Gracie Field

This page is dedicated to the memory of Gracie Fields in recognition of her unique, individual performance in support of the Allied Forces of America, Australia, Canada, Great Britain and New Zealand during and after World War II. Many millions of service men & women in far off places continued to work after the cessation of hostilities caring for the wounded and co-ordinating the great repatriation problem. For them, a concert or visit from Gracie was a real treat and there are stories of wounded men queuing for 12 hours to book a place at concerts in the field. So the job wasn't complete even when the war was over. Gracie loved her work and considered all people, of any race or creed to be just, "The Folk".

1939
June 1939	Gracie admitted to hospital for serious operation - unconscious for three days - hospitalized for 6 weeks - received 500,000 letters
1939	Shipyard Sally Directed by Monty Banks
12-Nov-39	The FIRST ENSA concert is given in FRANCE for British & French Troops starring Maurice Chevalier & Gracie Fields.
17-Nov-39	Gracie Fields in France with the Troops - Harry Parr Davies Accompanying.
1940
25-Apr-39	Gracie Fields with Accompanist Harry Parr Davies in Troop concert in France
1941
1941	Gracie tours UK for 39 days, working 34 of them - 84 concerts given to 410,000 people -
17-Aug-41	Farewell ENSA Concert at Albert Hall with Gracie Fields at top of the bill.
Dec-41	Christmas Show in Vancouver one week after Pearl Harbour Attack - Gracie Fields welcomes Americans into the war.
1942
July 1942	Doctors advise Gracie to rest for long period but she is back at her war effort fund raising within two months
1943
1943	Gracie Fields guest appearance in the film 'Stage Door Canteen' singing two songs. Many famous stars took part.
1943	Film ' Holy Matrimony' with Monty Woolley
1943	Tour of Australia and New Guinea giving troop concerts
1943	Gracie makes tour of UK starting in Rochdale
12-Jun-43	Victory Show in Hollywood
31-Aug-43	Troop Concert at RAF Waddington Lincolnshire
14-Sep-43	Concert given at the London Boomerang Club for Royal Australian Air Force and Other Personnel - BBC recorded and broadcast to Australia
29-Sep-43	Malta Concert
1944
10-Sep-44	Los Angeles Forces Radio - Gracie Fields
1945
1945	Tour of Cocos Islands
1945	Film 'Mollie & Me' with Monty Woolley and Roddy MacDowell
11-Jun-45	Prince of Wales Repatriation Hospital Randwick Australia - Gracie Fields Concert
24-Jun-45	Concord New South Wales
02-Jul-45	Gracie Fields breaks her trip to Australia to entertain troops at Tocumwal
03-Jul-45	Melbourne Victoria
11-Jul-45	Sydney New South Wales
23-Jul-45	Adelaide Australia - Regent Theatre Sellout of Gracie Fields Concert
Aug-45	Solomon Islands Thanksgiving Service - Gracie Fields read one of the lessons
16-Aug-45	Torokina Bouganville - Japanese Surrender announced - Gracie sings 'The Lord's Prayer' to 25,000 men
17-Aug-45	Jacquinot Bay Casualty Clearing Station
18-Aug-45	Palpamal New Britain Field Hospital
18-Aug-45	Lae Area New Guinea
21-Aug-45	Cape Wom New Guinea - Injured soldiers start booking their places in the open air 12 hours before Gracie Fields arrives
23-Aug-45	Halmanera Islands Dutch East Indies
25-Aug-45	Victory Review Bowl Theatre Tarakan Island Casualty Clearing Station
26-Aug-45	Balikapan Borneo
27-Aug-45	Labuan Borneo Troop Concert
29-Aug-45	Boomerang Theatre Moratai Dutch East Indies
30-Aug-45	Boomerang Theatre Moratai Dutch East Indies
31-Aug-45	Farewell concert at Moratai for US 93rd Division - Gracie continuing on to Burma, India and Italy
01-Oct-45	Changi Singapore - Concert for Ex- POWs and Nurses in the former home of Japanes General Saito
1946
1946	Film 'Madame Pimpernel' or 'Paris Underground' as it was also known. Produced and co-starred by Constance Bennett.
1946	News report of Gracie flying into London on her way to Greece for her final 3 Week ENSA tour.
1947
30-Jul-47	Gracie's Working Party begins it's tours.

Algiers, Sicily, New York, Calcutta, Naples, Kalyan [Nr. Bombay], Manila ..........................

Gracie believed that God had given her a gift, her voice, to use for as long as she was able. She lived her life for others and her favorite prayer and inspiration was the prayer of St. Francis, which is set out below.

'Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred - let me sow love. Where there is injury - pardon.

Where there is discord - unity. Where there is doubt - faith. Where there is error - truth. Where there is despair - hope.

Oh, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled - as to console.