Following the Troops: Life for an Army Wife 1941-1945

By Leigh Verrill-Rhys

My mother loved to tell stories about her life and I loved to listen. When I grew up and had an opportunity to publish her World War II adventures, I asked her to write these stories for a collection I was working on for Honno, the Welsh Women’s Press, Parachutes & Petticoats.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Eres Books
• Release date: Aug 26, 2012
• ISBN: 9780983657767

Leigh Verrill-Rhys

A native of Paris Hill, Maine, Leigh spent most of her childhood and early adult years in San Francisco before emigrating to Wales to marry and raise three sons. She has been a writer, editor and lecturer for most of her life, intermingled with career portfolios in marketing, finance and community arts projects. Leigh's debut novel, WAIT A LONELY LIFETIME, was released in April 2012, published by Avalon Books. She is a member of the Authors Guild, a former member of the Welsh Academy and the Arts Forum and admits to running with scissors and leaping before she looks.Leigh also publishes as an entrepreneurial author with Eres (eresbooks.com). In 2012 and 2013, she released the romantic comedy novel by installment, NIGHTS BEFORE, in six episodes set in Portland Maine, beginning with TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE NEW YEAR, followed by stories set during celebrations and commemorations during the year, ending with TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS EVE. These six stories are available individually as ebooks. A print edition, NIGHTS BEFORE: THE NOVEL, is now available.For Leigh's third novel, SALSA DANCING WITH PTERODACTYLS, released in March 2014, she first had to learn how to spell ‘pterodactyl’! THIS CAN'T BE LOVE, her fourth novel and the second in the ‘Americans in Love’ in foreign places, is set in Edinburgh during the Fringe Festival.An award-winning editor, she has published three volumes of women's autobiographical writing about their lives in Wales and during World War II: ON MY LIFE; PARACHUTES & PETTICOATS; and IANCS, CONSHIS a SPAM (all published by Honno Welsh Women's Press). She has released a collection of her mother's adventures on her travels during the Second World War, FOLLOWING THE TROOPS.Leigh’s first American history novel: PAVANE FOR MISS MARCHER, set in post-civil war Maine, inspired by her brother’s, Thomas, passion for American history, many historians, including Shelby Foote, Thomas A. Desjardin, Lochlainn Seabrook, Michael Shaara, her family’s part in the Battle for Little Round Top as well as authors Louisa May Alcott and Elswyth Thane.More about all of Leigh’s independently published novels are available through her website, leighverrillrhys.com and eresbooks.com, Smashwords, as well as KDP: Amazon and most independent online booksellers.

Book preview

Following the Troops

Life for an Army Wife 1941-1945

Virginia May Verge Verrill

As written for her daughter, Leigh Verrill-Rhys, in 1992.

Following the Troops

Life for an Army Wife 1941-1945

Virginia May Verge Verrill

As told to and edited by Leigh Verrill-Rhys

Smashwords Edition

  Copyright 2012 Leigh Verrill-Rhys

Cover Photo & Artwork: Copyright 2012: The Editor

978-0-9836577-6-7

° ° ° ° °  

Eres Books, License Notes

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Downloading this book from a 'free books' or pirate site is in breach of copyright law and the moral rights of the author. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  The moral rights of the author & editor have been asserted.

Following the Troops is an autobiographical collection of stories.

  ° ° ° ° °

For Mom, on the occasion of her 90th birthday, with much love and gratitude for every word

17 May 2003

Virginia May Verge Verrill

1913 – 2005

This edition has been prepared on the 50th anniversary of the death of 

Captain Thomas Anthony Verrill, Sr. (May 14,