Bonded by War
A GI and his (Ballindine born) bride returned to Blackpool after 53 years (as reported in a Blackpool paper Aug.98)
May & Andy (about 1943)
Blackpool tram conductress Teresa Kavanagh was swept off her feet by dashing American GI Richard Defenbaugh in a wartime romance. And that love, which began with a waltz at the Tower Ballroom, has gone on to last 54 years.
Richard, a corporal based at Warton, has just been back to Blackpool for the first time since the end of the war with Teresa and her sister May OMalley - who was also a GI bride. Unlike so many GI brides, who found only heartache in their adopted homeland, Teresa and May found lasting love in the USA.
Although the sisters have always lived many miles apart, they are now both settled in California but still with an hour's flight between them. They were together again for their visit back to their old hometown to visit their sister Sheila Kavanagh in Grasmere Road.
While May, a widow for 27 years, and Teresa have been back before, it is the first time Richard has made the trip.
"I don't like travelling much," said the retired mailman. But this time he was persuaded to accompany Teresa on a sentimental journey, visiting the haunts of their youth and taking in a trip back to see his old USAAF base at Warton. "This country seems a whole lot smaller that I remember it being," said Richard, "and I do miss the sunshine and heat of home." But he was enjoying taking in the sights of Blackpool - the town which gave him his bride!
Teresa and May were both working on the trams when they met their Americans - Teresa at the Tower and May at the Clifton Hotel. "My bother Bill was on leave from the Royal Navy and wanted to go to the Clifton to meet some friends. Sheila and I went along with him and I met Andy," said May.
Both couples married in Blackpool in 1944 and each had their first child in the resort. The men were posted back home for many months before their brides were able to join them in 1947. "Our mother didnt much like the idea of us living in America and taking her grandkids so far away, but she came round to the idea, " said Teresa.
"I think we were luckier than many because both our parents had visited America and we knew a bit more about what it was like." May added: "It was lonesome at first but you soon make a home and friends."
May and Teresa were delighted to be reunited with Sheila, a retired civil servant: "We have plenty to talk about," she said.
(Shortly after May met Andy, a rather funny incident happened whilst May was working on the tram. May got off the tram to allow people to get on and who came along only Andy himself. Now a few words had to be exchanged, but those few words sometimes take a rather long time as was the case of May and Andy. One of the passengers got fed up waiting and rang the bell and the tram set off without May. Help was at hand however, in the form of two other US service men travelling in a jeep. They were duly flagged down by Andy, May was bundled aboard and the driver was told to "follow that tram", and May was once again reunited with her passengers.)
In August 1998 the girls were once again reunited with their brother John and Ballindine friend (the late) Michael Devane at the Ballindine Fairday and Exiles Reunion.
For more article from the Ballindine Post and information on ordering see the Ballindine Post home page.
