h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well I am a boy I remember the girls hence June Christy. Anne Shelton I loved, blonde bubbly and cuddly much better than the skinny shrimps we see today.
The name you cannot think of is Gene Kruper the best and mad as a hatter.
The Andrew Sisters, The Mills Brothers, there were a lot of close harmony singers. Nothing like it today and I miss it.
Regards Frank.

Hello
The Andrews Sisters now you are talking. Did I tell you Frank that my friend and I, at the age of 16, sang to the troops in the Garrison Theatre Swansea. We had formed a choir but everyone dropped out but Jackie and me. We sang in close harmony and shook so much our knees were knocking and sounded through the microphone. We were petrified. The boys cheered and whistled. We got delusions of grandeur after that and applied to Carol Levis and his discoveries, until we heard that he was a dirty old man!
I will never forget our singing the old songs to the forces AND we still won the war.
Cheers
Elvie

Yes Elvie,
I am watching but when you mentioned the music I realised I have not really listened being too busy watching the feet or for the dropped shoulder, whether it was flowing or wooden. I was watching the technicalities and trying to wipe Bruce from memory, I am afraid I cringe at that bit.
I promise to listen to the music this time.
frank.

Dear Elvie,
You want to write another story well there it is, "How I entertained the troops during the war" You could get a good story out of telling the run up to the show what it felt like being up there and how you escaped the clutches of you know who, that should put Swansea on the map.

Just watched the dancing and I fancy Jill "Errr" I mean I fancy Jill to win with Denise second.
I see what you mean about the music but the rhythm was there and as I watched the beat was right and that took my interest from the actual music.

Just seen the result of the phone vote and am spitting blood. Aled should still be in Julian was rubbish.
From the dancing point of view Aled was not best tonight but way ahead of Julian Aled was robbed.
Regards Frank.

I just replied to your latest note, touched something and there it was gorn.
I agree with you Frank about Julian, though he worked hard he didn't desrve to be in the final, especially as my Welsh Butty, Aled went out. There's sorry I was. Jill and partner top for me with Denise + second.
Having complained about the music they did better last night with Latin American. The only thing missing from our time was Jealousy!
I will have a go at How I won the war with my friend. Can't just at the moment, had sad new today that my son is splitting up with his wife. Can't believe it.
Regards
Elvie

Dear Frank
Sorry for sharing my sad news about my son but I had written it before I realised it.
I was right when I said I thought I had already written about singing to the troops in it is my 3rd part of A starry night in Swansea. Can't really write it again.
Roos is having trouble getting on R to F site and asked me to pass on message that she enjoyed what you wrote about the copper and hopes to be back with you soon.
Incidentally, I found a coincidence on that thread when you mentioned Zoroastarians. In Rayners Lane, the area where I live in Harrow, we have a place of worship run by them. It is a listed building, Art Deco, and was
our local cinema, The Gaumont.
Thought you might be interested.
No more for now, will get back to music and dancing on here next time.
Regards
Elvie

Dear Elvie,
I have big shoulders, cry on them as much as you wish.
It breaks your heart but it is their lives, their way, we cannot alter that. All part of the modern trend of "I have a life I want the space to live it".
We who have had out Golden Anniversaries, who gave unselfishly to our children often putting our own lives on hold cannot understand it, but we taught them freedom was theirs so now cannot argue.
It will sort itself, not without tears of course. Dont take sides if children are involved, stand back and let the dust settle, one never knows what will come of it.
Regards Frank.

Hello Frank
Thanks for the shoulder to cry on. I feel a bit better now. It was completely unexpected and a shock. I haven't had a Golden Wedding. My Len and I had been married for 41 years. We had a memorable Ruby anniversary.
I wonder who will win Strictly Come Dancing... if it's Julian I think it will be a fiddle.
Regards
Elvie

Hi Martyn,
I was fascinated by your correspondence with Frank.
Whilst I am of the same age group as Frank and did not go into the Army until 1947 on national service. My early listening on the wireless was mostly of strict tempo dance music, Victor Silvester, The Savoy Orpheans and the like. This changed during the war when the Yanks came to our shores and many dance orchestras and bands tried to imitate their style and swing and jazz were all.
I had no experience with dancing until about 1948 when in Cyprus we held a dance for the other ranks and invited some ATS girls and nurses.
We were all shy despite our bravado and very few of the blokes could
Dedance at all. I stumbled around the floor a time or two and learned little about dancing but quite a bit about girls that night in the NAAFI.
We did try to organise some dance lessons in the NAAFI canteen but only had a couple of records and other blokes to dance with.
I had a cousin who was a musician in the RAF, Les Hill, He played in the RAF dance band, the Squadronaires until his demob then he played with the Ted Heath band for some years. Later he formed a small dance band and made a good living playing for local hops in and around Leicester.
Best of luck with your studies,
Dennis Neal

Hello again Martyn,
I mentioned your correspondence to an old friend who was a Lancaster pilot and he showed me something from his box of wartime memories.
He was sent to South Africa to learn to fly and after he got his pilot wings he was invited along with the other members of the course to a celebration dance at the British embassy,it was a rather grand and formal affair and he was issued with a dance card which was signed by the partners. He had never danced and was more interested in the free bar as most 20 year olds would have been then.
Just a little yellow card but a nice memento.
Dennis Neal

Hello Dennis,
Dance cards so I am told were the par before the 1914-18 war but then almost disapeared as the ladies got more chance to choose their partners.
A dance card was a way of ensuring the young ladies got to dance in polite company.
I only came across it once and that was a village church hall having what would be called a farmers ball, I think it was a retrograde dance card because I was asked to sign after dancing with the girl. They probably counted coup after the ball and the winner with the most names got the pot.
Still as you say a nice polite way of sorting out partners.
Regards Frank.

Dear Dennis

Thanks for posting your messages.
I have only just checked them now. I am in the States for the holidays and won't be back in the UK until next week. I shall look more closely then at what you have written and try to give you a more considered and thoughtful response. But, once again, thank you.

Dear Dennis

I am back in the UK now and have looked more closely at what you have written.
Your comments on dancing and hte lifestyle are interesting and useful.
However, it was what you wrote about your cousin Les Hill and the RAF Squadronaires that really caught my attention. I'm sure that as you knew then and afterwards, those men were genuine stars in the British music world during the war. I am writing a little about the Squadronaires but as the story has been told elsewhere I am not concentrating on the history of the band that much. However, should you have any stories, anecdotes or memories of anything to do with them I would be most interested. This is particularly the case in terms of how others perceived them and the affect they had on people in the streets, or the men in uniform and those who saw and heard them play.
Thanks again for your interest.
Martyn

Hi Martyn,
Sorry I am unable to help you further as Les has been dead for years and unfortunately that side of the family has completely died out.
What I do know is that Les played the Double Bass with the Leicester Symphony Orchestra before the war and taught music at a Leicester school from about 1938 to 1940 but I don't remember which one.
He was an accomplished Jazz musician and could play any stringed instrument within minutes. The Double bass was his chosen instrument and I remember once seeing him guesting with the Chris Barber Jazz Band at the de Montford Hall, Leicester.
Dennis

Hi Martyn,
Sorry I am unable to help you further as Les has been dead for years and unfortunately that side of the family has completely died out.
What I do know is that Les played the Double Bass with the Leicester Symphony Orchestra before the war and taught music at a Leicester school from about 1938 to 1940 but I don't remember which one.
He was an accomplished Jazz musician and could play any stringed instrument within minutes. The Double bass was his chosen instrument and I remember once seeing him guesting with the Chris Barber Jazz Band at the de Montfort Hall, Leicester.
Dennis