Warwick Posted 19 August , 2013 Share Posted 19 August , 2013 From Previous Thread - On 20/08/2013 at 08:02, Sepoy said: Warwick Thank you for adding these. Details of this operetta can be found herehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chocolate_Soldier The revival of the Chocolate Soldier was mentioned in the Times of 7th September, 1914 and states that Derek Oldham played the roll of Bumerlihttp://find.galegroup.com/ttda/newspaperRetrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=DateAscend&tabID=T003&prodId=TTDA&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchId=R1&searchType=BasicSearchForm¤tPosition=3&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28tx%2CNone%2C17%29chocolate+soldier%3AAnd%3ALQE%3D%28da%2CNone%2C23%2908%2F01%2F1914+-+12%2F31%2F1920%24&retrieveFormat=MULTIPAGE_DOCUMENT&userGroupName=hamlib&inPS=true&contentSet=LTO&&docId=&docLevel=FASCIMILE&workId=&relevancePageBatch=CS201655079&contentSet=LTO&callistoContentSet=UDVIN&docPage=article&hilite=y&tabLimiterIndex=&tabLimiterValue=&mcode=0FFO Do you know if he continued to play this roll on his 22nd Divisional Theatre Company tour? Sepoy Having to dive to the chronological other end of the archive now... I have a copy of the Eastern Spectator dated 20th March 1919 (too big for my scanner) with a theatre review for the Chocolate Soldier playing at Petit Champs Theatre which cites Derek as still playing Bumerli, and also reviews the following parts and players: Sgt. T. Harris. - "Alexius" Pte. L.A. Moreton - "Auralia" Sapper J.T. Crowe - "Col Popoff" Pte. T.H. Hardman - "Mascha" Pte. T Wardle - "Nadina" Pte. W. Aspden - Part not mentioned, but his "lancing was a wonder to behold!", and his make up "was perhaps the best we have seen in our long knowledge of military 'girls' ". The "fine orchestra" was conducted by Lt. J.Speyer and lastly thanks were given to General Duncan for allowing it to go ahead! I have attached the notice for the production for interest Regards Warwick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 20 August , 2013 Share Posted 20 August , 2013 Here is a photograph of the Orchestra Conductor Jesse Spyer. He initially enlisted on 15th September, 1914 in the 2/1st Berkshire Yeomanry (2130 Private - C Squadron) and was later commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Hampshire Regiment on 12th March, 1915. He landed in Gallipoli during September, 1915 leaving the Peninsular during December, 1915 due to illness. 2nd Lt Spyer proceeded to Salonica to join the 7th Battalion, South Wales Borderers during April 1916. He was promoted to temporary Lieutenant on 1st July, 1917. Lt Spyer was gazetted out of the service on 23rd May, 1919. With the exception of the war years, Jesse was the Organist and Choir Master at the Royal Military Memorial Chapel, RMA, Sandhurst between 1909 and 1964, and was awarded the MBE in 1960. He died in 1971 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 20 August , 2013 Share Posted 20 August , 2013 "Auralia" - 14287 Private Leonard Arthur Moreton, 11th (Service) Battalion, Welsh Regiment. He landed in France on 5th September, 1915 and was transferred to Salonika with his Battalion in November, 1915. Private Moreton was demobilized "Class Z" on 6th July, 1919. He died in South Glamorgan during 1983 aged 88. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 20 August , 2013 Share Posted 20 August , 2013 "Nadina" - Private Tony Wardle, Royal Army Medical Corps. Probably 11652 Pte T Wardle who landed in Egypt on 12th August, 1915. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warwick Posted 20 August , 2013 Author Share Posted 20 August , 2013 Thanks Sepoy What fantastic pictures, and how wonderful to put faces to the names - I will try to unearth some more information on members of the group prior to the end of the war, but in the mean time I thought a bit of a potted history regarding theatre company and the post war the tour taken from various letters written by Derek Oldham (DO)... August 1917 – DO arrives in Salonika after a year on the western Front New Years Day 1918 – Puts on an open air “Xmas Concert” having come out of the line at the end of December 3rd Jan 1918 – requested to sing in the Yellow Perils Concert Party to stand in for the soloist who had tonsillitis – first of many appearances. Mid March 1918 – DO asked to form a concert theatre party and produce a show (to rival another divisions concert party (? the “Macedons” ?) Christmas’ pantomime “Robinson Crusoe”) – DO accepts and decides to stage “the Chocolate Soldier” with DO playing his old, pre war, part of “Bumerli”. 25th May 1918 – The Chocolate soldier opens in a theatre within a few miles of the front line and occasionally subject to shelling – it is a roaring success July 1918 – While still playing the chocolate soldier, rehearsals begin for a new comedy “Ann” 5th August 1918 – Ann opens – “a huge success with much cheering” 16th August 1918 – Chocolate Soldier Playing Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights – Ann Playing Wednesdays and Thursdays. Beginning September 1918 – Theatre suddenly closes for the rest of the summer – The cast returns to their respective units 18 - 19th September 1918 – 2nd Battle of Dorian (I think this is when he wins his MC? as he talks of being pinned down in a valley in the early dawn of the 19th with no way out?) 29th September 1918 – DO writes from Serbia, chasing the retreating Bulgars. DO writes “and now my Chocolate Soldier and Ann Companies are scattered to the four winds of heaven – many of them wounded and killed I’m afraid. Poor old Sampson (Sammy) is missing believed killed”. 14th December 1918 - DO reforms the Division Theatre Company and opened at 'Stavros' (East of Salonika) on Boxing night with a revival of 'Ann'.Mid January 1919 - returned to their old area and "our dear old frivolity theatre - the original one - just like coming home - but with no war on." DO persuaded forgo leave and stay a little longer to put on a revival of the chocolate soldier. 1st Feb 1919 - Div HQ ask if Lt. Oldham could be made available for a theatrical enterprise in Constantinople – reluctant to go at first, but changes his mind when the whole theatre company agree to go with him. 13th March 1919 – DO and company arrive in Constantinople and set up in the Petit Champs Theatre 26th April 1919 – Farewell performance of Chocolate Soldier 6th June 1919 – DO is finally on his way home, having reached Taranto in southern Italy, 6 days train ride from Bologne Regards Warwick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warwick Posted 21 August , 2013 Author Share Posted 21 August , 2013 I have found a copy of the original programme for "Ann", when it was first put on at the Frivolity Theatre. The printers date of the programme appears to be the 4th August 1918, which ties in nicely with Derek Oldhams letter stating the opening night to be the 5th August 1918. Regards Warwick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 21 August , 2013 Share Posted 21 August , 2013 Evening Warwick Thank you for posting Derek's potted history and the "Ann" programme. Unfortunately, preparations for a work meeting is getting in the way today and I will not get a chance to check through those listed above until Friday. I noticed that Leonard Moreton (shown above) played Reverend Hargreaves. Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 22 August , 2013 Share Posted 22 August , 2013 Hello Sepoy, Regarding Spyer, I understand the IWM have a collection of photographs compiled by him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warwick Posted 28 August , 2013 Author Share Posted 28 August , 2013 Just read a letter from Derek Oldham (GGU) written in Salonika, March 1918. He writes while in the trenches about how busy they have been during a month out of the line... ...back with division area - a month of training "intensive". I've been running a signal class; had my unit to look after; No platoon officers also, we were so short, and then be motored over to Corps HQ every night the last week we were "out", to sing in the "Yellow Perils" - back at 2 am and up for a heavy day next morning at 7:15. And I got tired out and thank god we are in the trenches again - been in for some few days now and feeling fit again. It is a caution when one prefers the trenches to the back area. it would make an unusual spa break style holiday! Warwick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warwick Posted 29 August , 2013 Author Share Posted 29 August , 2013 In two minds over a tempting offer... In early March 1918 Derek Oldham writes home to his sister from Salonika "And now dear I've got a bit of news but I don't quite know what decision I'll make yet." He had been asked by his Divisional HQ to stage and produce a musical comedy to raise the moral of the men: "... the soldiers out here have a wicked time of drabness, for there is no change of thought or life for them when out of the line. Two and a half years most of them have been without seeing anything but themselves. Never does one see a woman - not even a greek one in the forward area and life for them just alternates between trenches and camp, trenches and camp - and they get stale - horribly stale and no wonder. We ourselves do and we have a better time than they do. So divisions have just got to consider the question of taking the men out of themselves when they come back in turn for a rest." Earlier in the year, "Corps Head Quarters" (home of the Corps Theatre and Yellow Perils Concert Party with whom Derek Oldham had sung with as a guest) had applied for Derek to join them, "...but the battalion I believe refused to let me go - so goodbye singing and concert work." it was a bitter blow and he goes on to write: "I'll be 31 soon and all my prospects are going with this advancing age. It will hardly be worth while going back into the business again. It will take me such time to be ready with the voice after all these years. Had I been allowed to go to Corps, I could then have kept up daily practice and got into condition by the time 'peace' came along." So why the quandary? surely this opportunity to produce a musical comedy was, to use modern parlance "a no brainer"! - he writes to his sister: "I just don't know what to do. I'm tired of the eternal trench duty and yet I hate to be a sort of base waller and non fighting man - fit and in a soft job. And yet I must think of my future and the chance it would give me of regaining my practice vocally and being prepared for when peace comes. I know what you'll say - Take the job but I just don't know, I am not a bit keen. I've quite enjoyed motoring over to Corps and singing with the "Perils" when we've been out of the line, but that was different the "Perils" are chiefly all officers, and all doing duty during the daytime in their own particular jobs - either flying or wireless or such. But this is different! I wish I knew what I wanted to do." He took the job - but it was only for a few short months before circumstances forced the theatre company back in the trenches! Warwick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martina Posted 19 March , 2015 Share Posted 19 March , 2015 Hello, I recently got a copy of a Frivolity Theatre programme for the 22 Divisional Theatre Co. in The Chocolate Soldier from the IWM. I'd attach a copy but I signed an agreement that it would be for research purposes & not reproduced without permission. It lists the cast as follows: Nadina/ Pte. T. Wardle, Mascha/ 2 Lt. T.F Sampson or Pte. T.H Hardman, Aurelia/ Pte. F.G Johnson or Lce Cpl. L. Goldstein, Bumerli/ Lt. J.S. Olham or Pte. J. Prescott, Massakroff/ Lce Cpl. F.S. Waters or Gnr. C. Wendell, Alexius Spiridoff/ Pte. E.C. Benson or Mjr. A.G. Birch, Kasimir/ Dvr. A.E Stevens or Lt. J.A. Pughe-Morgan. The dance in Act II by Pte W. Adpden, the East Lancashire Regmt. Stage manager/ Lt. A.J.Payne, Asst. Stage manager/ Pte. L.A Moreton, Electrician/ Lce. Cpl. F.Mather. Unfortunately no date on programme but hope this helps! Martina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 19 March , 2015 Share Posted 19 March , 2015 Martina Thank you for posting details of the 22nd Divisional Theatre programme.I have added photographs of 546099 (3154) Lance Corporal Fred Sidney Walters, 102nd Sanitary Company, Royal Army Medical Corps and 133123 Gunner Christopher Wendell, Royal Field Artillery to give faces to the above names. Private Wardle's (Nadina) photograph is shown above. Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 19 March , 2015 Share Posted 19 March , 2015 Chocolate Soldiers! In fact, they look like something created by Spike Milligan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martina Posted 19 March , 2015 Share Posted 19 March , 2015 Hello Sepoy, Thanks for adding photographs of these men - it makes such a difference to be able to see them in the flesh! I have a listing for 'Officers, Peasants & Bridesmaids' that might help you identify some of those Chocolate Soldiers: RFA Bdr. - T Rowland; KORL Regt - Lce Corpl C Carpenter, Ptes C. Dimmick, WT Westwood & A Clegg; Cheshire Regt - Pte A. Bland; R. Welsh Fus - Ptes E. Bloxham, JA Hughes, L Williams; South Wales Borderers - Lce Cpl H Jones, Ptes J Chambers, A Kettle, RT Jones & E Hindle; East Lane Rgt - Lce Cpl L Goldstein, Pte J barnes; Border Regt - Pte R Whittaker; South Lanc Regt - Pte C Robinson; Welsh Regt - Ptes MW White, WE Craven; MG Coy - Lce Cpl RI Brown; RAMC - Lc Cpls JJ Breeze, FS Waters, Ptes TH Hardman, S McWilliam, R Tilley & J Harris. Cheers, Martina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 19 March , 2015 Share Posted 19 March , 2015 This is the listing I have for the 22nd Divisional Theatre CompanySepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martina Posted 19 March , 2015 Share Posted 19 March , 2015 Thanks very much Sepoy. Cross referencing suggests that the names of those in the orchestra aren't included, unless I'm mistaken. The orchestra in The Chocolate Soldier is given as Pte SJ Watkinson, Cpl W Barker, Pte B Harley, Pte SE Watson, Pte A Raymond, Pte R Smallshaw, Pte S Knussen, Dvr SF Barker, Lce Cpl E Page, Pte W Wakelin, Pte BS Tattersall, Pte E Waters, Pte WJ Hampson, Pte F Lovell. I notice that Lt J. Spyer of the South Wales Borderers is given on the above & he was the Musical Director of The CS. All the best, Martina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Scorer Posted 24 March , 2015 Share Posted 24 March , 2015 A question has just occured to me and it is this: did Lieutenant Oldham, the holder of a Military Cross, encounter any hostility from senior (or other junior) officers because he took part these plays when they may have thought that he should have been at the front? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 24 March , 2015 Share Posted 24 March , 2015 I haven't come across anything. I daresay Oldham's MC was message enough that he had done his bit. There was occasionally some resentment, for example when a promotion was given, but in general units were often very proud of their theatre companies, in much the way of civilians being proud of their local repertory theatre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 24 March , 2015 Share Posted 24 March , 2015 A question has just occured to me and it is this: did Lieutenant Oldham, the holder of a Military Cross, encounter any hostility from senior (or other junior) officers because he took part these plays when they may have thought that he should have been at the front? John Stephens (Derek) Oldham's Military Cross was not gazetted until (New Year Honours) 1st January, 1919 and he was not decorated until 10th December, 1919. Accordingly, there could not have been too many Seniors Officers about to be hostile about it and those left were probably more interested in demobilization. Either way, I agree with Kate, he did his bit keeping up moral of a Division, probably under difficult circumstances. May be, with hindsight, if the award was purely for work with the Theatre, a OBE (Military) may have been more suitable, but I am not question going to question his Military Cross. Good on him, as far as I am concerned! Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Scorer Posted 24 March , 2015 Share Posted 24 March , 2015 John Stephens (Derek) Oldham's Military Cross was not gazetted until (New Year Honours) 1st January, 1919 and he was not decorated until 10th December, 1919. Accordingly, there could not have been too many Seniors Officers about to be hostile about it and those left were probably more interested in demobilization. Either way, I agree with Kate, he did his bit keeping up moral of a Division, probably under difficult circumstances. May be, with hindsight, if the award was purely for work with the Theatre, a OBE (Military) may have been more suitable, but I am not question going to question his Military Cross. Good on him, as far as I am concerned! Sepoy Ah, that explains that ... thanks for the explanation. I agree with you that his work was essential, and I'm not going to question his honour either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warwick Posted 26 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 26 March , 2015 (edited) As the custodian of Derek's MC (avatar) I have often wondered about how it came to be awarded. As I understand it, if you were going to be gazetted for reasons other than actions on the battlefield, then the New Years list is an obvious choice of timing, but then again it comes only a few months after the 2nd battle of Dorian? In the beginning September 1918, his letters tell of the theatre suddenly closing for the rest of the summer with the cast returning to their respective units - with hindsight this is due to the preparations for the 2nd battle of Dorian (18 - 19th September 1918), and in a subsequent letter he eludes to returning to the battlefield following the victory and revisiting an area where he was pinned down in a valley in the early dawn of the 19th with no way out? What happened? and was it worthy of an MC? Unfortunatly he never talked talked to family about his experiences! Whatever the reason for his receiving this award (and the earlier "mentioned in dispatches" for services in the line on the western front) I am suitably proud of my Great Great Uncle. As for receiving hostility from other officers for a non combative role? he does not talk of receiving hostility but it certainly played on his mind - when asked by divisional HQ to stage a musical comedy in early March 1918 he wrote to his sister regarding the dilemma... "I just don't know what to do. I'm tired of the eternal trench duty and yet I hate to be a sort of base waller and non fighting man - fit and in a soft job. And yet I must think of my future and the chance it would give me of regaining my practice vocally and being prepared for when peace comes. I know what you'll say - Take the job but I just don't know, I am not a bit keen. I've quite enjoyed motoring over to Corps and singing with the "Perils" when we've been out of the line, but that was different the "Perils" are chiefly all officers, and all doing duty during the daytime in their own particular jobs - either flying or wireless or such. But this is different! I wish I knew what I wanted to do." I will try to look out, scan and share some of the letters containing the content above over the weekend if I get a chance! Warwick Edited 26 March , 2015 by Warwick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 28 March , 2015 Share Posted 28 March , 2015 Warwick, I think I know where Lieutenant Oldham won his MC. His unit was the 9th East Lancs and they took part in the second battle of Doiran 19th September 1918. Here is an extract from a typed copy of the battalion war diary for the 19th: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 28 March , 2015 Share Posted 28 March , 2015 The 9th East Lancs suffered over 100 casualties as can be seen on the next page of the diary, and just to prove that Lieutenant Oldham was there look at the entry for the 21st: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 28 March , 2015 Share Posted 28 March , 2015 This is the listing I have for the 22nd Divisional Theatre Company Sepoy Sepoy, I have an interest in the 9th East Lancs, my Grandfather served with them, please could you post the list of names underneath Lt J.S. Oldham as they are quite difficult to read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 28 March , 2015 Share Posted 28 March , 2015 Sepoy, I have an interest in the 9th East Lancs, my Grandfather served with them, please could you post the list of names underneath Lt J.S. Oldham as they are quite difficult to read. Hi Gardenerbill The list is as follows Lt J S Oldham Sgt E Shaw L/Cpl J Barnes Pte W Aspden Pte B Tattersall Pte P J Walker Pte R Mercer Pte T Wolstenholme Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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