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This story has been submitted by Alison Tebbutt, Derby CSV Action Desk on behalf of Beryl Kopczyk. The author has given her permission and fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

I was part of a dance troupe of school girls in the early ‘40’s. We were part of ENSA, which was the entertainment for forces and factory and munitions workers. We used to go to Air Force bases and Army Camps with the concert party, which was called The Blackouts. Our dance teacher was Shirley Wane and the organiser of the concert party was Major Charlesworth.

One night we were booked to do a workers playtime at Rolls-Royce, for the night shift at midnight. We were so excited to be up, singing and tap dancing at that time of night. The other three girls in the dance troupe were called Joyce, Joan and Jill. I was a bit tubby, so they nicknamed me Jumbo. We were then called the Four J’s. I remember all these people sitting in a huge canteen, having their break and watching the show. My mum let me have the next morning off school because of being up so late. To us it was very exciting, although we knew it all because of the war.

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