Provides a survey of the principle civilian concert parties which travelled to entertain servicemen throughout the war. The frontline tours undertaken by well-known entertainers such as Ellaline Terriss, Seymour Hicks and Harry Lauder will also be covered, showing how their appearances on the fighting fronts boosted servicemen’s morale but also how they played into a wider political agenda. Lena Ashwell’s collaboration with the YMCA will be explored through the diaries and correspondence of a myriad of performers and war workers, providing a deeper analysis of personnel who were key to the success of the Ashwell productions.

Examines the use of music in recruitment and fundraising. It will show how military musicians were mobilised in the early days of war, and the ways in which commanders had to cater for the newly expanded forces. It will look at how the civilian music industry responded to the start of the conflict, and the ways in which bands, concerts and other musical events were used for the purposes of supporting the war effort. This chapter will also provide a survey of the work of various committees established to support both the music industry, all of whom sought to both protect and maximise performers’ employment opportunities during the early years of the war.