Bride trains

In 1945 and 1946 several "bride trains" were run in Australia to transport war brides to or from ships.

Crowds seeing off a bride train departing from Central railway station, Sydney bound for Brisbane in September 1945

These trains included:

• September 1945: A train from Perth to Brisbane, where the women and their children were to embark on a ship bound for the United States. The war brides endured cramped and uncomfortable conditions during the first leg of this trip.[1]
• September 1945: A train travelling directly from Melbourne to Brisbane carrying 230 women and 70 children (including those who had embarked at Perth) bound for the United States.[2]
• September 1945: A special train from Sydney to Brisbane carrying more than 254 women and 85 children bound for the United States.[3]
• October 1945: A train carrying Canadian war brides departed Brisbane for the southern states.[4][5]
• February 1946: A train carrying 495 women and children from Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria to Sydney where they boarded a ship bound for the United States.[6]
• April 1946: A train carrying British war brides from Melbourne to Sydney[7]
• April: A train carrying 41 women and 17 children to Brisbane where they boarded a ship bound for the United States.[8]
• May 1946: A train carrying women and children from Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne to Sydney where they boarded a ship bound for the United States.[9]
• June 1946: A train carrying 80 women and 46 children bound for the United States.[10]

The 2004 single Bridal Train by The Waifs is about the experiences of women who travelled on the Bride Trains.[11]

References

Citations

1. "Hysteria as bride train leaves". The Sun (2212). New South Wales, Australia. 2 September 1945. p. 3. Retrieved 8 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
2. "AMAZING SCENE AS BRIDE-TRAIN LEAVES". The Daily News. LXIII (21, 972). Western Australia. 8 September 1945. p. 4 (FIRST EDITION). Retrieved 8 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
3. "Hysterical mothers chase U.S. bride train". The Daily Telegraph. VI (43). New South Wales, Australia. 9 September 1945. p. 2. Retrieved 8 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
4. "BRIDE TRAIN FOR SOUTH". Cairns Post (13, 616). Queensland, Australia. 22 October 1945. p. 3. Retrieved 8 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "Overland Was Bride Train". The News. 45 (6, 938). South Australia. 26 October 1945. p. 3. Retrieved 8 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
6. ""Strike" By Mothers Delays Bride Train". The Daily Telegraph. X (284). New South Wales, Australia. 18 February 1946. p. 5. Retrieved 8 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
7. "Husband Travels On Bride Train". The Daily Telegraph. XI (26). New South Wales, Australia. 23 April 1946. p. 15. Retrieved 8 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
8. "Red Cross Service for Bride Train". Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (21, 688). New South Wales, Australia. 9 April 1946. p. 4. Retrieved 8 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
9. "Mothers, Babies Ill On Bride Train". The Sun (11, 335). New South Wales, Australia. 23 May 1946. p. 5 (LATE FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved 8 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
10. "SPECIAL BRIDE TRAIN FOR W A". The Argus (Melbourne) (31, 142). Victoria, Australia. 24 June 1946. p. 3. Retrieved 8 August 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
11. Arrowsmith 2010, p. 104.

Works consulted

• Arrowsmith, Robyn Anne (2010). "Australian WWII war brides in America: their memories and experiences". PhD Thesis. Macquarie University.