A real match for the Axis

Found, if I recall, among bric-a-brac, in a job lot at an auction in the east of England, is this ‘striking’ packet of matches, only three of which have been used. As there are a number of US air bases in this part of the world, it may have once belonged to an airman who eventually settled here. Presumably, the date of manufacture by The Match Corporation of America in Chicago would be sometime between 1941 and 1945 and it is certainly possible that the US Air Force brought over to England large numbers of such packets for the use of their staff.

Advertising propaganda urging patriots to buy War Bonds dates back to the First World War, but I haven’t yet discovered any satirical British advertising on everyday objects, such as matches or cigarette packets, that dates from a hundred years ago . If any Jot 101 readers know of some, we would welcome further information. [RMH]

Velly Silly, Mister Hitler

An interesting example of ephemera from World War II, put out by the National Refugee Service (a 'constituent agency of the United Jewish Appeal for Refugees and Palestine') - it puts forward the example of a Jewish refugee, Private John Goetz, who has found 'home and freedom' in America after being 'tossed out' of Germany. He is now bravely fighting the Japanese - hence from their point of view Hitler has made a 'velly silly' move. 

 He won the Purple Heart and says that when he gets home from war he will have so many medals he will look like 'one of those doormen in front of a Russian night club...' His opinion of Japanese soldiers is very low.