Letter to Pfc. Souil W. Garner Ft. Myers Florida May 1 1944

This letter to Souil is from his brother Bill (Wilbur, Will) while stationed in England.....and is the last of the recently found 14 "War" letters....The original transposed letters continue on the Blog until April 1945, the end of "The WAR" where Bill found himself in Germany as S/Sgt G-1 Section, Headquarters of the XIX Corps, and married to Gwen who remained in England at the time, with a three month old daughter, my sister Carol.
He fought with the XIX Corps through out Europe during "The WAR." The letters from "The WAR" make for interesting reading and are identified on the Blog Archive chronologically, by year as I entered them at the bottom of this page.

S/Sgt Wilbur C. Garner , 33377578
G-1 Section, Hq XIX Corps
APO 270, c/o Postmaster, N/Y.

27 April 1944

Dear Souil,

Well how are you doing today Pfc? It seems as though I forget that you were promoted to Pfc. In fact, I think I still addressed your last letter as Pvt. Oh well someday soon I guess I'll be addressing them as M/Sgt. In the Finance branch, the promotions often come very quickly or overnight as to say. I guess Uncle Sam is keeping you very busy these days with paying the boys off. Well that is surely one thing that keeps the morale up.

I imagine this is a bit of news which will sorta take you by surprise, but you should know me by this time. Today I submitted application to the CO for permission to marry. Of course, over here it takes two months after the submission for the application before one can get married. I don't know where I'll be in two months so there is nothing definite about it. Merely contemplation, of course along the serious channel. It is the little WREN that I have been telling you about. She is very nice and very eager to learn the American way. I've got her saying Bath instead of Bawth and lots of other things along that line. Until I met her I wouldn't have given you two hoots for the English that I have seen. She is much different. Oh well that is life for you.

I haven't heard from you lately, but I have a few minutes and thought that I would write you. How is Harriet these days? I haven't heard from her lately but I imagine she is at the last out again. I'll bet that almost killed her being cooped up in that apartment for a couple weeks.

Well I'll close for now and hope to hear from you real soon,

Lots of Love and Luck,

Bill

Letter to Mrs. Souil W. Garner (Harriet) Baltimore, Md April 18, 1944

This letter to Harriet (Mrs. Souil W. Garner) is from Bill while stationed in England.....

S/Sgt Wilbur C. Garner, 33377578

G-1 Section, Hq XIX Corps

APO 270, c/o Postmaster, N.Y.

17 April 1944

Dear Mike, (Harriet's nickname)

I received your letter of the 5th last Thursday which was very good time. Seven days to be exact. I also received one from Souil, Jane and Bernard, and two from Mother. I'd say that is a very good haul. I surely was sorry to hear about you having Scarlet Fever, but I really had to laugh and then to think that Ann King was quarantined with you. Boy what a climax! ! ! 

So you are assuming that just because I visited a town, the name of which I can mention no more, you seem to think there is a girl mixed up in it. Well you are right there is and was. She is a WREN (same as our WAVES) that I met at a Red Cross dance one Friday evening about two months ago. I think you can see some pictures of her that she gave me to send to Mother. She is 21 years of age, about 5 ft 7 in, weighs 135 lbs and has sorta blonde hair, not an outstanding blonde but much lighter than Mary's hair. She is a VERY NICE girl and I'm not kidding.

I guess I have had as much to do as you have had so little. I've been working about three evenings out of the week until 10:30 and 11:00 PM. Well the only thing I can say is that it surely helps the time to pass by quickly. It really has flown too. It is hard to realize that in about two more weeks that one-fourth of '44 has passed.

Thanks for Jessie's address. I have wanted to write to them for sometime. I received a very nice card from them but have never written sue to the fact that I lost the address. 

Well I hope you are OK again by the time this letter reaches you.

Beeeeee Gooooood and don't work tooooooooo hard. 

Lots of love and here's hoping we'll all be home again soon,

 Bill

Letter to Pfc. Souil W. Garner Ft. Myers Florida April 18, 1944

This letter to Souil was written by Bill while stationed in England....

S/Sgt WIlbur C. Garner, 33377578

G-1 Section, Hq XIX Corps

APO 270, C/o Postmaster, N.Y.

13 April 1944

Dear Souil,

I'll start this letter now and finish it later on. I've got to work tonight. Just one more night. I've been working day + night until about 10:30 or 11:00 about 4 or 5 days out of the week.

I received your letter of April 7th yesterday. That was really good time. Thank you for the letterhead.

Gwen (Gwendoline)  is saving them. Well so you want a description. Light hair or dirty blonde, height 5 ft 7 inches weight 135-140 and she has a lot of personality. I got a letter from Harriet today telling me to be careful of these English girls. I'll see you lata. I got to go to work now. 

14 April 1944

Dear Souil,

Well I finished work last night at 11:00pm. Boy I've seen enough figures to last me a life time. What a life. I hope that is all for a while, but I doubt it. It seems like every night there is something else to do.

I guess you have been working hard lately. I imagine your hours are a little more regular than mine.

17 April 1944

Dear Souil,

You see how I have to write a letter. I've made up my mind that I shall finish this letter at this sitting. Well I went to see Gwen yesterday. I told her that I had described her to you as a pleasingly plump, dirty blonde. She said that she was going to have to write you  and put you wise. Well I guess you'll get the low down if she does that. I think she has written yo Mary. 

There is no more news now so I'll close and make sure that this letter gets out in the mail today. Be good and don't work too hard.

Lots of love and luck from your little red-haired brother,

Bill 

Wilbur C Garner's last Furlough to England before returning to the states. August 1945

In August 1945,  Bill was granted a furlough to England before departing for home and returning to the United States on 14 September 1945.  

14 September 1945, was also Bill's 25th birthday! What a birthday present, but I am sure it was with mixed emotions when he left Europe for home, leaving his wife and beautiful baby daughter in England, uncertain as to when they would be reunited again. His furlough in England during the month of August was captured in these happy images. 

He arrived back on US soil on 23 September 1945. He was separated from service in the US Army on 28 of September 1945 at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. He served a total of 23 months, achieved a grade of Staff Sergent and his Military occupation was Administrative Non Commissioned Officer (502). He returned to live in his parents home at 2425 Calverton Heights Avenue, Baltimore, Md. He was reemployed by The Baltimore Gas and Electric Company, Baltimore, Maryland. 
Having been an employee of the The Baltimore Gas and Electric Company before the war broke out, he was guaranteed a job upon returning from "The War".

He received the following awards for his service: Good Conduct Medal; American Campaign Medal; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 1 silver service star (Indicating five Campaigns) : World War II Victory Medal; Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII: Sharpshooter Badge with Carbine Bar with Machine Gun Bar.
From the French Government he received The Croix de Guerre with bronze star.

Number 8 Ty-r-sarn Road, Cardiff

Bill and Kate Hudman Wilkins

Bill, Carol and Gwen enjoying the English summer.

VJ Day England 1945 15 August 1945

The United States atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by aircraft-dropped atomic weapons took place on 6 and 9 August 1945 respectively. Two cities were totally devastated by the atomic bomb, killing tens of thousands of people in a matter of seconds within a radius that stretched for more than 1 mile (1.6 kilometers). The number of casualties in the months after the war is estimated to range from 150,000 to over 200,000.

In 1945 the End of World War II was celebrated on Victory in Japan (VJ) Day.
There was much joy and celebration around the world when on 15th August 1945 US President Harry S. Truman declared the day as Victory in Japan Day, at a White House press conference.
President Truman announced that the Japanese Government had agreed to comply in full with the Potsdam Declaration demanding the unconditional surrender of Japan.
To crowds gathered outside the White House, President Truman said: "This is the day we have been waiting for since Pearl Harbor."
The end of war was to be marked by a two-day holiday in the UK, the USA and Australia.
At midnight, the British Prime Minister Clement Atlee confirmed the news in a broadcast saying, "The last of our enemies is laid low."

Gwendoline Rosa Wilkins Garner (back right) sits in Celebration alongside her mother Kate Hudman Wilkins

Gwendoline Rosa Wilkins Garner smiling (first left side of table)

The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to Britain's allies, in Australia and New Zealand, India, Burma, all countries occupied by Japan and to the USSR. But special thanks went to the United States "without whose prodigious efforts the war in the East would still have many years to run". The following evening King George VI addressed the nation and the Empire in a broadcast from his study at Buckingham Palace.
"Our hearts are full to overflowing, as are your own. Yet there is not one of us who has experienced this terrible war who does not realise that we shall feel it's inevitable consequences long after we have all forgotten our rejoicings today."
Historic buildings all over London were floodlit and people crowded onto the streets of every town and city shouting, singing, dancing, lighting bonfires and letting off fireworks.
But there were no celebrations in Japan - in his first ever radio broadcast, Emperor Hirohito blamed the use of "a new and most cruel bomb" used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki for Japan's surrender.
"Should we continue to fight, it would not only result in the ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation but would lead also to the total extinction of human civilization."

What the Emperor failed to mention however, was that the Allies had delivered Japan an ultimatum to surrender on 28th July 1945.
When this was ignored, the US dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima on 6th August and Nagasaki on 9th August, the day that Soviet forces invaded Manchuria.
The Allies celebrated victory over Japan on 15th August 1945, although the Japanese administration under General Koiso Kuniaki did not officially surrender with a signed document until 2nd September.
Both dates are known as VJ Day.
If VJ Day marked the end of World War II, what of the six long years of bitter conflict that would ultimately lead to these celebrations?

VE Day 8 May 1945 England

Gwendoline Rosa Wilkins Garner (right), Man (unknown), Joan Moore (left)

Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) was on May 8^th 1945. VE Day officially announced the end of World War Two in Europe. On Monday May 7^th at 02.41. German General Jodl signed the unconditional surrender document that formally ended war in Europe. Winston Churchill was informed of this event at 07.00. While no public announcements had been made, large crowds gathered outside of Buckingham Palace and shouted: “We want the King”. The Home Office issued a circular (before any official announcement) instructing the nation on how they could celebrate:

“Bonfires will be allowed, but the government trusts that only material with no salvage value will be used.”

The Board of Trade did the same:

“Until the end of May you may buy cotton bunting without coupons, as long as it is red, white or blue, and does not cost more than one shilling and three pence a square yard.”

However, even by the afternoon there was no official notification even though bell ringers had been put on standby for a nationwide victory peal. Ironically the Germans had been told by their government that the war was officially over. Joseph Stalin, who had differing views on how the surrender should be announced, caused the delay. By early evening, Churchill announced that he was not going to give Stalin the satisfaction of holding up what everybody knew. At 19.40 the Ministry of Information made a short announcement:

“In accordance with arrangements between the three great powers, tomorrow, Tuesday, will be treated as Victory in Europe Day and will be regarded as a holiday.”

Within minutes of this announcement, tens of thousands of people gathered on the streets of Central London to celebrate. People gathered in Parliament Square, Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus and boats along the Thames sounded their horns in celebration.

The celebrations only ended when a thunderstorm and heavy rain drenched those still celebrating – just before midnight.

May 8^th, Victory in Europe Day, saw the celebrations continue. Street parties were organized across the land; neighbors pooled food, some of which was still rationed. 

 

At 13.00, Churchill went to Buckingham Palace to have a celebratory lunch with George VI.

At 15.00, Churchill spoke to the nation from the Cabinet Room in 10, Downing Street. He reminded the nation that Japan had still to be defeated but that the people of Great Britain:

“May allow ourselves a brief period of rejoicing. Advance Britannia. Long live the cause of freedom! God save the King! ”

Three Lancaster bombers flew over London and dropped red and green flares. 50,000 people gathered between Trafalgar Square and Big Ben.

After addressing the nation, Churchill went to Parliament to address the Commons. After this he led some MP’s to a thanksgiving service.

In the late afternoon, the Royal Family came out onto a balcony at Buckingham Palace. In front of them were 20,000 people. George VI wore his Royal Navy uniform while Princess Elizabeth wore her ATS uniform. They were joined by Churchill. He later spoke to those gathered outside the Ministry of Health. At the end of the speech, the crowd sang ‘For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow’.

The last official event of VE Day was a broadcast to the nation by George VI at 21.00. Buckingham Palace was lit up by floodlights for the first time since 1939 and two searchlights made a giant ‘V’ above St. Paul’s Cathedral. 

It was a highly symbolic gesture for a city that had spent years in blackout. People built street fires out of whatever flammable materials they could find. Witnesses reported that London had the same red glow to it as during the Blitz – but this time it was in celebration. Some fires got out of hand and the London Fire Brigade had to be called to put out the blaze – something they were very experienced in doing. People got hold of fireworks – prohibited during the war – to give the celebrations more color.

The police reported that there was barely any criminal activity throughout the day despite the boisterous behavior of tens of thousands. In the early hours of May 9th, the celebratory illuminations in London were turned off. The war in Japan was still being fought and austerity became the norm for very many people. But for one short day people could afford to let their hair down.

Letter #68 from Mrs. Gwendoline Rosa Wilkins Garner 22 February 1945

Mrs. Wilbur C.Garner
8 Try-y-sarn Road
Rumney, Cardiff, Eng.

Mary W. Garner, Sk2c
U.S.N.A.S.
Disbursing Office
Minneapolis, 6 Minnesota
U.S.A. 

City Maternity Hospital
Cardiff 22nd Feb. 1945

My Dear Mary,

And Carol Ann says good morning Auntie! Well, everything’s all over and done with now, thank goodness, but I had a marvelous time really. I expect you will have heard from Mother about the new arrival as I wrote her straight away the day after Carol was born. She looks very sweet and is so contented when she comes out from the nursery at feeding time. She weighed 8lbs. 8ozs. at birth so she was quite a bonnie lassie. She is the heaviest baby in third ward any rate; I can't bear the nurse to take her away after her feed. If everything is going on as well as it is now I should be home again by this time next week. The attention and care you get in this hospital is beyond praise and the nurses are so helpful and considerate. Of course I'm longing to know what Jane's little bundle of love is, I do hope she had an easy time. 

Bill was getting a little anxious about the 2nd of February and sent a cable through the American Red Cross. Mr. Dunning came to see me last Monday, just to see how I was getting along and told Mum to call and see him when everything was over and he would send a cable back off to Bill with the good news. So Mum went down to the American Red Cross on Sunday, I guess Bill has received that cable by now. I wish I could have seen his face when he read it was a girl. Bill wanted a little girl, so he has his wish any rate I'd give anything in the world if he could only see his daughter now, but maybe he will be able to get 7 days to come across in 2 or 3 months time.

Well, Mary I really do think it's about time I stopped scribbling about my infant and thanked you for the simply beautiful gift you sent me. They are really too lovely to wear- I shall feel like a million dollars when I put them on. Everett, that's the laddie to whom Bill readdresses any parcels for me, brought your package just as Mother was getting ready to come down and see me the night before last. Everyone in the ward admires them too and I really do thank you very much indeed Mary, it is a beautiful gift. I’ll have to keep them nice until I get my figure back to normal- but that won't be long once I start pushing the pedals of my cycle around. That's the one thing I have really been longing for, a nice long ride in the country on my iron steed. I love my old bike, I've done quite a few hundred miles on it. Do you like cycling Mary? 

So far this week I have not had any mail from Bill, but I am hoping there will be one or two for Mother to bring in with her tonight, that is if she comes in. Last night her back was aching rather badly so I told her not to visit me if it is hurting too much today. I would dearly love to see Bill walking in through the ward doorway like so many of the proud fathers with sons and daughters in this ward. But the joy of seeing Bill again and introducing his daughter to him will come when I am home again, I hope.

Do excuse this being written in pencil Mary, and the awful scribble, I'm being thoroughly lazy this afternoon and am writing while lying down. My extremity has become so sensitive sitting fully upright on this hard mattress it is really heaven to relax and stretch right out and I can't do that completely because this bed is not quite long enough for me!

I have had to interrupt this letter so many times Mary I honestly don't know where I am! So many things carry on one after the other with hospital routines that you hardly have two hours at a stretch without some interruption. In just half an hours time Carol will be brought in again so perhaps I had better bring this letter to a close before that or else I might not have the opportunity to finish these few lines until tomorrow and I do want Mum to mail this for me tonight. 

So, Dear Mary, many thanks once again for my gorgeous slips. It won't be long now before I will be coming over, in the fall perhaps.

My love and sincere best wishes,
Gwen
P.S. Love from Carol Ann too.

Letter #20 from Wren. Gwendoline R Wilkins June 9 1944

The following text in blue, is taken from the XIX Corps Publication " Normandy to the Elbe,"  a copy of which is in my archives and is reproduced here to provide the reader a sense of what was happening at the time the letter was written in this blog entry.

Finally the morning of the sixth of June, found the air full of news. The Invasion was on! It was going well; it was going badly; the Germans said it was being swept off the beaches, the official news was mixed, but without the extremes. On our beach, Omaha, they were having a rough time. But the plans for XIX Corps would go as scheduled, and everyone got ready to move. Two days later, on the 8th, the headquarters left Knook in two motor convoys for Camp D4, one of the assembly areas near Dorchester. There we spent two days lined up under trees in the rain along what had been country lanes, making final checks of waterproofing and equipment, prepared to move to our ships. The news was good, and then bad. We drew our conclusions when a part of the Second Armored Division was hurriedly pushed through ahead of us and to their ships. 
The Corps Commander, the Chief of Staff, and a few of the Chiefs of Staff Sections went ahead in a motor torpedo boat to size up the situation on the ground and be ready with their plans when the headquarters came ashore. Text: Captain Fredric E. Pamp Jr  (Public Relations Officer XIX Corps 1945)

Text below in black is excerpted from the XIX Corps Newspaper  (from my archives)

LE TOMAHAWK 

Volume 2         Western Front Germany, October 1944        Number 6

The distinction of being the first of XIX Corps to touch down in Normandy is shared by Majors John J. Mikell and George F. Graybill. They accompanied an assault division ---the 29th---when it landed, as advance guards for XIX Corps. They both arrived near Vierville-sur-Mer on D+1, 7 June 1944. They were followed by two other officers the next day; and by General Corlett and certain of his staff on D+4.

Bill was a part of this advance group of staff landing D-Day +1. He recounted to me his first horrible experience of the war. As he was disembarking the boat in rough seas, loaded with gear, climbing down the ropes, to a smaller landing craft, the soldier next to him miss-stepped and the rising waves between the two boats caught him crushing his skull, a sound Bill never forgot. When Bill landed on the beach he recounted to me, the sight he saw of a young soldier sitting on the beach, hands held out in front of him as if holding a turret gun, but burned to death in place. Bill was then charged by his Commanding Officer with finding an appropriate burial location "over the hill." As G-1 personnel he began recording the names of the fallen soldiers and in the days following sending letters back home to their loved ones. The XIX Corps staff moved quickly cleaning up the beach in anticipation of the next group to land on Omaha beach. Bill said they had to move quickly to collect the deceased as the sight of such a tragedy would have presented a moral issue for the next group of troops that landed.
Click here for a link to the gravesite information and the military process of burial in battle.

(Regarding Gwen's "Letter to Mary," my guess is that Bill and Gwen had planned that Gwen would send this "Letter to Mary" when Bill left England so that Mary would know her dear brother had gone into action.)

From: Wren. G.R. Wilkins
8 Tyr-sarn Rd.
Rumney, Cardiff

Mary W. Garner, SK2c
Disbursing Office
U.S. Naval Air Station
Minneapolis, Minnesota
U.S.A. Bath 6. 9. 44

My Dear Mary,
I'm afraid this will only be a hastily scribbled note to enclose with these pictures promised Bill I would send on. I wrote to your Mother and Father last night, also to Bernard but didn't have time to write to you or Souil so I am taking a few minutes off from the office to do so now.

Monday I should have been transferred to Milford Haven, but an outbreak of chicken-pox there canceled my draft at the last minute. I was on Bath Station waiting for the train, and only had five minutes to wait, when the R.T.O.'s office called me over to the phone when second officer informed me to return to Bath for duty. So now I'm stuck here for another 3 weeks until the quarantine period ends. 

I was glad in a way because it meant I could see Bill once more at the A.R.C. Club dance in Warminister on Tuesday night, and we had a wonderful evening although we didn't dance very much, we're just happy to be with one another. 

I do hope it will not take too long before I can be with him in the dear old U.S.A.
Now I must close, hoping you're keeping fine. 
Kindest Regards,
Sincerely,
Gwen.

June 1944 calendar

Letter #17 from WIlbur C Garner 25 May 1944

The following text in blue, is found in the XIX Corps Publication " Normandy to the Elbe,"  a copy of which, is in my archives. An excerpt of the content is reproduced here to provide the blog reader a sense of what was taking place in the XIX Corps up to the time the "Letter to Mary" in this blog entry was written.
 
XIX Corps began life as the III Armored Corps, activated at Camp Polk, Louisiana, on August 20, 1942 under Major General Willis D. Crittenberger. After training at Camp Polk and two maneuvers in Louisiana in 1943, the headquarters left for England on January 7, 1944. In England General Crittenberger left to head a Corps in Italy, and Major General Charles H. Corlett took over command. The headquarters settled at Knook Camp in Wiltshire, near Warminster, where active planning for the Corps' part in Operation Neptune, for the landing in France, got under way in the old Manor House of Boyton. While the divisions that were to operate under XIX Corps maneuvered and perfected their plans on the Salisbury Plain, the XIX Corps Staff drew up their plans for landing soon after D-Day, as the first of the build-up Corps, to take over the central sector and advance on St. Lo, the strategic communications center of that part of Normandy. It was not merely a question of one plan, but many alternate plans, to take advantage of as many eventualities as could be forseen.
 
The soft English April passed into May, and many of us were told the target date, and finally the date for D-Day. 
Text: Captain Fredric E. Pamp Jr  (Public Relations Officer XIX Corps 1945)

S/Sergeant Wilbur C. Garner, 33377578
G-1 Section, HQ XIX Corps
APO 270 c/o Postmaster, N.Y.

Mary W. Garner, SK2c
Disbursing Office
U.S. Naval Air Station
Minneapolis, Minnesota
U.S.A.

25 May, 1944

Dear Mary, 

Well Sis, I guess you spent a very nice furlough at home. It would have really been swell if we could have been home once again all together. Well maybe we will shortly.

I'm sitting in a meeting now and I'm merely a doorman. Spending my day just sitting around here. It's rather chilly sitting here so I guess I'll bring my jacket back this afternoon.
I was up to see Gwen again last night and she has some very good pictures for you. Say did you ever get those trinkets I sent you? I sent a bracelet and small pin the same time I mailed Mother's pendant. I guess it will be at your station when you get back. I hope so anyhow. 

How was everything at home? Is there anything I can do to help with anything? Please let me know if there is anything at all they need.
I got a letter from Souil the other day and he seems much more satisfied than he was at first. I'm glad to see that he finally convinced himself that he may as well make the best of things.
I also got a letter from Colin. He seems rather fed up with that course he is taking. You know Colin though he gets fed up rather easily.

Could you send me more nuts and gum? Say, Sis, that fruit was really good. Some of it I have saved for harder days which are certain to come. Anything that will keep, all of us sock away. It will really come in handy too. I'd like to have some of that dehydrated chicken noodle soup if you can find any around. If there is any little article you think I'd like to have just drop it in one of the larger packages and send it along.

Well there isn't much news now so I guess I'll close.
Lots of Luck and Love
Bill
P.S. I am going to send you some more money this week for the pocket book when you get it.

Request for permission to marry...April 27, 1944

The next chronologically significant documents among the "Letters to Mary" are two separate requests to marry: one from Gwen to the commanding officer of Hq Company, XIX Corps APO 270, U.S. Army and one from Bill to same.
Copies of the type written requests and Army approval documentation appear below.

Letter #14 from WIlbur C Garner 17 April 1944

S/Sgt Wilbur C. Garner, 33377578
G-1 Section, Hq XIX Corps
APO 270, c/o Postmaster, N.Y.





Mary W. Garner, SK3c
U.S. Naval Air Station
Disbursing Office
Minneapolis, Minnesota(6)

17 April 1944

Dear Mary,
     Well it's me again. How are tricks with you these days? I'll bet you can't guess what I did today. I finally got around to mailing you the little trinkets that I bought for you. Also the small bell that Gwen gave to me to send to you. It is for a charm bracelet if you should have one. It's not very much at all but I thought it was very nice of her. She had a letter to send to you the other day. It was about the same as our V-Mail letters (Air-Graph to them). She took it to the post office and they said that it would not go so she had to take it back and send you a regular letter.
     I had this past Saturday afternoon and Sunday off so I went up to see her. There is not much to do except to take a walk or go to the movies. The scenery over here is beautiful. Of course there are always Red Cross Clubs to go to. That's where we spent Saturday evening. Sunday afternoon we went to movies and saw "Shepard of the Hills". It is a very old picture. I didn't like it so much but as I said there wasn't much else to do.
     Well I've got to work again tonight. Boy this night work will kill you if you keep it up. The first night I have off, I have to do some laundry. The next night I'm off the Company Commander will probably find something to keep us all in for, then of course the next night that the CO can't find anything for us to do I'll have to work in the office. That is my  workaday week. Then in my spare time, I try to get up to see GWEN R. WILKINS ( Gwendoline Rosa Wilkins). Nice name but a much nicer girl. Ha! Ha! I heard what you said and maybe you are right. I'll not say yea or nea now.
                           I guess I'll close for now and hope to hear from you soon again,
                                                                                       Lots of love and luck,
                                                                                                           Bill

Letter #11 From Wilbur C Garner 21 March 1944

S/Sgt Wilbur C. Garner, 33377578

Hq XIX Corps, APO 270
Postmaster, N.Y., N.Y.

21 March 1944
Mary W. Garner, SK3c
U.S. Naval Air Station
Minneapolis, 6, Minnesota


Dear Mary,

Well kid, how are you these spring days? Is there anything new around your way? I received a letter from Mother and Dad the other day and I understand, she and dad have gotten a house on Calverton Heights Avenue. Back to the old neighborhood. Well I guess that is just about the best they could do at this time. When I get home, I hope there will be something open at Towson or Wiltondale. I really think that is about the only section of the city to live in.
Incidentally, did you read that piece in the Life Magazine, 14 Feb 44 knocking Baltimore? Some of those damn hillbillies from the hill that never saw light before probably wrote it. Boy, it really made my blood pressure rise in a hurry. Those morons are the ones that have made Baltimore the mess that it has been since the war. Of course they wouldn't know anything about that.
I accepted that invitation to my friend's home that I told you about. It really was a lovely few days. Incidentally, Sis, will you do me a favor?
Would you send her a black shoulder-sling handbag? I'll send you the money for it so don't worry about that. She is really a sweet kid and I'll send you a picture as soon as I can get one of her. She has given me a little ship's bell for a charm bracelet to send you from her. I bought you a little gold filled pin.
It isn't much but I thought you'd like it. I'll try to get off to you tomorrow.
Well I guess I'll close for now because I'm at work and I see a job coming up.

Lots of love from your loving brother,
Bill                               

Letter #10 from Wilbur C. Garner 9 March 1944

This is Bill's first "Letter to Mary" after arriving in Europe in late December of 1943.
 
S/Sgt. Wilbur C. Garner, 33377578

Hq XIX Corps, APO 270
c/o Postmaster, N.Y., N.Y.

Mary W. Garner, SK3c
U.S. Naval Air Station
Minneapolis, 6, Minnesota

9 March 1944



Dear Mary,
Well ole kid, what's new? How did you make out with your SK2c rating? If you don't get that, I'll be stepping out ahead of you. Let's go kid.

I suppose you are now wanting to hear some news about me. Well here it is. I am now going around with a WRN (Woman's Royal Navy). Well the Navy isn't so bad anyhow. I met her last Friday night and I have seen her about four times since then. Not bad I'd say. She is a very nice girl and not too bad looking. The name is Gwen (for Gwendolin) R. Wilkins. She has invited me to spend a week-end at her home in Cardiff, if I can get time off. I'm surely going to take her up on that invitation. 
I may be able to get a picture of her to send you.
Last night at a dance in one of the neighboring town, I met a boy from back home. He used to go around with a crowd from Register Avenue. He came over with our home-town unit and since then has been transferred. We had a nice long chat together until our ATS girlfriends decided that it was time to go home. They were not far wrong either because we almost missed our truck.
Will you please send me some chewing gum and some good face soap? There is not much news that the censors will let go through, so I guess I'll sign off for now. 

Lots of luck on your exams and write soon.
Lots of Love
Bill

Gwendoline R Wilkins Roath Park, Cardiff Wales March 1944

Wilbur C Garner Roath Park, Cardiff, Wales March 1944

Straying from just sharing the letter text here, I feel compelled to add a few notes on this blog entry and share text that comes directly from my mother's (Gwendoline's memoir) as well as a verbal recount of their meeting, by Bill.

Notes on the "meeting" ~  

Written by Gwen regarding their first meeting ~ 

Gwen wrote in her memoir on their chance meeting....

"As a Wren, Specialised, Shorthand-Typist, I was designated Administrative Assistant to the First Officer in charge of the W.R.N.S. unit stationed at Royal School, Bath -- which was known in naval records as H.M.S. "Bristol". Just the First Officer and I were responsible for the quartering and victualling of some 60 Wrens who acted as couriers to take the secret plans and orders from the Navy Department responsible for undersea operations to the coastal bases along the southern coast of England.One day toward the end of January 1944, our unit received an invitation from a United States Army unit in nearby Warminster, Wiltshire, to a Red Cross dance on a Saturday night. Now I was never very much interested in dancing -- kinda enjoyed watching other people tread on one another's toes, but when this particular invitation was received and posted on the bulletin board, I decided to put my name on the list of personnel wishing to go. For you see, I had heard of the scrumptious doughnuts and apple pies with cheddar cheese, and other goodies prepared by the U.S. Army for these events --- and I wanted to sample them as a pleasant change from a wartime diet. On the day that the First Officer reviewed the names, she noted that no-one above the rating of Ordinary Wren was listed. (very unusual!) However, since my name was on the list, First Officer put me in charge of the group! And so, that Friday, somewhere along the wartime blackout enshrouded country roads between Warminster and Bath, unbeknown to him, a certain very handsome U.S. Army Staff Sergeant was traveling toward his appointed destiny with fate!For Staff Sergeant Wilbur C. Garner happened to be in charge of the truck convoy that night sent to pick up our group of Wrens."

Bill recounted their fist meeting~
As told to me (Karen Garner Martin Messick) by Bill

"I, as a Sergeant, was charged with the responsibility of transporting the WRN's from their station in Bath to a Red Cross dance on  a Saturday night. I was driving a deuce and a half truck. Gwen was in charge of overseeing the transport of the women. The women, except for Gwen were transported in the back of the truck. Gwen sat up front between me, the driver and another G.I. As Gwen jumped into the front seat, I  raised my arm and rested it on the back of the bench seat to give Gwen more room to sit. Gwen thought I was being a fresh "Yank" until I explained myself."

From Gwen's memoirs ~ she wrote ~

"The following memory goes back to the days when I lived on Habershon Street. One day, when I was probably 12 or 13 years old, my school pal, Edna Hopgood, persuaded me to go to a lady's house on the street where Edna lived as this lady supposedly read your fortune and future from cards which you chose and placed face down in front of her. Well, this was, to me, just a prank as I never placed any faith in fortune telling. However, what she predicted that day, which I never thought about until years later when I had met Bill, certainly seemed to come true. She read from the cards that I would "meet a handsome young man who would come from over the water" but she was a little disturbed because he was "surrounded by white flowers." I dismissed this "reading" from my thoughts, but after 8 years had passed and World War II was in progress, I met an American Soldier, Wilbur C. Garner. One day while sitting on a bench with Bill in Victoria Park, Bath, England with snowflakes falling lightly on us and glistening in the light of the park lamps, my thoughts suddenly flashed back and I recalled the words of that fortune teller! For my American soldier had "come from over the water" and the "white flowers" to me represented Bill's first wife who had died suddenly---which he told me about while we were sitting on that park bench."