Tap and acrobatic dancer Vivienne Hole, stage name Vivienne Fayre, a civilian aged 19, was the only ENSA member killed in the war. On 23 January 1945 in Normandy, she was being driven between shows as a passenger aboard a truck carrying stage scenery which strayed into a minefield.[3] She was buried with full military honours in Sittard War Cemetery.[4]
Despite many extremely talented entertainers working for ENSA, the organisation was necessarily spread thin over the vast area it had to cover. Thus many entertainments were substandard, and the popular translation of the acronym ENSA was "Every Night Something Awful".
ENSA plays a modest role in the motion picture Love Story (1944) in which Margaret Lockwood stars as a concert pianist who makes an ENSA tour to North Africa and the Mediterranean region. The film Desert Mice (1959) follows the fictional escapades of an ENSA troop with Sid James assigned to the Afrika Korps.
The only known ENSA theatre to have survived in its original condition is the Garrison Theatre at Hurst Castle in the New Forest National Park. Created by servicemen in 1939, the proscenium arch still bears the badge and grenades of the Royal Artillery, and the curtains still hang from an original galvanised gas pipe. Shows are presented from time to time by the Friends of Hurst Castle.
^Myers, Rollo. 'Music in Battle-dress', in Music Since 1939 (1947), pp. 9-30
^Mantovani: A Lifetime in Music by Colin MacKenzie, p. 78: ISBN978-1905226191
^"Friends of Highland Road Cemetery". Friendsofhighlandroadcemetery.org.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
^"Casualty Details". Cwgc.org. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
^ abc"Ensa". The Radio Times. 20 July 1978. p. 51. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
^"Helen Clare singing Star of the 1930s 1940s & 1950s. BBC, Radio, recording and concert artist". Helenclare.com. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
^ abcdef"Greasepaint and Cordite: How ENSA Entertained the Troops During World War II: Amazon.co.uk: Merriman, Andy: 9781781311622: Books". Amazon. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
^ abcd"Drury Lane Calling". The Radio Times. 17 May 1940. p. 14. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
^Lee, Mary (2005). Forever Francie : my life with Jack Milroy. Edinburgh, Scotland: Black & White Publishing. ISBN9781845028329.
^Miller, Sarah (29 September 2022). "At 97, Thelma Ruby is both a marvel and a rarity". Jewish News. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Entertainments National Service Association.
SSVC website
'Chaos Supersedes ENSA' on IMDB
January 03, 2023
entertainments, national, service, association, ensa, redirects, here, other, uses, ensa, disambiguation, ensa, organisation, established, 1939, basil, dean, leslie, henson, provide, entertainment, british, armed, forces, personnel, during, world, ensa, operat. ENSA redirects here For other uses see ENSA disambiguation The Entertainments National Service Association ENSA was an organisation established in 1939 by Basil Dean and Leslie Henson to provide entertainment for British armed forces personnel during World War II ENSA operated as part of the Navy Army and Air Force Institutes It was superseded by Combined Services Entertainment CSE which now operates as part of the Services Sound and Vision Corporation SSVC 1 An ENSA concert party entertaining troops from the steps of a chateau in Normandy 26 July 1944 ENSA Glamour Girls distribute cigarettes and beer to troops in North Africa 26 July 1942 The founders of the ENSA Basil Dean above and Leslie Henson below The first big wartime variety concert organised by ENSA was broadcast by the BBC to the Empire and local networks from RAF Hendon in north London on 17 October 1939 Among the entertainers appearing on the bill were Adelaide Hall The Western Brothers and Mantovani A newsreel of this concert showing Hall singing We re Going to Hang out the Washing on the Siegfried Line accompanied by Mantovani and His Orchestra exists 2 Many members of ENSA later had careers in the entertainment industry after the war including actors Terry Thomas Peter Sellers and Kenneth Connor Tap and acrobatic dancer Vivienne Hole stage name Vivienne Fayre a civilian aged 19 was the only ENSA member killed in the war On 23 January 1945 in Normandy she was being driven between shows as a passenger aboard a truck carrying stage scenery which strayed into a minefield 3 She was buried with full military honours in Sittard War Cemetery 4 Contents 1 In popular culture 2 Partial list of performers 3 References 4 External linksIn popular culture EditDespite many extremely talented entertainers working for ENSA the organisation was necessarily spread thin over the vast area it had to cover Thus many entertainments were substandard and the popular translation of the acronym ENSA was Every Night Something Awful ENSA plays a modest role in the motion picture Love Story 1944 in which Margaret Lockwood stars as a concert pianist who makes an ENSA tour to North Africa and the Mediterranean region The film Desert Mice 1959 follows the fictional escapades of an ENSA troop with Sid James assigned to the Afrika Korps The only known ENSA theatre to have survived in its original condition is the Garrison Theatre at Hurst Castle in the New Forest National Park Created by servicemen in 1939 the proscenium arch still bears the badge and grenades of the Royal Artillery and the curtains still hang from an original galvanised gas pipe Shows are presented from time to time by the Friends of Hurst Castle Partial list of performers EditAvril Angers 5 Helen Clare 6 Kenneth Connor Noel Coward 7 Gracie Fields 5 George Formby 7 Beryl Grey 7 Geraldo 8 Sonnie Hale 8 Adelaide Hall Stanley Holloway 8 Frankie Howerd 7 Mary Lee 9 Vera Lynn 7 Jessie Matthews 8 Laurence Olivier 7 Mantovani Lennard Pearce Bob and Alf Pearson Arthur Riscoe 5 Thelma Ruby 10 Peter Sellers Terry Thomas The Western BrothersReferences Edit Myers Rollo Music in Battle dress in Music Since 1939 1947 pp 9 30 Mantovani A Lifetime in Music by Colin MacKenzie p 78 ISBN 978 1905226191 Friends of Highland Road Cemetery Friendsofhighlandroadcemetery org uk Retrieved 30 March 2021 Casualty Details Cwgc org Retrieved 30 March 2021 a b c Ensa The Radio Times 20 July 1978 p 51 Retrieved 22 March 2021 Helen Clare singing Star of the 1930s 1940s amp 1950s BBC Radio recording and concert artist Helenclare com Retrieved 22 March 2021 a b c d e f Greasepaint and Cordite How ENSA Entertained the Troops During World War II Amazon co uk Merriman Andy 9781781311622 Books Amazon Retrieved 22 March 2021 a b c d Drury Lane Calling The Radio Times 17 May 1940 p 14 Retrieved 22 March 2021 Lee Mary 2005 Forever Francie my life with Jack Milroy Edinburgh Scotland Black amp White Publishing ISBN 9781845028329 Miller Sarah 29 September 2022 At 97 Thelma Ruby is both a marvel and a rarity Jewish News Retrieved 5 October 2022 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Entertainments National Service Association SSVC website Chaos Supersedes ENSA on IMDB Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Entertainments National Service Association amp oldid 1114218301, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
