This Token of Freedom: A Remarkable Wartime Journey - Softcover

Helminiak, Jon

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1475943709 ISBN 13: 9781475943702

Verlag: iUniverse, 2012

Inhaltsangabe

In the summer of 1940, the German Luftwaffe was preparing to destroy London by bombing it for fifty-six consecutive days and nights. To spare British children from witnessing the carnage and from possible death, millions of youth were evacuated from their London homes and sent away to safe locations. For many boys and girls, their lives would start over in new towns and often with unknown families. Historically, the idea of evacuating an entire generation of children, separating them from their parents, was unprecedented. This is the story of one of those evacuee children, Jayne Jaffe, who at age nine, began witnessing the best and worst of humanity: war, love, death, separation, tears, euphoria, destruction and rebuilding. For the first time, Jayne's remarkable journey is told with compelling narrative by author Jon Helminiak in This Token of Freedom. "This Token of Freedom is an extraordinarily well written and heartwarming story about family courage in a time of historic global strife. It's important reminder of the upheavals wrought by WWII on British parents and their children" The British Literary Society

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Jon Helminiak earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition to managing Adventure Quest Productions, he is the executive director of the Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin, chief operating officer for Pax Media Corporation, and a part-time senior consultant with Lauritzen and Associates.

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THIS TOKEN OF FREEDOM

By Jon Helminiak

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2012 Jon Helminiak
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4759-4370-2

Contents

Foreword..............................................................................................viiAcknowledgements......................................................................................xiIntroduction..........................................................................................xiiiI. Jack Hans Jaffé...............................................................................1II. The Islands Shall Not Be Defended: Impending War and the Evacuation of Jersey.....................8III. In Brighton and London...........................................................................15IV. To America........................................................................................32V. Where in the World Is Wisconsin?...................................................................69VI. Back Home to England..............................................................................94VII. The American Dream...............................................................................119Afterword.............................................................................................133About the Author......................................................................................135

Chapter One

Jack Hans Jaffé

It was Saturday night on the Isle of Jersey, and Jack Hans Jaffé raised his whiskey glass and addressed his wife and friends.

"Tonight in the Jaffé home, June 8, 1930, let us toast to the Queen and King of England and wish them, by the grace of God, everlasting health, wisdom, and good fortune."

He brought the glass to his lips and paused.

"Oh, I almost forgot." He looked at his young wife Maureen and his guests, then lowered his glass and cleared his throat.

"I'm going to be a father."

The guests roared their approval and advanced toward the expectant couple to congratulate them.

"No, wait!" Jack held up a hand and signaled them to stop.

"There's one last thing." The room fell silent.

"May we toast to peace between Germany and England. A peace that will allow our child, and all of us, to live on Jersey untroubled by the upheavals of warfare." There were murmurs of agreement.

"Now, let us drink."

The men raised and drained their glasses. The women sipped at theirs.

Jack put another handful of coal and wood into the heating stove as the guests helped themselves to slices of roast, potatoes, gravy, and turnip casserole.

"You know what, Jack?" asked George Pooley, one of Jack's business associates. His portly face had become flush with a bit too much whiskey. "You were too young to fight in the first big war, and you're too old to fight now. That is, of course, provided we have to fight the Germans once again."

"For that I have my mother and father to thank, don't I? They timed me quite well." Jack brushed his hands clean of soot and poured himself another whiskey. "And even if we do have a war, being a father at my age won't be so bad, either. I'll focus on raising my child instead of raising a bloody rifle above the mud wall of a battlefield trench."

Maureen added, "I don't think Germany would dare to fight the Crown again."

The conversations continued about war, children, Jersey, and England until the wee hours of the morning. Guests were always reluctant to leave; the Jaffé home was a comfortable retreat, and Jack and Maureen were engaging hosts. Best of all, there was always ample whiskey and wine, provided by Jack's business, J.H. Jaffé & Company.

Unlike Maureen, Jack Hans Jaffé had been previously married and had an adult daughter. Born in London in 1883, he developed into a handsome, athletic, and charismatic man. His well-proportioned, stocky frame was usually dressed in fine suits or sport jackets. His grin and easy laugh put others at ease, and his firm handshake punctuated his honest reputation.

By 1910, he was recognized as one of London's best golfers, playing in tournaments hosted by prestigious golf clubs throughout England. He was also a champion "punter" who raced in a punt boat, a wooden, flat-bottomed vessel with a square-cut bow. The punt, about the size of a small rowboat, was propelled by pushing a long pole off the river bottom. Weekend punters' races on London's Thames River were popular among participants and spectators alike, and Jack was one of the best at his craft.

Jack's good looks and athletic skills made him popular among the ladies, but he had little time for courtship. Then one evening, while he dined with friends at a London pub, one of his pals claimed he knew a "cheeky single girl". Would Jack like to meet her? The friend offered to arrange an introduction at the cinema on Victoria Street, where she worked as the movie house manager.

Jack accepted, knowing that he had little to lose. He could attend the silent feature film (all movies in the early 1900s were without sound) and meet the girl named Maud. They'd enjoy the movie together, and if they were attracted to each other, it would be a bonus.

On the evening they met, both Jack and Maud were equally smitten. They courted for several months, and eventually Jack asked Maud for her hand in marriage. It was 1906, and he was 23 years old.

Within the year, Maud gave birth to a girl whom she and Jack named Joy. Her friends and family nicknamed the girl "Pix", and Jack, Maud, and Pix lived happily together for about 20 years.

But then, for unknown reasons, Jack and Maud divorced. Given the stigma placed on divorce in the 1920s, especially between Catholic couples, their reasons for parting must have been considerable. Furthermore, Jack and Maud were considered upstanding, honest, and committed to each other.

By the time they divorced, Pix had grown into a stunning woman in her early twenties. She had honed her natural musical talents into a career, playing piano and singing at local theaters and private events. With Pix living her own adult life, Jack decided to move to the Isle of Jersey. It was time to start over, and Jersey would be a tranquil place to begin.

Within days after arriving on Jersey, Jack joined the LaMoye and Royal Jersey Golf Clubs. Soon he was appointed captain of the LaMoye golf team and won many club championships.

Being active in the golf clubs was an efficient way for Jack to expand his business and social networks, including the circle of single Jersey females. Already he was enamored with a girl named Maureen Conway who worked at the LaMoye Golf Club. She was 23 years his junior, but undeterred by the age gap, he made his romantic intentions known, and Maureen was receptive.

Initially they chatted casually at the club or ate together when Maureen was off work and Jack had finished his rounds of golf. But the club lacked privacy, and Jack and Maureen grew weary of the disapproving stares of their club friends and work colleagues. Many felt it was inappropriate for an older man to date such a young, innocent girl.

So they took their courtship elsewhere: to pubs, beaches, and parks. And despite their generational differences, they developed an easy rapport. Maureen liked Jack's easygoing style. This athletic, savvy businessman always knew how to have fun between responsibilities. Jack loved a strong drink, a good party, and close friends.

In turn, Jack thought Maureen very mature for her age. She had a strong constitution, seemed very determined, was quick to laugh, and enjoyed being social. Like Jack,...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: iUniverse
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2012
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1475943709
• ISBN 13: 9781475943702
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 154
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: GPSR Kontakt; gpsr@libri.de; ; Europaallee 1; Bad Hersfeld; 36244; Deutschland