Fathers Who Went to War
History is sometimes an elusive thing but as someone has said, “The further backward you can look, the further forward you can likely see.” It is important to remember history—and that of the Second World War had a monumental effect on nearly the entire world. Its effects continue until this day even though many don’t realize it.
Dads on Duty
One factor so enormous that its effects may never be realized, is the collective toll on so many hearts as millions of fathers had to leave their children behind, for the very purpose of protecting them. Even the fathers who were unable to serve in the military typically did war-related work and were away more than they had been before.
With Father’s Day looming on the horizon in several nations, it seems fitting to remember and consider the price fathers, their children and their families paid during the years of war.
The Heartbreak of Loss
“There is, for example, the case of the Shepperds. Lesley Shepperd’s father had been killed at Gallipoli when she was only three. She never knew a father.” Years later, her own husband lost both of his legs after being blown up on a Teller mine. He was determined to overcome the disability and return home. Still, Lesley “wondered about the effect of his injuries upon their two young children.”
Then, there is the case of the Sullivan family. Tom Sullivan and his wife had five sons and a daughter, Genevieve. Her boyfriend died on the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Her five brothers promptly enlisted to avenge his death, and were granted permission to serve aboard the same ship. Tragically, that ship was torpedoed during the Battle of Guadalcanal and Mr. Sullivan lost all of his sons. There were other fathers who also lost multiple children during the war, and many children who lost their fathers.
Worry Over the Ones at Home
Fathers in military service far from city homes might have had cause to worry over the safety of their families. In places like London (and many other cities), air raids inflicted massive damage. London, in particular, was targeted by the Nazis for destroying morale as much as buildings. Many thousands of children were evacuated to the countryside during the Blitz but still, “during the period 1939-1942, the enemy had killed more women and children than soldiers.”
Besides physical traumas, many veterans and their children would carry the emotional toll to the grave. Even parents and children who had not lost each other suffered from the harrowing anxieties of war. In London, for instance, as practically all the city’s inhabitants poured into the streets to celebrate V-E Day, “one small boy, holding onto his father’s hand, wanted to see the trench shelters in Green Park too. ‘You don’t want to see shelters today’, his father said. ‘You’ll never have to use them again, son.’ ‘Never?’ the child asked doubtfully. ‘Never!’ the man cried, almost angrily. ‘Never! Understand?’”
My Family’s Struggle
I grew up hearing the story of my family’s quest to be together during World War II. A favorite pastime of mine was to ask my grandmother to tell me the story of traveling to Germany to be with my granddad. My own dad was a toddler then and my grandfather was to be stationed in Europe for several years. She and my dad boarded a hospital ship for the horrific journey across the Atlantic. My grandmother was too seasick to hold her head up. My dad was tethered to her by a makeshift rope so that he would not fall overboard. The ship’s captain had made it clear the boat would not turn around for any children who fell off the ship. My grandmother was almost as sick with worry as with the motion of the ship.
I still have the heavy wooden trunk that was their luggage for the trip overseas. My dad spent his early childhood speaking another language, traveling to various countries where my grandfather was working, and being the unwitting child of war. And although he suffered, he was one of the lucky ones—at the end of the war he still had his family. Their story captivated me.
A Recipe from the War Years to Celebrate Father’s Day
Back in the United States, the American Molasses Company did what so many companies did during World War II, and published a collection of recipes to help homemakers feed their families. This little American booklet has many recipes that would have been next to impossible where my family was living. It was advertised as a way to “help satisfy your family’s hidden hunger for iron.” The cookie recipe featured below is decadent and might have made many a dad swoon with delight.
I think my own Grandpa would have thoroughly enjoyed them. And in honor of him, who was one of the fathers in World War II, I leave you with the following small collection of dad jokes. Because one of his great joys in life was telling the corniest of jokes to make his family laugh. After all the horrors he endured, that was his remedy.
DAD JOKES
I enjoy taking the bus but I hate it when the cops make me give it back.
Did you know, if you put socks and shoes on a bear, he’ll still be walking in bare feet?
What do you call a well-dressed lion? A dandy lion.
I was addicted to Hokey Pokey but turned myself around.
There are 3 kinds of people in the world: Ones who can count and ones who can’t.
Why did the snail paint an “s” on the door of his automobile? Because he wanted to see his escargot.
How does a pilot like his sandwich? Plain.
What did baby corn say to mama corn? Where’s popcorn?
Two fish are in a tank. One turns to the other and says, “How do you drive this thing?”
Old Fashioned Soft Ginger Cookies
Wow! These cookies would have been a dream for anyone during World War II; sublimely soft and perfectly spiced, they only need a glass of cold milk.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cream shortening; add sugar and spices, mix well.
- Add well-beaten egg. Combine molasses and water; add slowly to creamed mixture, beating constantly.
- Sift flour, salt and baking soda; add to creamed mixture.
- Drop by spoonfuls onto greased [or parchment lined] cookie sheets. Bake in a moderately hot oven (375°F/190°C) for 10 to 12 minutes.
References
Connaughton, Richard. Celebration of Victory: V-E Day 1945. London: Brassey’s (UK) Ltd., 1995, pp. 85, 108, 111, 134.
American Molasses Company, 101 Recipes: Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Molasses. New York, NY: American Molasses Company, 1944, p. 38.
“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.”
Psalm 103:13