15 replies to this topic

[jhill]

The "Dumbells" were the 3rd Canadian Division Concert troup.  There is a good write up including a few references at the National Library of Canada website at:  http://www2.nlc-bnc.ca/gramophone/src/dumbellse.htm

[Cliff. Hobson]

jhill,
             There was a Concert Party operating in the Dickebusch area
  in 1917/18 called the "Sparklets"
                                                     Cliff. Hobson.

[Terry Carter]

In the latter stages of the war the concert party for the 16th Royal Warwicks (3rd Birmingham Battalion) was known as the "Brum Boys."
I have photo of them, with the Bn. CO Lt Col Graham Deakin, if you are interested. In early 1919, they returned to Birmingham and were top of the bill for one week at the Grand Theatre of Varieties in Corporation Street.

The 5th Division Concert Party was known as the 'Whizz-Bangs.' One of their party was Will Kings of the 14th Royal Warwicks (1st B'ham). He was an original cast member of the 'Archers' radio series when it first started.

ta ta

Terry

[Bob Coulson]

If you go back to the main site home page and go to "War Diaries" there are quite a few mentions of concert parties, especially in the 2nd KRRC section.

[Andrew P]

I recall reading in one of the Australian unit histories about a concert party the men of that unit attended.
The name of the concert party was the 'Whizz Bangs'. It could have been the same group that Terry mentioned or an Australian equivalent.

The mini series 'Anzacs' which came out in the 1980's portrayed the men of the 8th Battalion AIF attending one such concert.

Cheers
Andrew

[AndrewThornton]

Andrew

A good source for you to track down would be:

Fuller, J. G.: Troop Morale and Popular Culture in the British and Dominion Armies, 1914-1918, (Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1990).

The book is a bit "academic" I suppose, but it does include a useful appendix listing unit concert parties, from individual battalions up to Army level, and even lists if a particular division had a cinema!

[Annette Burgoyne]

The 20th Division's troupe of Pierrots, known as the "Verey Lights" was began in about November 1916, and continued until 1919.

From 20th February 1917 the "Verey Lights" had been performing at the Carnoy Coliseum. Fortunately many men of the 12th King's were attending one of their Concerts on the 15th March, when a hugh explosion wrecked the King's camp. Nevertheless 12 officers and men were killed and 53 wounded and one man was missing.

Info. from The History of the Twentieth (Light) Division, by Captain Inglefield.

Regards
Annette

[paul guthrie]

What an amazing amount of deaths for one family and what a sad percentage of all who served. We will remember them.

[Joe Sweeney]

thatc,

Here is an incomplete list of concert parties (from Stand to):

4th Div         The Follies
5th             The Whizz Bangs
6th             The Fancies
9th             The Thistles
12th            The Spades
15th            The Jocks
17th            The Duds
19th            The Follies
20th            The Very Lights
21st            The Soarers
23rd            The Dumps
29th            The Diamond Troupe
34th            The Chequers
36th            The Merry Mauves
lst Can         The Volatiles
ANZAC           The Shrapnels
37th            The Bam Owls
40th            The Gamecocks
42nd            Th' Lads
46th            The Whizzbangs
47th            The Follies
49th            The Tykes
50th            The Jesmond Jester
51st            The Balmorals
52nd           The Thistletops
56th           The Bow Bells
58th           The Goods
59th           The Crumps
60th           The Roosters
62nd           The Pelicans
3rd Can        The Dumbells
4th Aus        The Smart Set

Joe Sweeney

[Annette Burgoyne]

Was there a concert party called the Drop Shorts, I think it was mentioned in the mini series 'Anzacs' but my memory may be wrong the series was back in the 80's.

Paul, the list of my family who lost their lives comes from three sides of the family, so it may not be that amazing, I am sure many other families lost as many or more. I have seen the post about the five son from one family being killed, as a mother this makes a chill run down my spine. One of my 14 year olds wants to join the British Army (now) so he can go and fight in the possible war to come, I am just glad he's to young to join up. I told him that he would not be so b****y keen when he got out there and saw the reality of war, sorry I've gone off the point a bit.

Regards
Annette

[Kate Wills]

Thatc (?? - peculiar, how did you arrive at Thatc?)

Major Tom Bridges was, I believe, serving with the Dragoons, when he used a little music to enliven the dispirited troops at St Quentin on 27 Aug 1914:
“2 or 3 hundred men lay exhausted in the town square, so jaded it was pathetic to see. If we only had a band, I thought.  Why not?  There was a toyshop nearby, which provided my trumpeter and I with a drum and tin-whistle.  We marched around the fountain playing The British Grenadiers and Tipperary.  They sat up and began to laugh and even cheer.  Soon they fell in and eventually we moved off into the night to the music of our improvised band, now reinforced by a couple of mouth organs..."

[Andrew P]

Hi Annette

I think the name of the concert party in the mini series Anzacs was Whizz Bangs or Shrapnels or something similar and it was one of the soldiers who commented that after the performance provided the group should be re-named the 'Drop Shorts'

Thatc - If you go to the Australian War Memorial's collection database and type in 'Concert party' several photos of these concert parties will be shown.
http://www.awm.gov.au

Cheers
Andrew

[Annette Burgoyne]

Thats right Andrew I remember now, they then started fighting.


Regards
Annette

[Andrew Marshall]

Kate

In the History of the 47th London Divsion are several photographs of the "Follies" and also a small write up of the original members. One of the photographs also lists the members present.

If you would like a copy of these post me your address off group and I will make you some copies.

Regards
Andrew