Kilroyn.

1945 Sat. Evening Post 20 Oct. 6/2 On the crib hung a hand-lettered sign which asserted: ‘Kilroy slept Here’... Wherever he was, Kilroy had been there and left his mark behind: ‘Kilroy Was Here’, or ‘Kilroy Passed Through’ or ‘You're in the Footsteps of Kilroy’.

1946 N.Y. Times 24 Dec. 18/4 As far as the American Transit Association is concerned, the identity of the elusive Kilroy of ‘Kilroy Was Here’ fame has been established, and in token of this recognition a street car was shipped today to James J. Kilroy of Halifax, Mass.

1946 N.Y. Times 24 Dec. 18/5 In brief, Mr. Kilroy's claim is based on the following: During the war he was employed at the Bethlehem Steel Company's Quincy shipyard, inspecting tanks, double bottoms and other parts of warships under construction. To satisfy superiors that he was performing his duties, Mr. Kilroy scribbled in yellow crayon ‘Kilroy was here’ on inspected work. Soon the phrase began to appear in various unrelated places, and Mr. Kilroy believes the 14,000 shipyard workers who entered the armed services were responsible for its subsequent world-wide use.

1951 Here & Now (N.Z.) May 10/1 United Nations forces wonder what the jolly rodger they're doing [sic] to do when they reach the northernmost point. Mark ‘Kilroy’ in the snow and come back again perhaps.

1952 P. Atkey Juniper Rock xvii. 149 Such English as was possessed by the C.Q.M.S. was of a somewhat dated military character... ‘Kilroy was 'eah,’ said the C.Q.M.S. helpfully.

1962 Guardian 27 Nov. 7/5 For a long time Kilroy was the exclusive possession of the American forces.

a1966 M. Allingham Cargo of Eagles (1968) iii. 48 ‘A lot of people would like to know where he is just now. I wonder why he left that little pointer behind?’ ‘A “Kilroy was here” sign..?’

1966 Sunday Times 4 Dec. (Colour Suppl.) 73/2 GI Jargon ‘Kilroy was here’, standard graffito.

1969 L. Durrell Spirit of Place 162 When I am rich I shall have a memorial plaque placed..on Inverness station..reading ‘Kilroy was here—but oh so briefly’!