Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 09 August 1941

Left Husband and Children

Thurnscoe Wife Joins A.T.S.

A Thurnscoe woman who appeared at the Doncaster West Riding Police Court on Wednesday pleaded guilty to abandoning her two young children.

She was Elizabeth O. Kilner (28), married, of Albert street, and she was wearing the uniform of the A.T.S. Her children are aged four and three years respectively.

Her husband, Join Kilner, a pit surface worker, said on July 18th his wife left home and in a note said she had got her calling up papers to report for examination at Doncaster. He was not aware she had volunteered. Her children had been left with is mother. Since she had been away he had received three letters from her.

The Chairman, Mr Mark Nokes’s said he understood Kilner was walking about the streets at 10.30 the same night with his babies in his arms. He had to go to work the next day.

The woman told the court her husband knew very well she had written about her papers. She complained he had been called to her. She also told the Army authorities she had two children which she had left with her husband’s mother.

The Clerk: But did you not tell your husband this was likely to come long.

Kilner: I told him a month or two ago I had volunteered. I enlisted at Goldthorpe and they told me they would send me word. Then I got my papers to go to Doncaster for examination. I had be join up straight away. I did not expect it coming so soon.

She added she had intended making an allotment.

Replying to the chairman said she was willing to return to her husband if she could get her discharge from the Army.

Mr. -Pettifer, however, pointed out that that was the difficulty, getting her discharge.

The Chairman said she had done a serious thing. They would demand her until Saturday to see if they could secure her discharge.