Jack joined the Seaforth Highlanders (no 294) and was in the British Expeditionary Force at the start of the First World War and 
served right throughout the war period. He landed in Montrose after the war finished and got married in 1920. He was offered a job as a baker in London, but left that and moved around. Later he found himself in N Ireland in two different towns carrying on his work as a baker. There he was offered a house with one of the jobs and accepted it, but just on the point when he expected his wife to come with the family, one of the children took ill and he decided to come home to Scotland. This proved to be the stabilising factor in his life. Shortly after he moved to Kelty.
In Kelty other things took up his attention and he became interested in trade union matters. In no time he was Chairman of the Cowdenbeath Branch of the Scottish Bakers' Union and held the position for 25 years. He can proudly show the Inscribed Presentation Clock he received from the Union for his 25 years as Chairman. He had been a member of the Kelty Labour Party and was Treasurer for 20 years. He can recall the time when a resolution was proposed at Local Party to oppose Britain becoming involved in the Second World War. Jack thought the rest of the members were on the point of accepting the resolution and intervened putting his point of view on the matter very strongly with the result the resolution was not accepted. He was later Chairman of the Kelty Party and held this for 15 years.
The War changed many peoples lives in Kelty and the formation of a civilian defence force turned quite a number of men away from peace-time pursuits into a defence unit to protect their country and district.. The LDV (Local Defence Volunteers) was quickly set up. Its members had no uniforms and were armed only with broom handles and sticks. Jack was made. a Lieutenant under the Commander. Major James Rodger, the local headmaster.
Later the name was changed to the Home Guard who were issued with military uniforms and armed with rifles and a few Hotchkiss Machine-Guns. The LDV had their headquarters in some old cottages near the railway level crossing and the Home Guard in a hut on the site where the Working Men's Club now stands. The Kelty Company was quite large in numbers and there were four Platoons. Jack always felt Kelty had a good bunch of lads doing training, and attendances on parades and exercises were highly satisfactory. Two experiences always spring quickly to his mind in connection with his service in the Home Guard. First was the crucial night when the threatened German invasion was likely to take place and everybody, officers and men were at the ready, but nervously wondering what kind of 'show' they would put up in the event of the invasion actually happening. The second was a much happier memory and this was when the Company, coming from an exercise in the country marched down Cocklaw St. led by a Band of Kelty Pipers and then got the command, as they readied the centre of Kelty, to march with fixed bayonets. They marched to the tune of "Dovecot Park". He thought it a glorious sight. Jack has no hesitation in repeating what was often said by the authorities responsible for the Home Guard, that the Kelty Company was held up as an example of a well-trained group, to others in the surrounding areas.
Jack was also a member of the Musical Assoc. and had minor leading parts in the "Desert Song" and "Rose Marie". Later the entertainment group known as the Bunkhouse Boys was started up. It was a sort of Hill Billy Revue. One of their most successful productions was ''Sing, Country, Sing". It had 4 Scenes and 5 Interludes and was written by Joe Fyffe, a grocery employee of Kelty Co-op and supported musically by William Fernie, the well know Kelty violinist. Along with Jack in the cast were John Millar who is now 90years of age, his daughter Bab Miller, Lizzie Mackie.(Wright) and George Penman. They filled the Gothenburgh Hall to capacity on three successive nights and had shows of different kinds in Lochgelly, Aberdour, Rosyth, Cowdenbeath, Lassodie and elsewhere.
Jack was always interested in the Kelty Co-op Men's Guild and had two spells as Chairman over a period of more than 20yrs. His interest continued right up until 4yrs ago when it was abandoned due to lack of support from the younger generations. It was a good forum for speakers on all subjects and helped many young men to gain experience in public speaking and debate. Jack regrets to think he was the Guild's last Chairman. Nevertheless, he is comforted to know that the Kelty Co-op Guild was the very last in Scotland to be disbanded.
Mrs Farries and Jack were great walkers and most days they walked round Clentry Woods just for the joy of walking and enjoying each other's company. It should be noted that his early views of Kelty swiftly disappeared for he found a spirit in the village, back in the early days, he had never experienced anywhere in his many travels.
They had three of a family - one boy and two girls. Young Jack is in Canada with three of a family. Nan (Mrs Swankie) also in Canada has two boys. She and Jack live only 11 miles from each other. Dessa (Mrs Seath) lives in Townhill and has one son who has graduated in Bio-Chemistry. The Canadian grandsons have graduated in Business Training.
The CC comment on his Profile should be to quote:-
Reputation
An honest reputation is within the reach of all men; they obtain it by social virtues, and by doing their duty. This kind of reputation, it is true, is neither brilliant nor startling, but is often the most useful for happiness.