From Guy Logsdon's Discography, reprinted in Santelli, Robert & Davidson, Emily (eds.),
Hard Travelin' -- The Life and Legacy of Woody Guthrie, Hanover and London, 1999, p. 196:
"7 JULY 1944. Woody was a Merchant Marine, "washing dishes on a Liberty Ship," the troop ship
Sea Porpoise which carried troops to the Normandy beach in early July 1944. After the troops were
sent ashore, the ship hit a mine but made its way back to England; Woody was routed through London
toward Glasgow, Scotland, toward the United States. On a song manuscript dated "July 13th, 1944",
Woody wrote, "this train is carrying me outside from London now; on up towards Belfast, and Glasgow."
While in London, he went to the offices of the BBC where he introduced himself as a member of
The Martins and the Coys [produced by Alan Lomax for the BBC in late March 1944, broadcast by the BBC
on 26 June 1944] and was given the opportunity to sing on the Children's Hour. After an autobiographical
statement, he was recorded singing with his guitar accompaniment two railroad songs:
"Wabash Cannonball"
"900 Miles" (this is the minor-key melody that Cisco made popular)"
Lineage: BBC radio documentary, 1987
Enjoy!