 |
| Winkler, friend, Derrick, Jack, and American teen at Old House at Home pub, Maidstone |
Lonely for
home, even among hundreds of other American boys, especially lonely for Alice,
Jack clung to reminders of his home culture.
Other
Americans
Dearest
Alice,
I
got a swell letter from you today [April 30] dated April 17. No matter how
tired or gloomy I may be when I get in from work, if there is a letter there
from you it sure cheers me up. While on pass I met an American boy of 16 years.
He seemed so friendly and did not talk like an Englishman so I asked him if he
was English & he said no he was an American. He is from N.Y. and really a
swell kid. He and his folks were captured by the Japs in China but escaped.
When they got on the boat, it was supposed to go to U.S. but it came to England
and then they got caught in the Blitz of 1940. He is credited with shooting
down a nazi plane. While watching a gun crew man a gun over here in 1940 a
plane came down & wounded several of the gunners. He saw it and jumped in
and took one’s place and pointed the gun and knocked down the plane. When I
asked him if he planned on going back to U.S. he said darn rights just as soon
as the war is over he is going back. He sure was a swell kid. I treated him to
the show. It sure is swell to talk to someone from U.S.[1]
The boy told a
good story, as he would have been about twelve when he supposedly shot down the
Nazi plane. Still, Jack was ready to hear it, and it was one story he could share with Alice. The censor wouldn’t care.
Memories
While
on pass yesterday we rented a boat & went boating for about an hour. We
sure had fun and it reminded [me] of the times in Dallas when we use to
[go] boating down on the lake.[2]
 |
| Derrick boating in Maidstone |
 |
| Remembering boating with Alice in Dallas |
 |
| The second feature: "Alaska Highway"[5] |
Movies
Upbeat American
musicals featuring G.I.s and their girls were just as popular in England as in
the U.S. Sometimes Jack saw them on base, sometimes at a local theater. He could write to Alice about them, confident that she had probably seen them, too.
Dearest
Alice,
Last
night I went into town to the show and saw “Let’s face it” with Bob Hope & Alaskan Hiway. They were both very good. Then I found a pretty good place to eat and had
sausage loaf and chips & tea.[3]
 |
| See the movie Jack saw: "Let's Face It"[4] |
Dearest
Alice,
Tonight
I got thru work about 8:00 and then I got the fellow who plays the accordion and he has been playing the
songs you sent for us and some other old favorites too and they sure make me
lonesome & homesick for you.[6]
 |
| A few of Jack's letters |
Letters
Dearest
Alice,
Darling if for any reason my
letters to you should not be as often & quite as regular as they have been
please don’t think that it is my fault & don’t feel I have forgotten about
you. It’s just because we are so darn busy and our work must be done even
before we sleep. Last night I did not get thru work until about 1 A.M. so I did
not get a chance to write to you. I may have to go back to work yet tonight. I guess you can
imagine from the papers just how busy we must be. Darling I would like to get
you some other things from over here but now that I have the money saved up I
can’t get to town in the day time and most of these towns the things are so
picked over by now that all they have left is a bunch of junk.[7]
Among the
“junk” Jack, ever sentimental, was able to find some souvenir jewelry for
Alice.
 |
| This bracelet was crafted from old English three-penny coins. Jack called them "thrupnybits." Photo courtesy of Alison Garcia Kellar |
Gifts
from Home
Alice’s packages
to Jack contained practical items he had asked for. He particularly appreciated
candy and sweets. His brother-in-law Floyd, single and working the dairy, sent
nice candy from a new Oakland, California, company. That was a big hit!
 |
| MacFarlane's chocolates[8] |
Dearest
Alice,
I
just opened the package you sent and I got the writing paper, 3 rolls of film
& candy. Thanks so very much honey, you sure are a darling and I love you
so very, very much. I also opened the package from Floyd of McFarlanes
chocolates & honey for the life of me I could not keep my mouth from
watering. Great big drops hit the floor Ha It sure is good. I have your
gift that I got you in town all ready to be censured and I think I will send it
tomorrow. I sure hope you will like it. I think I will send my electric razor
too as I am not using it.[9]
The best part
about being abroad was the opportunity to see a little bit of the country. Jack
and his buddies went to London on pass a couple times. Sightseeing in wartime
was risky, yet, for Jack, particularly memorable.
[1] Jack J. Kellar (England) to “Dearest Alice” (Alice
Streeter Kellar), 30 April 1944.
[2] Jack J. Kellar to “Dearest Alice,” 28 April 1944.
[3] Jack J. Kellar to “Dearest Alice,” 20 April 1944.
[4] “Let’s Face It,” advertisement, The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa,
California), 2 January 1944, p. 2, cols. 1–2;
digital image, Newspapers (https://www.newspapers.com/image/265206717/
: accessed 25 May 2018).
[5] “Alaska Highway” advertisement, The Press Democrat, 5 April 1944, p. 2, col. 3 detail; Newspapers
(https://www.newspapers.com/image/265212172/
: accessed 25 May 2018).
[6] Jack J. Kellar to “Dearest Alice,” 28 April 1944.
[7] Jack J. Kellar to “Dearest Alice,” 22 April 1944.
[8] “Awful Fresh MacFarlane, The Scotch Candymaker, Opens
New Branch,” Oakland Tribune, 16 May
1939, p. 20-D, cols. 5–8, detail; digital image, Newspapers (https://www.newspapers.com/image/136077933/
: accessed 24 May 2018).
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