StoryCorps: Lilly and Don Rich

Lilly: We met…Wokingham, England. You had just arrived from the States. I was stationed there in the army – British Army. I had gone to the pictures with my friend and we were walking along, and we knew that two fellows were walking behind us. And one of them said, “Ma’am, can you tell us where we can get something to drink?” And we took you to an army canteen that was in the local Methodist church; it was a coffee house. I don’t think that was what you were looking for.

Don: Well, perhaps not, but we stopped in there and had a cup of tea. And I can remember that we did do some dancing that night. And it seems to me like after that first dance, I couldn’t stop dancing with you and I’ve been dancing with you ever since. This happened in January and, of course, the invasion happened on June 6th, the following June 6th. And of course I was scheduled to leave for the invasion of France.

Lilly: And I moved, my company moved, down near the coast at the time of the invasion.

Don: After the war ended in Germany, we were on our way to the coast of France to prepare to go to the South Pacific and we had a little bit of a lay-over there. And I bummed a ride on a fishing boat and I crossed the channel. I arrived in Lilly’s home, told her mother I was there to get married.

Lilly: I was up in the northern part of England. I don’t know it was quite late, quite late when I got home. And when my mother answered the door, I said, “Where is Donald?” And she said, “Shhh, he’s so tired, he’s sleeping.” And I said, “Well, get him up.” And you came down the stairs.

Don: I guess, I can remember that like it was yesterday.

Lilly: You said, “We’re going to be married.”

Web Extra: Sadly, we didn't have time to broadcast many of the deatils of Don and Lilly's remarkable courtship story. Click here for more of the story.

Web Extra: After World War Two ended, though Don and Lilly were married, there were a few more obstacles that kept them apart. Click here for more of the story.