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Thomas J. "Tom" Lilly

Lilly, Thomas J, Montreal, Quebec. Occupation: clerk. Military Service: Private, McGill 183, 2nd University Company, PPCLI, Attestation Papers. Diary References: “There Tom Lilly got us some tea and a good snort of rum, and found me a dry place to curl up in, as I had had no sleep for nearly three days,” 3:4 June ’16; “The stars of the show were Tom Lilly and his men (4th McG),” 3:16 Jun ’16; “T. J. Lilly gave me a ticket to the theatre tonight. They are playing Miss Pinafore. I attended and it was very good,” 7:30 Nov ’18. According to Hodder-Williams, 237, Pte. Lilly was struck off strength on 1 January 1918.

Additional Biographical Information:

Thomas J. Lilly was a 38-year-old clerk, who enlisted in June 1915 at Montreal in the 2nd University Company. Tom’s main contribution was not on the firing line. Instead, he was involved in the PPCLI Comedy Company, which was a vaudeville act designed to boost the morale of the troops. Its first performance for the PPCLI was at Steenwoorde in June 1916 (See Frank’s diary entry for that date).