G I Bride Crazy to Go to United States (pictures)

February 1946

South Yorkshire Times February 16, 1946

G I Bride

Img_0249 lilly

Mrs Sylvia Lilly, second daughter of Mr and Mrs A E Spencer, of 67, D land Avenue, arrived in New York on Saturday in the “Queen Mary,” which left Southampton on Monday last week carrying brides of American servicemen to their new homes.

Mrs Lloyd, from a hairdresser at Denaby and, I cannot join a dental surgeon husband, Sgt Howard Lilly, of Boston Massachusetts, whom she married at Conisbrough Parish Church in March 1944.

Mrs Lawley, will be 24 on March 8 next, met her husband, who was in the US medical Corps at Blandford (Dorset), whilst serving in the A T S as a switchboard operator but actually Royal Corps of signals. They met in a cafe there.

Mrs Lilly received her discharge from the A.T.S. in December 1944, and before going out to America filled various positions, including posts at the Food Office and in a Doncaster factory.

Her mother told a “Times” reporter on Monday that her daughter was “crazy” to go out to the United States. She had been to the American Embassy several times and she was there both on V.E. and the V.J. days – endeavouring to get her departure date brought forward.

“She tried to book a passage out by air, and even when she was told it will cost for 9 pounds she was determined to go by that rule, but was advised it would be quicker to go out under the U.S. Army scheme.

She still had her name down for an air trip when she warned to go to Tidworth, the entraining centre on January 28.”

Sgt Lilly, who was invalided back to America about nine months ago suffering from malaria, has been demobilised approximately six months.