James and Matilda Tilly Devine, , Sydney. Photo credit: Fairfax photo - supplied by Hachette. Where there is war, there is love. Almost 13, Australian soldiers who fought in the First World War married during their years of service, mostly to English women they met while on leave or during training stints in country. The Aussie soldiers were an attractive prospect: comparatively well-paid, lively and free-spirited, they offered an escape from bleak surroundings for many young women.
Jack tells me that quite a few of our men have been marrying English girls. These marriages are rather lightly undertaken in some cases, I fancy. He confessed in the same dry style that he was suffering from a dose of gonorrhoea. These Australians! Tilly Devine was a war bride with a less than reputable past, and an even more notorious future ahead of her.
When the war ended, he faced court martial for his illegal absences, and served a lengthy sentence in England before returning to Australia in October Police photographs of Tilly Devine in ; she was then sentenced to two years goal for a razor attack on a man. She was arrested often: before she had turned 25 she had almost 80 convictions for prostitution, offensive behaviour and indecent language.
In , she was imprisoned for two years after slashing a man with a razor. Tilly moved on from being a prostitute to becoming a madam, and more charges followed for her illegal activities. Despite this, she was a very successful businesswoman, employing bodyguards and acquiring properties.
By the time the Second World War broke out, Tilly had attained a more affectionate reputation among Sydneysiders and was known for her collection of diamond rings, her opulent dress style and her lavish parties. It was a boom time for her, as vast numbers of local and Allied servicemen passing through Sydney fed a demand for brothel services.
