Brown, Daphne (Oral history)

British civilian entertainer in GB, 1939-1945, entertainer with Entertainments National Service Association in Germany, 1945; served with Red Cross in Malaya, 1950s

REEL 1 Background in Weybridge, GB, 1918-1939: family background; training at Webber Douglas School of Singing and Dramatic Art; outbreak of war. Aspects of period as civilian in GB, 1939-1945: details of work during Phoney War including period with Oxford Repertory Company; memories of Deborah Carr; contact with troops returning from Dunkirk; friends lost during war; problems with turnover of plays; experiences of air raids and nights in theatres; performances at Criterion; shows with ENSA including accommodation in camps; work at His Majesty's Theatre with Charles Cochran including fire watching duties and story of note from Pat Burke; story of appearance in Farjeon's Revue; details of work with Crazy Gang members; fire watching duties at Coliseum; story of V1 raid on Shepherd's Bush Empire Theatre including scenes of looting seen the following day and reaction to events. REEL 2 Continues: reactions to V1 and V2 raids; opinion of advantages of being young during Second World War; contact with Polish troops; commitment to ENSA; story of replacing Anne Shelton for armed forces show; contact with US troops; relationship with The Black Watch of Canada and other troops; memories of Angela Wyndham Lewis and JB Priestley including VE Day celebrations; question of costume and make-up shortages; question of stress on patriotism in shows; standard of turnout of audiences; story of run in production of Noel Coward's Pacific 1860, 12/1946-4/1947, including guests at opening night and memories of Noel Coward. REEL 3 Continues: wartime work with ENSA; importance of big bands; popularity of Anne Shelton; singing in messes; details of Cochran young ladies. Aspects of period as civilian entertainer with Entertainments National Service Association in Germany and Austria, 1945: reactions to scenes on arrival in Hamburg; appearances in production of Aladdin; story of accidental visit to Russian Zone in Vienna; contact with radio personalities in Hamburg including relationship with Jimmy Kingsbury; details of audiences played to; accommodation in brothel; venues played; state of civilians; towns visited; refusal to visit Bergen-Belsen concentration camp; problems with travel on railways; return to GB. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1945 including period with Red Cross in GB and Malaya: stories of bitchiness including from Joyce Grenfell and Beatrice Lillie; details of pay; revues performed in; problems during interviews while gaining work outside theatre including joining of Red Cross. REEL 4 Continues: initial posting in GB; refusal to fly to Malaya; organisation and details of voyage; details of role as Welfare Officer in Malaya; removal of rank insignia and subsequent treatment from men; contact with Lady Mountbatten; further details of role; problems with dysentery; story of short marriage to rubber planter including honeymoon in Europe; period at secretarial college; gaining of civilian work with future husband; war service and work of husband, Basil Brown including connections with Billy Butlin.