings was limited but present, some houses built in the 1950s used Marston matting as part of their foundation instead of steel reinforcement as this was expensive. Today there are three places in Talisay, Cebu where you are able to see for yourself these matts being used as walls and gates the first is in Litmon, Talisay where beside a old house with Capiz Windows you can see a gate with Marston Matting being a part of it. This is near where the old Miramar Retreat house of USC used to be.
The second place you can see Marston matting being used as a wall or gate is at Main Street,Uldog where a property is using them as walls. The family explained that their father was a military enthusiast who wanted Marston Matting because he saw it being used in the Pacific islands. The family also explained that these were found as part of a destroyed house in Barangay Tabunok, they bought it from the owner of the destroyed house and then placed it on their property. The Marston mat is increasingly getting harder and harder to find as scrap shops and Junk yards are constantly eating away at the remaining supply. This is a prime example of the Marston Mat in Cebu.
The third place where you are able to see Marston Matting in Talisay is across the old Tabunok Elementary School. An empty lot where a 1960s house use to stand is using the Marston matt as a Gate and fence. As these matts are over 70 Years old many are in bad condition and have started deteriorating due to mismanagement or neglect, many owners do not recognize their value as a historical piece and leave them to be scrapped, But as seen here many still hold strong and guard the houses as a remnant of World War 2.
