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RAF Scampton. 1940-43. Autograph Album. 19cm wide x 13cm tall. Green cloth. Over 250 signatures.
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RAF Scampton. 1940-43. Autograph Album. 19cm wide x 13cm tall. Green cloth. Over 250 signatures. Worthy of research as this will contain scarce signatures. The British Newspaper Archive mentions all of the variety acts listed in this album (details published in the Lincolnshire Echo). A quick look: a. Full of RAF Gang Show inscriptions (probably the best WW2 collection of Gang Show signatures in one album). Includes: i. Squadron Leader William Henry Ralph Reader. Through the pre-war Gang Shows, Reader became friends with Air Commodore Archibald Boyle, the deputy director of RAF Intelligence. The German Ambassador, Joachim von Ribbentrop, attended the 1938 London Gang Show and invited Reader to visit the Hitler Youth Movement in Germany. Boyle persuaded Reader to become an Intelligence Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve with the rank of Flight Lieutenant, although the diplomatic situation had deteriorated before he could take up von Ribbentrop's invitation. On the outbreak of war, Boyle sent Reader to France for undercover work, in the guise of running a concert party, for which some former Gang Show members were recruited into the RAF. The show was entitled Ralph Reader and Ten Blokes from the Gang Show and, besides allowing Reader to complete intelligence tasks, had a positive effect on morale. On returning to England, Reader was ordered to expand the Gang Shows, while his visits to RAF stations allowed Reader to monitor subversive propaganda which was a concern of the RAF high command. Reader eventually raised twenty-four RAF Gang Show units and two female WAAF units with a total establishment of nearly four hundred serving personnel. The RAF Gang Shows toured nearly every theatre of war, from Iceland to Burma. By 1944, Gang Show units were estimated to have travelled 100, 000 miles and entertained 3, 500, 000 servicemen. Some of those who served in the RAF Gang Shows would later become well known entertainers, such as Peter Sellers, Tony Hancock, Dick Emery and Cardew Robinson. For his services to the RAF, he was awarded an MBE (Military Division) in 1943. https://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Ralph_Reader for more detail. ii. Murray Browne, Assistant to Ralph Reader; later Musical Director; later Chairman of the Gang Show committee. Died 1992 aged 84. iii. Douglas (Cardew) Robinson. Joining the RAF in 1939, AC2 Douglas Robinson found himself stationed at Uxbridge, where he quickly found a place in the camp shows. It was in 1941 that Squadron Leader Ralph Reader, arrived at RAF Uxbridge to put on a performance. Robinson seized his chance, did a working audition, and soon found himself posted to RAF Gang Show Unit Number Five. His pre-war experience now came in handy, and he was promoted to Flight-Sergeant and put in charge of the unit. They played at RAF camps all over the country, and when the 'second front' was opened up in Normandy, Unit 5 followed, eventually touring through Belgium and Holland giving concert-party entertainments on the tail-flap of their lorry. A tour of the Far East followed, including a sudden detour when the first atomic bomb was dropped on Japan. https://www. independent. co. uk/news/people/obituary-cardew-robinson-1565861. html for his detailed obituary. b. Cabaret Parade (10 signatures). c. Northern Wights (12 signatures). D Crackers (an ENSA company - cartoon drawing and 10 signatures). e. Let's Get Together (lovely sketch and 11 signatures). f. Laburnham Grove (9 signatures including: i. William Heilbronn, known for The Last Voyage of Captain Grant (1938), Geneva (1939) and Badger's Green (1938), he died on July 10, 1947, in Covent Garden, London ii. Nancy Seabrooke, known for Danger Man (1960), Spy-Catcher (1959) and The Grove Family (1954). iii. Margot Bryant, born on March 8, 1897, in Hull, Yorkshire as Kathleen Mary Margaret Bryant, known for Coronation Street (1960), Duty Bound (1958) and The Cure for Love (1949). She died on January 1, 1988, in Heald Green, Cheshire. iv. Alan Welch, known for The Devil's Jest (1954), BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950) and Who Dotes Yet Doubts (1953). v. Felicity Gower, born June 13, 1917, in Wood Green, London, as Felicite Mabel Gower, known for The Man Who Came to Dinner (1947), The Ugly Duckling (1947) and The Queen's Maries (1949). She was married to John Probert and Douglas Murray. She died in 1953 in Oxford. g. Out of the Blue (11 signatures). h. Waldini and his Gypsy Band (15 signatures). Waldini (1894-1966) was the stage name of Wallace Bishop, a musician, band leader and impresario. During WW2, he was invited by Jack Hylton on behalf of ENSA, to take his Gypsy Band to entertain the British and Commonwealth Forces at home and abroad; he later wrote of this experience in his self-published book Front Line Theatre. https://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Waldini for more info. i. Private Lives (6 signatures including Helen Redgrave and Peter Cushing mentioned below). j. Rhyme and Rhythm (16 signatures). k. The Scampton Station Band (4 signatures). l. Actors, including Nancy Burman, Peter Cushing (he was a member of the RAF Gang Show), Herbert Lomas Alexander Kardan, Billy Milton (signed the book and pasted-in signed photo), Yvonne Mitchell, Joy Parker, Hester Paton-Brown, Sandy Powell (signed full page sketch; https://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Sandy_Powell_(comedian)), Helen Redgrave, Kynaston Reeves, Paul Scofield, Terry Thomas (between 1940 and 1942, he staged his own shows Cabaret Parade and Stars in Battledress; see https://chartersandcaldicott. co. uk/i-say-old-man/terry-thomas), Bill West (silent film actor, born 1892; rare autograph), and many, many more. m. Art Gregory's St Louis Band in Swingtime (14 signatures). https://www. britishpathe. com/video/art-gregory-and-his-band for a film clip. n. Dancing through the show (17 signatures). o. Hal Tauber's Band (12 signatures). p. Cabaret Calling (13 signatures). q. Ladies in Waiting (13 signatures). r. Voices of the Stars (1 signature). s. RAF Swinderby (5 signatures). t. Travelling Repertory Theatre (11 signatures). u. D'Albert the Royal Ventriloquist [aka Royal Entertainer (Ernest Mortimer)] - joined ENSA to entertain the troops during WW2. v. RAF Dance Orchestra - The Squadronaires, Raf Coningsby (7 signatures). w. RAF: i. F/E Alfred Charles Elphick (574934). 149 Sqn. DFC. ii. F/L George Arthur Pettit (41461). 149 Sqn. iii. F/E Sgt J Wilson. 115 Sqn. I think this is John [Jack] Aubrey Wilson, a mid-upper gunner. x. WAAF. Pasted-in page dated 1943 (14 Swinderby signatures). y. Alhambra Co (6 signatures). z. Youth on Parade Co (1 signature). aa. Many miscellaneous pages. Good Condition. All autographs are genuine hand signed and come with a Certificate of Authenticity. We combine postage on multiple winning lots and can ship worldwide. UK postage from £4.99, EU from £6.99, Rest of World from £8.99
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RAF Scampton. 1940-43. Autograph Album. 19cm wide x 13cm tall. Green cloth. Over 250 signatures. Worthy of research as this will contain scarce signatures. The British Newspaper Archive mentions all of the variety acts listed in this album (details published in the Lincolnshire Echo). A quick look: a. Full of RAF Gang Show inscriptions (probably the best WW2 collection of Gang Show signatures in one album). Includes: i. Squadron Leader William Henry Ralph Reader. Through the pre-war Gang Shows, Reader became friends with Air Commodore Archibald Boyle, the deputy director of RAF Intelligence. The German Ambassador, Joachim von Ribbentrop, attended the 1938 London Gang Show and invited Reader to visit the Hitler Youth Movement in Germany. Boyle persuaded Reader to become an Intelligence Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve with the rank of Flight Lieutenant, although the diplomatic situation had deteriorated before he could take up von Ribbentrop's invitation. On the outbreak of war, Boyle sent Reader to France for undercover work, in the guise of running a concert party, for which some former Gang Show members were recruited into the RAF. The show was entitled Ralph Reader and Ten Blokes from the Gang Show and, besides allowing Reader to complete intelligence tasks, had a positive effect on morale. On returning to England, Reader was ordered to expand the Gang Shows, while his visits to RAF stations allowed Reader to monitor subversive propaganda which was a concern of the RAF high command. Reader eventually raised twenty-four RAF Gang Show units and two female WAAF units with a total establishment of nearly four hundred serving personnel. The RAF Gang Shows toured nearly every theatre of war, from Iceland to Burma. By 1944, Gang Show units were estimated to have travelled 100, 000 miles and entertained 3, 500, 000 servicemen. Some of those who served in the RAF Gang Shows would later become well known entertainers, such as Peter Sellers, Tony Hancock, Dick Emery and Cardew Robinson. For his services to the RAF, he was awarded an MBE (Military Division) in 1943. https://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Ralph_Reader for more detail. ii. Murray Browne, Assistant to Ralph Reader; later Musical Director; later Chairman of the Gang Show committee. Died 1992 aged 84. iii. Douglas (Cardew) Robinson. Joining the RAF in 1939, AC2 Douglas Robinson found himself stationed at Uxbridge, where he quickly found a place in the camp shows. It was in 1941 that Squadron Leader Ralph Reader, arrived at RAF Uxbridge to put on a performance. Robinson seized his chance, did a working audition, and soon found himself posted to RAF Gang Show Unit Number Five. His pre-war experience now came in handy, and he was promoted to Flight-Sergeant and put in charge of the unit. They played at RAF camps all over the country, and when the 'second front' was opened up in Normandy, Unit 5 followed, eventually touring through Belgium and Holland giving concert-party entertainments on the tail-flap of their lorry. A tour of the Far East followed, including a sudden detour when the first atomic bomb was dropped on Japan. https://www. independent. co. uk/news/people/obituary-cardew-robinson-1565861. html for his detailed obituary. b. Cabaret Parade (10 signatures). c. Northern Wights (12 signatures). D Crackers (an ENSA company - cartoon drawing and 10 signatures). e. Let's Get Together (lovely sketch and 11 signatures). f. Laburnham Grove (9 signatures including: i. William Heilbronn, known for The Last Voyage of Captain Grant (1938), Geneva (1939) and Badger's Green (1938), he died on July 10, 1947, in Covent Garden, London ii. Nancy Seabrooke, known for Danger Man (1960), Spy-Catcher (1959) and The Grove Family (1954). iii. Margot Bryant, born on March 8, 1897, in Hull, Yorkshire as Kathleen Mary Margaret Bryant, known for Coronation Street (1960), Duty Bound (1958) and The Cure for Love (1949). She died on January 1, 1988, in Heald Green, Cheshire. iv. Alan Welch, known for The Devil's Jest (1954), BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950) and Who Dotes Yet Doubts (1953). v. Felicity Gower, born June 13, 1917, in Wood Green, London, as Felicite Mabel Gower, known for The Man Who Came to Dinner (1947), The Ugly Duckling (1947) and The Queen's Maries (1949). She was married to John Probert and Douglas Murray. She died in 1953 in Oxford. g. Out of the Blue (11 signatures). h. Waldini and his Gypsy Band (15 signatures). Waldini (1894-1966) was the stage name of Wallace Bishop, a musician, band leader and impresario. During WW2, he was invited by Jack Hylton on behalf of ENSA, to take his Gypsy Band to entertain the British and Commonwealth Forces at home and abroad; he later wrote of this experience in his self-published book Front Line Theatre. https://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Waldini for more info. i. Private Lives (6 signatures including Helen Redgrave and Peter Cushing mentioned below). j. Rhyme and Rhythm (16 signatures). k. The Scampton Station Band (4 signatures). l. Actors, including Nancy Burman, Peter Cushing (he was a member of the RAF Gang Show), Herbert Lomas Alexander Kardan, Billy Milton (signed the book and pasted-in signed photo), Yvonne Mitchell, Joy Parker, Hester Paton-Brown, Sandy Powell (signed full page sketch; https://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Sandy_Powell_(comedian)), Helen Redgrave, Kynaston Reeves, Paul Scofield, Terry Thomas (between 1940 and 1942, he staged his own shows Cabaret Parade and Stars in Battledress; see https://chartersandcaldicott. co. uk/i-say-old-man/terry-thomas), Bill West (silent film actor, born 1892; rare autograph), and many, many more. m. Art Gregory's St Louis Band in Swingtime (14 signatures). https://www. britishpathe. com/video/art-gregory-and-his-band for a film clip. n. Dancing through the show (17 signatures). o. Hal Tauber's Band (12 signatures). p. Cabaret Calling (13 signatures). q. Ladies in Waiting (13 signatures). r. Voices of the Stars (1 signature). s. RAF Swinderby (5 signatures). t. Travelling Repertory Theatre (11 signatures). u. D'Albert the Royal Ventriloquist [aka Royal Entertainer (Ernest Mortimer)] - joined ENSA to entertain the troops during WW2. v. RAF Dance Orchestra - The Squadronaires, Raf Coningsby (7 signatures). w. RAF: i. F/E Alfred Charles Elphick (574934). 149 Sqn. DFC. ii. F/L George Arthur Pettit (41461). 149 Sqn. iii. F/E Sgt J Wilson. 115 Sqn. I think this is John [Jack] Aubrey Wilson, a mid-upper gunner. x. WAAF. Pasted-in page dated 1943 (14 Swinderby signatures). y. Alhambra Co (6 signatures). z. Youth on Parade Co (1 signature). aa. Many miscellaneous pages. Good Condition. All autographs are genuine hand signed and come with a Certificate of Authenticity. We combine postage on multiple winning lots and can ship worldwide. UK postage from £4.99, EU from £6.99, Rest of World from £8.99
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All items are sent by either Recorded or Royal Mail Special Delivery. The UK delivery cost start from £4.99 for items up to £50 and from £6.95 for items over £50, plus any additional insurance to cover the full lot value. Overseas orders will be charged at cost. If you have special delivery instructions, do not hesitate to call us on 0800 1701314
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All items are sent by either Recorded or Royal Mail Special Delivery. The UK delivery cost will be £3.95 for items up to £50 and £6.95 for items over £50, plus any additional insurance to cover the full lot value. Overseas orders will be charged at cost. If you have special delivery instructions, do not hesitate to call us on 0800 1701314
All autographs and first day covers will come securely packaged with an envelope stiffener in a board-backed envelope. Larger photographs and prints are sent in a tough tube, and books and oversized/framed items will be packaged with bubble wrap and sent in a box.
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