Aboard
the Parker, an impromptu newsletter sprang up and it's masthead was
dubbed as the "Parker Patter" and was a temporary
replacement for the Devil's Digest. It appears to have first
aired on December 30th, the second full day at sea. There may have
been editions published daily but only six are known to survive.
Sue and Jack Talley. daughter and
son-in-law of Lt. George Gurwell have graciously shared these six
editions found in George's personal effects following his death in
2004. These documents may be the only surviving copies of the
"Patter" in the world. They lend some insights into not only
what life was like on the ship but also of important world events
taking place at the time.
Some of the mastheads carried a
publication date while others have been listed based on their
content and an assumption of when they were printed. |