Australia's first school for wives was organised by Captain Cecil Gidley, AIF, secretary of the ...

Australia's first school for wives was organised by Captain Cecil Gidley, AIF, secretary of the Lord Mayor of Sydney's Allied Relations Committee and Officer-in-Charge of the American Division, Australian Department of Information. Members of Sydney US Servicemen's Wives and Fiancees Association attended, learning more about their own country in order to talk of Australia in American homes. Sitting on the school steps awaiting the school bell are war brides, left to right: Doris "Lal" Tortora of Cammeray, NSW (bound for Jersey City, New Jersey, USA); Phyllis Layton-Ives of Concord West, NSW (McCleod, California, USA); Stella Frey of Pott's Point, NSW (Chicago, Ilinois, USA); Mary McCormack of Clovelly, NSW (New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA); Beryl Tooth of Stanmore, NSW (Plainfield, New Jersey, USA); Mrs Gloria Grey-Sutcliffe of Brighton-le-Sands, NSW (Blackwell, Oklahoma, USA).