Wartime letter to friends back home

The following letter, from the collection of Robert Curran, was sent from Pte Al Gillard to his friend Orr Machesney in Creemore during the Second World War. Machesney had a small grocery store in the building that now houses the post office and adjacent restaurant. The Machesney home was the brick house at the north end of Mill Street, fourth from the corner on the east side. The letter refers Orr’s young brother Jerry, who had lost his life.

4 May, 1944

Dear Orr,

Strange as it may seem, you do not in the Army do the many things you plan, consequently a much belated letter which I intended to write sometime ago.

Anyhow you beat me to it, as opening one of my wife’s parcels, noticed the cigarettes you were so kind to send along. You can be well assured they were much appreciated, as they seem to be very needful to this life, Orr.

I read with interest The Creemore Star and notice where you are engaged in many of the town’s activities, plus some church activities, no doubt the latter causing you many headaches. No more as a tenant in Creemore either, I noticed. Guess this grocery business is not so bad, Orr, though you are deserving of all credit that is due. They have not been short hours of labour and to remain under the Excess Profits tax is a problem in itself.

Can well remember when you were anticipating settling in Creemore.

By the way, has not another heir to your estate been an addition since I left. If correct, congratulations, and pass Mrs. Machesney’s share along.

Marg mentioned in one of her letters the sad news forced upon you people, namely Jerry presumably lost. I was very sorry to hear such, notwithstanding how much you and the ones at home would be also. Anyhow Orr it must give you great pride to have one that sacrificed the most and do it as Jerry would.

You have no realization the suffering that is prevalent and sometimes when you see and hear all about it, you often wonder what it is about. The papers do not give too much detail, but almost five years is becoming to have a telling effect. You can be sure there is much heartfelt sympathy extended by the people here, for anything that affects a Canadian. All and one they are very highly regarded.

It was early last winter that I noticed where Jerry had registered at the same service club as I. They have a register, if you care to register your name, and where looking over it, noticed Creemore opposite his name.