In this episode of The A to Z of Wartime Song, hosts Lili Redman and Tom Carradine dive into the wonderfully absurd world of In the Quartermaster's Stores - the endlessly versatile, delightfully chaotic list song beloved by soldiers, scouts and singers around the world.

They trace its murky origins, from WWI army camps to RAF hangars, scout campfires, and even the Spanish Civil War, where American volunteers sang it on the front lines. But this quirky tune leads them somewhere unexpected: straight into the gleefully anarchic world of 1930s and 40s British comedy, and the brilliant duo Murgatroyd and Winterbottom.

Lili and Tom shine a spotlight on Ronald Frankau and Tommy Handley - two broadcasting pioneers who pushed the boundaries of taste and satire on the BBC. From saucy songs that were banned from airwaves to iconic catchphrases that united the nation during WWII, this episode is a love letter to double acts, ration jokes and the peculiar humour that helped people endure the unendurable.

Expect mystery meat, enormous rats, surprise verses and the joy of hot jazz with harmonies.

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

You can listen to ALL of the songs that Tom and Lili talk about in the episode on their Spotify playlister here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1FQDrBphYqYLAuN6Jm01PN?si=b777dc33a703408a

REFERENCES

Tricity Vogue
https://www.tricityvogue.com/

The Club for Acts and Actors (C.A.A.)
https://www.thecaa.org/

Ian Fleming's War Service
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/Ian-fleming-royal-naval-intelligence-department

Operation Mincemeat (Musical)
https://operationmincemeat.com/

Operation Mincemeat (Film)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1879016/

Murgatroyd and Winterbottom Documentary - BBC Radio 4 Extra
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010hncl

Nicholas Farnkau
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Frankau

Daly's Theatre, London
http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/DalysTheatre.htm

Ronalad Frankau and Montre Crick - Don't Let's Sing About The War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymUfxxdnHiY&t=6s

The Cabaret Kittens, Folkestone Poster (1923)
https://www.leaspavilionarchive.org.uk/performance/the-cabaret-kittens-3

Leas Pavillion Redevelopment
https://leas-pavilion.co.uk/

ITMA - It's That Man Again
https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/anniversaries/july/its-that-man-again

Kite Balloons in WW1
https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/world-war-i-articles/balloonatics-during-the-first-world-war-1914-1918/

Blackadder Goes Forth
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096548/

The Sheet Music Cover
https://www.sheetmusicwarehouse.co.uk/20th-century-songs-i/in-the-quartermasters-stores-al-and-bob-harvey/

Box and Cox
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Box_and_Cox_Publications

In The Quartermaster's Stores - Murgatroyd and Winterbottom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0knM6-8PKI&list=RDG0knM6-8PKI&start_radio=1

Jack White & His Band from The Astoria Ballroom (1938 - 1941)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyM4bAJSQ3o

Astoria Dance Hall
http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/AstoriaTheatreCharingCrossRoad.htm

In The Quartermaster's Stores - Jack White and his Band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsrQw4sojzc&list=RDBsrQw4sojzc&start_radio=1

In The Quartermaster's Stores - Al and Bob Harvey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHzuNSxhuMU&list=RDJHzuNSxhuMU&start_radio=1

Tom Wild - I Don't Want Kids (I Just Want Pets)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubceB3ZQUU0

WWII Efforts of Laurel and Hardy
https://dirkdeklein.net/2017/12/29/the-wwii-efforts-of-laurel-and-hardy/

The Tree in a Test Tube (1942)
https://youtu.be/VBXJDisAwmw?si=YxfkmdZfHRSiB5Uf

Arthur Askey - Bandwagon (Episode on Spotify)
https://open.spotify.com/album/5MLcabNRriGGEQSuCAdOqd?si=veb-Ph75TOqFfr2E7Jn42g

Jack Warner and the C.A.A
https://www.thecaa.org/jack-warner-c/

CHAPTERS

0:00 Intro
00:50 Catch Up
02:45 Q = In The Quartermaster's Stores
08:38 Ronald Frankau
15:01 Tommy Handley
21:16 Discussing the Sheet Music
22:32 When Did We Discover the Song?
24:23 Discussing the Lyrics and Music
29:44 Discussing Recordings: Murgatroyd and Winterbottom
31:53 Jack White and His Band
35:01 Al and Bob Harvey
35:35 What's Our Favourite Recording?
36:15 If You Liked That You'll Like This
41:08 Mentioned in Dispatches
41:28 Teaser for Next Week
41:55 Outro

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