Entertainments National Service Association information
Organisation providing entertainment for British armed forces personnel during WWII
"ENSA" redirects here. For other uses, see ENSA (disambiguation).
An ENSA concert party entertaining troops from the steps of a chateau in Normandy, 26 July 1944ENSA Glamour Girls distribute cigarettes and beer to troops in North Africa, 26 July 1942.
The founders of the ENSA, Basil Dean (above) and Leslie Henson (below)
The Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) was an organisation established in 1939 by Basil Dean and Leslie Henson to provide entertainment for British armed forces personnel during World War II. ENSA operated as part of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes. It was superseded by Combined Services Entertainment (CSE) which now operates as part of the Services Sound and Vision Corporation (SSVC).[1]
The first big wartime variety concert organised by ENSA was broadcast by the BBC to the Empire and local networks from RAF Hendon in north London on 17 October 1939. Among the entertainers appearing on the bill were Adelaide Hall, The Western Brothers and Mantovani. A newsreel of this concert showing Hall singing "We're Going to Hang out the Washing on the Siegfried Line" accompanied by Mantovani and His Orchestra exists.[2]
Many members of ENSA later had careers in the entertainment industry after the war, including actors Terry-Thomas, Peter Sellers and Kenneth Connor.
Tap and acrobatic dancer Vivienne Hole, stage name Vivienne Fayre, a civilian aged 19, was the only ENSA member killed in the war. On 23 January 1945 in Normandy, she was being driven between shows as a passenger aboard a truck carrying stage scenery which strayed into a minefield.[3] She was buried with full military honours in Sittard War Cemetery.[4]
^Myers, Rollo. 'Music in Battle-dress', in Music Since 1939 (1947), pp. 9-30
^Mantovani: A Lifetime in Music by Colin MacKenzie, p. 78: ISBN 978-1905226191
^"Friends of Highland Road Cemetery". Friendsofhighlandroadcemetery.org.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
^"Casualty Details". Cwgc.org. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
and 27 Related for: Entertainments National Service Association information
EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation (ENSA) was an organisation established in 1939 by Basil Dean and Leslie Henson to provide entertainment for...
worldwide. BFBS Live Events/CSE is the successor to the EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation (ENSA). Originally, it was called the Central Pool of...
married at Gretna Green in 1933. After appearing with EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation (ENSA) during the Second World War entertaining troops...
wanted to help and the best opportunity was to join the EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation (ENSA). She appeared in show to entertain the troops...
with several members performing during the war for the EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation. It is now an amateur band under the leadership of pipe...
in the British movie industry, and in 1940 joined the EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation to entertain British World War II troops. UK radio comedy...
Hitler. During World War II, Pearce performed for the EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation. In the early 1960s, he understudied for Stanley Holloway...
Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). She worked with Ensa (the EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation) during the Second World War. Marshall first acted on...
Dean set up and ran the EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation, or ENSA, in 1939 to provide a wide range of entertainment for British armed forces...
in the real-life Combined ServicesEntertainment, the postwar successor to ENSA, EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation. The play is noteworthy for...
World War, Knight joined the hospital section of ENSA (EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation). She chose the stage name Rona Brandon, and became well...
(Former director, USO Haifa) EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation (ENSA), an organisation established to provide entertainment for British armed forces...
malleable face and raspy voice and helped to form the EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation (ENSA) during the Second World War. Born in Notting Hill...
SAFRA NationalServiceAssociation is an organisation that was formed as a social and recreational club for National Servicemen from the Singapore Armed...
broadcasts to the troops during World War II through the EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation. He also had a career as a teacher and pedagogue. Kendall...
Lanchester’s Marionette Masterclass. As part of the EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation(ENSA) (subsequently CEMA) the Lanchesters ran a touring...
Egypt, India and Burma during the war as part of the EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation (ENSA). The songs most associated with her include "We'll...
RAF Police but was later invalided from service, whereupon he joined EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation (ENSA) and then, in 1942, the BBC's Drama...
training at RADA, Karlin made her stage debut for the EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation (ENSA) in wartime shows, and subsequently appeared in...
costumes and both would work the puppets. As part of the EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation (ENSA) (and subsequently CEMA) the Lanchesters ran a...
his performing skills further during his nationalservice with the British Army's Combined ServicesEntertainment unit, working alongside comedy actor Kenneth...
Stratford. During the Second World War he worked for the EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation. Further stage performances for the RSC after the war...
English, Latin, and Dutch. In 1944, under the auspices of EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation, he presented and performed the role of Sir Anthony Absolute...
Young Ladies troupe. During World War II, she joined the EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation (ENSA) which was a group that entertained troops. After...
West End comedy Love in a Mist during 1945 with the EntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation (ENSA). He continued in repertory 1946–49, during which...
Global Information
