The World War II Donut Dollies
Hello friends! Today’s post is a guest article by my author friend and co-host of the Victory Celebration blog party, Phoebe Hinkle. Today (May 8th) is V-E Day and the one-year anniversary of the publication of her World War II historical fiction book, We Gave Our Tomorrows, and Phoebe is sharing a tidbit of WWII history that she incorporated into her book. Enjoy!
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One of my favorite scenes in We Gave Our Tomorrows is when the squad meets a group of Donut Dollies in Luxembourg. I’m guessing, though, that most people probably haven’t heard of the Donut Dollies before. I know I hadn’t!
I found out about the Dollies, also called the Clubmobile Girls, when I was reading a fanfiction story from my favorite WWII tv show. Intrigued by the idea, I did some research on the subject, thinking I might write about it or do reenacting as a Dolly someday.
So who were the Donut Dollies, anyway?
During WWII, the Red Cross provided not only medical care, but also food and entertainment to the troops. Donuts and coffee were especially popular. A New York banker named Harvey Gibson came up with the idea to adapt trucks into mobile kitchens to take donuts to the men in the field – hence, the Clubmobile Service was born.
Clubmobile volunteers had to go through a rigorous application process to be accepted. They had to be between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-five, physically fit, sociable, and pretty enough but not too pretty – think wholesome “girl-next-door” looks, not “glamorous movie star.”
Dollies traveled in groups of three or sometimes four. The trucks they rode in were usually GMCs, converted to hold a small kitchen and bunks in the back. The kitchen consisted of a built-in donut machine and a stove to heat water for coffee. In addition, the Dollies carried records and newspapers for entertainment, and candy, gum, and cigarettes to hand out to the men.
While the original Clubmobiles traveled throughout Britain, they were first employed on a large scale after the invasion of Normandy in 1944. They traveled in the rear of the Army Corps and took their orders from Army command.
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| Clubmobile reenacting. |
It was always an exciting time for the men when a Clubmobile set up nearby. Hot donuts and coffee were highly appreciated by guys who had been living on K-Rations for weeks! The Dollies would get out the portable Victrola and put on some records, usually letting the guys pick out the songs. Often, a few soldiers would volunteer to serve the donuts so that the girls were free to chat and dance.
The Dollies provided much more than food. Their most important role was to lift the morale of homesick GIs. They would engage in friendly chatter, look through the photos the guys showed them, or just listen while a lonely soldier talked.
Ultimately, many of the Donut Dollies were driven by the human connections they made. The work wasn’t easy, but one Dolly wrote that “she wouldn’t trade it for anything else.” It was one small way for the women of America to serve the men fighting for the freedom of the world.
Here’s the original donut recipe the Red Cross used. I haven’t made it yet, but I plan to one of these days!
About the guest writer:
Phoebe Hinkle has a passion for good, clean adventure stories that point readers to God. She began writing at an early age and published her first novella when she was fifteen. Although that first book was full of cringe-worthy errors (the main reason why it’s not for sale online), it was the gateway to an incredible writing journey that, Lord willing, will continue for the rest of her life.
Phoebe can usually be found with her two cats, her laptop, and a mug of tea or coffee. She loves serving God, playing games with her family, and acting out stories with her friends.
Visit her website: blackotterbooks.com to learn more.
P.S. This post is part of the Victory Celebration blog party which Phoebe and I are hosting!
If you haven’t entered the giveaway yet, be sure to do so before it ends tomorrow (May 9th)! You have a chance to win paperback copies of my book Trains and Tulips, Phoebe’s book We Gave Our Tomorrows, and two other Christian YA WWII historical fiction books: The Jewel of Berlin by L.E. Levens and The Yellow Badge by Addison Crissone.
Enter the giveaway here!
Be sure to check out Phoebe Hinkle’s blog: blackotterbooks.com.
And the other participants in the Victory Celebration Blog Party:
Note: this is not necessarily an endorsement of everything on all of these blogs/websites!
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