大象传媒

My Memories and Involvement in WW2
By
Monica Evans (nee Timmins)

War Effort

During the war years, 1939-45 everyone was expected to 鈥渄o his or her bit鈥�.
Young and old contributed to the war effort whilst the able-bodied young men and women served in the armed forces or worked on the land or in the armament factories.
My particular contribution from a tender age was entertaining the troops and factory workers. I belonged to a dancing troupe of young girls whose ages ranged from nine to fourteen. Our dancing teacher, Olive Meacham, who had originally worked in West End Musicals, set up
a small school of dancing locally, and soon, with a talented group of youngsters, ballet and tap-dancing lessons much practise and diligent rehearsal, we became a proficient and professional 鈥渃horus line鈥�. It was decided to form a concert party and we were joined in this project by an adult conjuror, a duo consisting of a soprano and tenor, a comedian, and John Hanson the singer who was later to become famous in various London musicals.
My father acted as compere or linkman as they are now called. For several years during the Second World War we toured factories in the Midlands performing 鈥淲orkers Playtime鈥� during lunch hour breaks in the large factory canteens, many of which had excellent stages with lighting and microphones. The workers in their overalls sat eating their lunch at long tables, whilst we performed on the stage. It was considered important to keep the workers鈥� morale high in those grim days and they certainly made enthusiastic audiences. We also put on shows throughout Warwickshire and neighbouring areas in remote army camps and airfields.
An evening show livened things up for the men serving in these often very cut-off camps, where transport to nearby towns was often non-existent. They made an enormous fuss of us and usually laid on a meal for the cast after the show. Often the camp chef or 鈥渃ookie鈥� would make special treats for us, wonderful cakes and tiny sandwiches the like of which were never seen by most people until well after the war. Ham appeared as if by magic, tinned salmon, jellies and pineapple, what treats!
On one never to be forgotten occasion, a long trestle table had been covered by a spotless white cloth. It was carefully set out with a variety of goodies and we could scarcely believe our eyes, bowls piled high with sugar were placed at regular intervals along the length of the table. 鈥淲hat was special about that? the modern generation would say, but when the tiny amount of sugar allowed in our weekly ration could be measured in spoonfuls, it was a treasure indeed! Often stages had to be especially constructed for us by the servicemen and many is the time I鈥檝e danced away on bouncing boards supported by oil drums; they even rigged up curtains made of blankets and laid-on primitive stage lighting.
Of course, in order to perform at lunchtime concerts, we had to obtain permission for time off school. The headmaster of our local village school gave grudging consent but he had little choice in the matter, for to refuse would have been 鈥渦npatriotic鈥� and he would never have lived down a slur like that! Special buses were laid on for us as private cars were almost non-existent due to lack of petrol and together with our various costumes, dance shoes, identity cards and gas masks, we set of to entertain. What a panic ensued if we forgot either of these last two items.
It was felt by most people that to forget your gas mask would immediately trigger off
a gas attack from Herr Hitler. It may sound funny now, but it made one feel very uneasy, to be without your gas mask though what good mine would have been is hard to say, as it had a hole in it neatly ringed in indelible ink by the local warden. No one ever attempted to replace it with a new one.

2

Our costumes were made from whatever materials we could get our hold of.
All fabrics except blackout curtaining was on rations and the coupons did not go far. Also, pretty coloured silks, nets, satins and the like suitable for stage costumes were very scarce indeed.
Some of our costumes were extremely ingenious, the most memorable one was made entirely of Union Jacks (off ration)! hanging cornerwise from a waist band, whilst the top was
a tiny bra made from a triangular section of flag. One wag was heard to remark 鈥淚 wonder what happens when they lower the flag!鈥� These costumes were worn in a grand finale in which we marched and danced in intricate formations to such patriotic tunes as 鈥淟and of Hope and Glory鈥�,鈥漈here鈥檒l always be an England鈥�, 鈥淗earts of Oak鈥�, 鈥淏ritish Grenadiers鈥�, 鈥淭he Royal Airforce March鈥� etc. There wasn鈥檛 a dry eye in the house after that number which ended in much saluting and flag waving. Patriotism was very real to people during the war; it was I suppose, a form of psychological defence to any endangered nation, though in time of peace it may be seen as an entirely jingoistic and destructive notion.
Other songs popular with our varied audiences were 鈥淵ours鈥�, 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to get lit Up鈥� 鈥淒eep in the heart of Texas鈥�, 鈥淭here鈥檒l be blue birds over the White Cliffs of Dover鈥�,
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to hang out the washing on the Ziegfried Line鈥�, 鈥淩oll out the Barrel鈥� etc.
Some of us danced and sang solo numbers, I wore a very snazzy outfit for 鈥淢aizey Doats鈥� 鈥�
it was old gold organza trimmed with blackout material frills, very short and saucy, with a tiny pointed matching hat trimmed with a long gold feather.
Another costume was made from blackout material contrasted with small pieces of white satin and made to resemble a tiny dinner suit. I remember tropical mosquito netting being dyed and converted into costumes, occasionally parachute silk was 鈥渁cquired鈥� and this made wonderful dresses. Not all the numbers performed were glamorous; in one I was dressed as a street urchin in ragged trousers and shirt with my blonde hair pushed well out of sight under a cloth cap and a grubby face. In this outfit I performed 鈥淕ot any gum, chum?鈥� 鈥� a song which puts on record the American soldiers鈥� generosity to begging children.
The American G.I鈥檚. used to throw out handfuls of chocolate bars and gum to children as they passed by in their jeeps and trucks.
These shows lasted from 1942 until 1945 when peace came to Europe. I was by then, twelve years old and a seasoned trouper. These wartime years gave me my first practical introduction to the world of the theatre and the Arts. It is a love, which has remained with me all my life, for in later years I trained as an actress and designer.
It is good to look back and feel that in some small measure we attempted to lighten those dark days of war with entertainment which helped people, for a brief time at least, to forget their worries and troubles.

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