Union Defence Force Entertainment Unit

Also referred to as the U.D.F. Entertainment Unit or the The Union Defence Force Entertainment Group.

Origins

Founded in 1940 by Major Myles Bourke it employed entrepreneurs such as Frank Rogaly and Leo Quayle as organisers and directors. Rogaly’s first wartime revue, Springbok Follies was a produced at the Empire Theatre in 1941 and played to capacity, before it went north to the front. ***** Among the individuals involved in the Unit who would later return to make an impact on theatre in the country were Frank Rogaly, Gordon Mulholland, Sidney James and musical directors Leo Quayle and Harry Rabinowitz. Among the shows put on were ****.After the war, the Unit continued as ***??

See also: Major Myles Bourke; South African concert parties; Middle East; ENSA; ME Live Entertainments Committee; the Crazy Gang; Union Defence Force Band; SAAF Band

For the general principle, see Military Entertainment

Sources

Swift, M.1974. "The Union Defence Force Entertainment Group in South Africa (World War II)". Scientia Militaria - South African Journal of Military Studies, [S.l.], feb. 2012. ISSN 2224-0020. Available at: <http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/935/946>. Date accessed: 24 May. 2015.

Percy Tucker, 1997,

Temple Hauptfleisch 1985

Return to

Return to South African Theatre Venues, Companies, Societies, etc

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page