1
10
97
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
During his time in the army, Johnny took many photographs and sent them to Geraldine. Some of the photos have survived, and are included in this collection.
Photograph
Dublin Core
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Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
John C. Waller
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1943-1945
Description
An account of the resource
A photograph of Parliament Square, St. Margaret's Church, and Westminster Abbey taken by Waller on a date unknown. Two cars and three people are visible in the foreground.
Title
A name given to the resource
Westminster Abbey
car
church
pedestrian
westminster
-
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1aa119ca9bb8ac2b662b3eed16e56572
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Newspaper Clippings
Subject
The topic of the resource
Wartime Humour
Newspaper Clipping
Text
Any textual data included in the document
[Front]
Once upon a time we asked our readers to shed a tear in their beer for the guy who wrote so many letters to his girl friend that she married the mailman. A Pfc whose initials are JD sent the gag home to his beloved. She in turn wrote this poem:
Please don't shed a tear in your beer,
The mailman doesn't deliver mail here
So have no fear
But JD sez he is still puzzled—he overlooked the fact that the elevator boy delivers mail there.
[Back]
oled the battleship South Dakota to
shoot down 32 Jap planes before the
enemy could strike, Sperry officials said.
The sight extends the mental powers of
ack-ack crews by quickly and automati-
cally calculating and applying the angle
by which the guns must lead in order to
hit fast-moving targets.
Nazis Call Up 10-Year-Olds
Germany was notified yesterday that
all ten-year-old boys and girls must
register for the Hitler Youth Movement,
German News Agency reported.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The Mailman
Description
An account of the resource
This newspaper clipping provides an anecdote about soldiers' anxiety about girls back home.
The reverse side of the clipping shows partial excerpts from other news articles, including one titled "Nazis Call Up 10-Year-Olds"
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Supporting Documents
Description
An account of the resource
Documents that provide additional information about the experiences of Johnny Waller and Geraldine Rowbottom
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
SS Atlantis (Hospital Ship #33)
Description
An account of the resource
The ship on which John C. Waller returned to the United States in 1945.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1913
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letters from 1944
Letter
Text
Any textual data included in the document
September 24, 1944 Sunday
Dear Jerry,
It looks like we're in for a long winter at least it already seems like winter. It's cold with a raw wind to-night. I could easily use a couple of extra blankets besides the three issued.
We were supposed to have to-day off however, it turned out that business as usual was the rule of the day. You can blame that on this letter as something occurred which I thought might interest you.
This morning the Sgt. in charge of our group (there are just four of us on our job) found a dog that looked sick. He covered her up with a blanket and when we went back this afternoon we went over to see how she was. Guess what had happened. Meantime, nothing less than two puppies, one black, the other white with a black bottom. Boy they sure were cute! I believe the happy event had just happened and Mom was proud as punch. I wish you could have seen the sergeant. He's a six footer with a voice like thunder claps. He was like a mother with an infant. Right away we had to carry them and the mother to the yard hut where there is a warm stove. We have about six sergeants there, all of whom had to come in with words of advice.
The night hang has orders to take the mother scraps so she won't have to leave her puppies, and to keep the fire going. What a crew! I can just about imagine you if you had been there.
I got a kick out of watching the two pups. They could just about crawl around and kept trying to edge into the chow line. They were tumbling over one another and tickling mama at the same time and what a proud mother she is! That's the army in one of its lighter moments. We're all too soft hearted to make good soldiers I guess.
Aside from the above incident, things are going on as usual here in the ETO.
Yesterday, I had a little trip in our topless jeep. The purpose was to find how many SI cars we had at a little place on the River Severn, what type, and how many of each. I enjoyed the ride except for the cold. One thing you get plenty of in a jeep is fresh air, especially in ours.
These roads, winding and hedge lined are a hazard to drive on to say the least. In some of the towns there isn't even enough room to pass. You have to wait in an enlarged place for traffic you meet. Bicyclists force you to crawl in low gear through towns. They ride two and three abreast up the middle of the road.
I saw a few beautiful mansions, one with a two hundred foot lagoon leading up to the living room windows. On both sides were well kept lawns and flower gardens with intricately cut hedges. They go in for hedges in a big way it seems.
Another strange sight on English highways is the red telephone booth which you see every few miles. They're handy if your car breaks down or some similar instance. Of course I always find the dinky cars an oddity too. A jeep isn't very large but it's bigger than half the cars you see. The only normal size ones are a few American made cars. Only rich people can afford these. For instance, my buddy and I were given a lift to town by an Englishman last week. It was one of the typical small models he was driving. He said that the motor was only a foot long. It developed eight horsepower. They have to shift on anything over a slight grade. That's not for me; I like a car with some power.
Well, I see I've dragged on over three pages so I better give you a breathing spell. Confidentially, my feet are freezing or I'd probably ramble on some more. Lucky you.
With best of everything to you, and hoping to hear from you when you have a spare moment, I remain your GI overseas,
Johnny
P.S. Note new APO 134. Needless to say our mail is 'screwed up' again because of it.
APO
The number of the Army Post Office from which Johnny sent a letter
134
Location
The location of the interview
Llandaff
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
John C. Waller
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-09-24
Description
An account of the resource
In this letter, Johnny writes about an episode in which his unit found and adopted a pregnant dog, which soon gave birth to a litter of puppies.
Title
A name given to the resource
September 24, 1944
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Supporting Documents
Description
An account of the resource
Documents that provide additional information about the experiences of Johnny Waller and Geraldine Rowbottom
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Sarnia 1940s
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
<a href="http://www.lambtonmuseums.ca/sarnia100/">Lambton Museum</a>
-
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09d06129bb0ae7c8ada7cfde51fa5672
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336ecbe616e1177507e54b9fb5101d64
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Photographs
Description
An account of the resource
During his time in the army, Johnny took many photographs and sent them to Geraldine. Some of the photos have survived, and are included in this collection.
Photograph
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
John C. Waller
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944
Description
An account of the resource
Taken in 1944, the photograph shows a number of storefronts along the Promenade in Blackpool. Most notable is Louis Tussaud's Waxwork Museum, which is still open today.
Title
A name given to the resource
Promenade, Blackpool
arcade
carriage
pedestrian
The Bee
Tussaud's
women
-
https://swroberts.ca/deargeraldine/files/original/0735dcf484e425842f0773924af18054.jpg
4e6834870715f45edb11a445e9f23c97
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Newspaper Clippings
Subject
The topic of the resource
Wartime Humour
Newspaper Clipping
Text
Any textual data included in the document
"Let's look at it this way, Alice...when it's all over think how much fun we can have with the fellows at Legion conventions!"
Dublin Core
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Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
E. Simms Campbell
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1945
Description
An account of the resource
This newspaper cartoon shows two women being supervised by an official while they peel potatoes, presumably for the war effort. The women comment on their work and how it might affect their future.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Wartime Humour
Title
A name given to the resource
Potato Peeling
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letters from 1944
Letter
Text
Any textual data included in the document
October 27, 1944
Dear Jerry,
It's been quite awhile since I heard from you and I suppose vice versa is also true, so here goes once again.
I've been on the move since I last heard from you which was sometime in August. Much water has gone under the bridge since then, believe me. One of my chief complaints has been the mail. Since we moved, we haven't been able to get any up until the last couple of weeks. The trouble is that not only we moved but also the headquarters where our mail is sent. I hope now it's started it keeps coming. No mail is bad for morale.
My last assignment was about three weeks ago when one other fellow and I were assigned to a hospital train as maintainance men. I never had any training for the job but I'm learning. That's the way the army works.
We live on the train with the staff. There is a barracks car with three tiers of bunks along one side where the enlisted men sleep. The doctors and nurses sleep in another car with compartment bedrooms. Our meals are served in a combination dining, sitting room car which also serves as a place to spend our leisure hours if any. The rest of the cars on the train are for patients. They can perform an operation on the train if necessary, so you see it has about everything but the kitchen sink on it.
At the end of a run, we return to our stall, which is just a siding where ambulances can come up with their cargo. There is also a little shack where we can wash, shower, and play a game of ping pong. Those boys can really beat a ping pong ball around. I'll probably be good before leaving. We don't know how long we'll be with the train as our assignment is temporary. That can mean anything.
Our stall is located in a scenic section of the country with large hills rising directly away from it. My buddy and I climbed the two highest hills a couple of weeks ago on a Sunday. It turned out to be an afternoon job but the view was worth it.
We see large sections of the country on a run however, none have been as pretty as the part where our stall is located. I imagine you'd get a kick out of the place. There is a town nearby with some of the steepest streets I ever saw. It's a mystery to me how these low powered cars can make the grade even in low gear.
At present, I'm laid up in a hospital recuperating from an appendectomy. I had a ruptured appendix with gangrene. They had me on the operating table in less than an hour after they found out what my trouble was. I was amazed at the goodwill I felt on the table. At the time, I felt like I could stay there all day. I guess everything went O.K. or I wouldn't have felt so good and I didn't feel so hot for a couple of days after needless to say. I hope to be back on duty next week. One thing I'll miss is talking to and hearing American girls. It sure seems good to hear our way of speech. Perhaps you can't understand that. Maybe it's a little deeper than speech, you naturally understand one another better. Oh well, I guess that's about as plain as mud, so I'll leave it. It's chow time so this epistle will have to close for now. Hoping you are well and that I hear from you soon, I remain, as ever,
Johnny
P.S. Just received yours of Sept. 18th. I never did get your letter with pictures. Maybe it will show up soon I hope. Happy to say I received nineteen other letters to-day. Enclosed is picture of yours truly. Ye ende
APO
The number of the Army Post Office from which Johnny sent a letter
134
Location
The location of the interview
Llandaff
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
John C. Waller
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-10-27
Description
An account of the resource
In this letter, Johnny describes his new assignment to the hospital train.
Title
A name given to the resource
October 27, 1944
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letters from 1944
Letter
Text
Any textual data included in the document
November 8, 1944
Dear Geraldine,
Well, I'm still in the doggone hospital and don't know when I'll get out. It seems there is a record of your case which has to pass two different boards before you are released, at least that's the way I understand it. Still I'm enjoying the rest, so I'm not kickin'.
Boy, you women certainly amaze me. You see, I've received two letters from you to-day, the one with six snaps of you included. Now they were all sufficient to knock the eye out of any GI Joe and yet you term them "these awful pictures." A collosal piece of prevarication if I ever heard one. I guess I know how to pick em even six years ago. At least I think so in your case and am not alone in the opinion either. I wish I had some as good to send you but as far as my pictures go I never apologize because after all a camera can only record what the lens sees. Get me!
Well, I'm going to try to answer your letters point for point although it's rather difficult. You ask a question and by the time I get your letter and you get my reply about three months pass.
To start, don't ever worry about writing too much as you could never do that. Letters mean morale over here. You should see the way the mailman is mobbed and the look on a Joe's face when he gets a bundle of letters after waiting six, eight or more weeks.
By the way, your letters were from Sept. 3 and Oct. 2. Hope you enjoyed your holidays.
I'm a PFC alright however it's nothing new. I've held that same rank since last March. I could add a few words about that line but that's a long story so I won't go into it here. You certainly aren't going to get much news out of this epistle. I hope I'll be more 'newsy' next time.
I can't think of anything you could send me. My buddy in the next bed just suggested that you send a lock of your hair. Not a bad idea if it's not too sentimental for us. I hardly know what to say but maybe you will when you finish reading this.
Say, never apologize about remembering old times. We Joes always talk over the good times we've had and what we'll do when we get home again. What else is there to talk about?
Now I'm going to refer to your letter of Sept 12 which is so old you've probably forgotten what it was about. If so just skip over the next two pages. It seems you had received my letter in which I had spoken of weiner roasts, dancing out on the lake shore etc. and if I remember correctly, I said that it was too bad you didn't live closer to Buffalo at that time – and it was. You go on to say that if I don't visit you after the war you'll be disappointed and that I probably have a few young ladies waiting in Buffalo for me and therefore would not have time to see you. Well, you lady, I'm free, white and twenty-three with no entangling alliances. When I get back I start from scratch. You see, I figure a guy has no right to ask a girl to wait for him when he's in the army, unless he's engaged or some extraordinary circumstances. Now this may seem irrelevant – maybe it is but I'm having a hard time writing this so bear with me please.
Now then, the reason why I bring up the following paragraphs is because of your conclusion in your letter of Sept. 13. I know you've forgotten what it was and maybe didn't mean anything by it anyway. To refresh your memory, you mentioned six years, remember – that's when I was your beau. Here's the point I've been trying to bring out and I leave it up to you. I'm the same now as then myself (i.e. consider you the nicest girl I've ever known) and I'd like to carry on where I left off yet I know I don't have the right to after the dumb way I acted.
That's why I never express myself other than impersonally in these letters (no love, no nothin). I'd like to but don't know what you'd think. Well, Jerry, there's the whole thing in a nut shell. Remember, if this doesn't interest you just ignore it in your letter. Just mention receiving my epistle of Nov. 8 and let it go.
At any rate, regardless of your answer, I'll continue writing as often as I can and will make it a point to pay you a visit when I get back even if you're married. Give the old man the once over, you know. If you're free, I warn you to prepare yourself for a long, long talk.
Well, Geraldine, I guess that ends my thoughts for to-day. I hope you are well. Don't work too hard and until I know your answer and I'm not too optimistic, I'll sign off merely,
As ever,
Johnny
P.S. If I ever get out of here & get payed I've like to send you something for Xmas. I hope you won't mind. Note new address if you didn't get it from my other letter. Thank you!
APO
The number of the Army Post Office from which Johnny sent a letter
134
Location
The location of the interview
Llandaff
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
John C. Waller
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-11-08
Description
An account of the resource
In this letter, Johnny writes about his relationship with Geraldine, and implies that they were once in a closer relationship. He admits that he has no right to ask, but says that he wants to return to romance.
Title
A name given to the resource
November 8, 1944
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letters from 1944
Letter
Text
Any textual data included in the document
November 24, 1944
Dearest Geraldine,
This air mail doesn't go through as fast to the U.S. but I'm not sure that U-mail will reach you. I sent one to you last Saturday but forgot to put a stamp on it so whether you'll ever get it is something I don't know. Here's hoping though.
We've been on the run since Monday night until last evening. That's the longest run I've made so far. Trouble is that I can't tell you what I saw because of the censor. Suffice it to say the weather was generally lousy and the scenery as usual. Very enlightening isn't it.
We had our Thanksgiving Day dinner last night after we got in. I didn't even realize yesterday was the day until a fellow asked me if they would be served turkey on the train. Of course that is impossible when we have only one kitchen car, however, they would get their turkey at the hospital. It's funny how time passes in the Army. Half the time I don't know what day it is.
I've been on the ball tonight in so far as letter writing is concerned. I've knocked off five letters so far and my buddy has written ten. The entire train personnel is in the mood tonight from the captain down. He told me to try to get my mail in tonight so he could censor it and take some of the load off the major tomorrow. They much get a kick out of some of the letters.
We pulled into a station last Tuesday where two other hospital trains were. In the one my two or rather two of my buddies are serving as maintenance men like I am on this one. One is a sgt. and the other a cpl. We were together for five months over here working together so I was glad to see them. Their orders have been changed like mine so we'll probably soon be together again. The cpl. is the one whose wife sent him the sachet so get on the ball—please—and send some of the fragrance that haunts your letters. Well phrased don't you think.
It looks like I won't be able to send you anything other than that damned do-dad. You just can't buy anything over here. We've all tried and end up disgusted.
I just stepped outside for a moment and was surprised to find it a clear night after all the rain we've had. The hills are standing out against a cloudless sky. The moon is as sharp as a piece of lightning against the thunder cloud and the stars are twinkling merrily.
I can't remember when it has been ever so light outside at night. Certainly not since I've been on duty with the train. I'd like to see a night like this when I get home. It would be just right for riding slowly along with some nice dance music on the radio. The St-sgt. is supplying the music for me now on our electric phonograph. There's a heck of a lot missing though.
To help fill in my epistle and also because I think you may like it, I enclose the following lines courtesy of Det. H mailman: G.I. (govt issue) Sitting on my G.I. bed
My G.I. hat upon my head
My G.I. pants, G.I. shoes
Everything free, nothing to lose
G.I. razor, G.I. comb
G.I. wish that I was home.
They issue everything I need,
Paper to write on, books to read.
They issue food that makes me grow
G.I. wish I'd get a furlough.
My bed, my shoes, my G.I. tie
Everything free, nothing to buy
I eat my food from a G.I. plate
Buy my needs at a G.I. rate.
It's G.I. this and G.I. that
G.I. haircut, G.I. hat.
Everything is gov't issue
G.I. wish that I could kiss you.
Here's another out of Stars & Stripes. Our grandmothers believed that there was a destiny that shaped our ends. But the modern miss places her faith in girdles. Heh, heh! I don't think destiny or anything else could improve much on you though, don't your navy friends agree?
Well Toots I guess I better sign off for now. I hope you are well and don't work too hard at work or play. Now hoping they're either too young or too old, I remain as ever with love,
Johnny
APO
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134
Location
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Llandaff
Dublin Core
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Creator
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John C. Waller
Date
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1944-11-24
Description
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In this letter, Johnny writes about writing letters, Thanksgiving dinner, and trying to purchase gifts to send home.
Title
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November 24, 1944