Remembering Gladys Moncrieff’s Wartime Service: Entertaining the Troops

Gladys Lillian Moncrieff is remembered as an iconic Australian musical star with a career spanning more than 35 years. The beloved Queensland soprano was known for her powerful, wide-ranging and rich voice and was described by many as ‘Australia’s Queen of Song’ or simply ‘Our Glad’. While her musical achievements are well known, less has been written about her wartime contributions. Gladys donated her time and skills to perform for troops during World War I and II, as well as for personnel stationed in Japan and Korea. These performances boosted morale, relieved boredom, and were a small reminder of home for allied personnel. Beyond entertaining troops, she also worked tirelessly to raise money to support the war effort and patriotic charities. 

Born in Bundaberg on 13 April 1892, Gladys grew from a child singer to a highly successful performer of musical theatre, musical comedy and light opera. She was the daughter of Reginald Edward Moncrieff, a piano tuner, and his wife Amy, a professional singer. Gladys was the youngest of three siblings and attended school in Maryborough, Bundaberg, and Townsville. Later in life she would describe her childhood as ‘wonderfully happy’. Her first stage performance was at the age of six at the Queen’s Theatre in Bundaberg, where she sang the American folk song The Merriest Girl That’s Out, with her father playing the piano. 

After leaving school Gladys and her family toured North Queensland entertaining isolated communities, which allowed her to hone her skills as a performer. Her popularity quickly increased, and she was soon billed as ‘Little Gladys- The Australian Wonder Child’. She worked in Brisbane and Toowoomba during 1909, before moving to Sydney to progress her career. In 1911 she secured a coveted position at J. C. Williamson’s theatre after completing a successful audition for musical legend Nellie Melba. Following extensive chorus and understudy work she graduated to leading roles, such as Josephine in H.M.S Pinafore.  

When war broke out in 1914 Gladys, like most Australians, contributed where possible. She performed for Australian troops as their ships left Woolloomooloo, which was the primary embarkation point for soldiers and supplies. In 1915 she featured in a matinee performance at Sydney Hall that raised an astounding £24,000 for Belgian refugees. Then in 1916 she accepted a seven-month engagement to perform in South Africa with an English Company, despite the dangers of wartime travel. While there she routinely performed for Australian troops: 

In the years that followed she sang in The Merry Widow, The Pink Lady, Katinka and Maytime before she secured her first great theatrical success as Teresa in The Maid of the Mountains in 1921.The Maid would become one of the most frequently revived musicals on Australian stages, with Moncrieff appearing in it some 2800 times.  

In 1924 Gladys married Thomas Henry Moore, a chorus member in The Merry Widow, and later her manager. The couple honeymooned in London and France, taking the opportunity to advance Gladys' career in Europe. Sadly, her marriage soon faltered, with the couple choosing to live apart. Homesick Gladys returned to Australia in the early 1930’s, where she starred in revivals of musicals, appeared in films and had a successful radio show.  

Sadly, her career was dramatically derailed in 1938 when she was involved in a serious car accident, resulting in a fractured left leg, compound fracture in her left arm and injuries to her neck. She would spend more than six months in hospital convalescing. During her recovery she recalled:

In 1940 when Gladys finally returned to the stage World War II was well underway, and any concerns that she had about her voice were soon forgotten.  

Gladys’ first public appearance following her accident was a performance for 3000 service personnel at Ingleburn, New South Wales, before they embarked overseas. Then following a successful series of concerts for the ABC Gladys put aside personal plans and comforts to contribute, wherever possible, to the war effort. She believed that everyone had a role to play, commenting:

She travelled the nation singing at military camps and functions, assisting the Red Cross and other comfort funds and promoting the war loan scheme.  In June 1940 Gladys announced that she would also be donating profits from her record sales to patriotic funds for the war. In addition to this, she was involved in countless special performances that raised money for charities such as Legacy, The Liberty Loan Rally, the Women’s All Service Canteen, the Red Cross appeal for Prisoners of war and Bundles for Britain, which sent warm clothes to the victims of the Blitz.  

In 1943 Gladys was asked by General Thomas Blamey to take a concert party to New Guinea to entertain allied troops. She enthusiastically agreed; her only condition was that she refused to be paid. Her concert party included Flo Patin, a pianist, Bebe Scott, a comedienne, and Kitty Bluett, a pop singer. The logistics of the trip was overseen by 1st Australian Entertainment Unit, who by the end of the war had organised 20 concert parties that had travelled across Australia, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific, giving more than 12,000 performances to grateful troops. The impact that visiting entertainers, such as Gladys, had on troops was profound. As Gladys eloquently stated in 1941:  

Gladys’ concert party arrived in New Guinea in December 1943, where they were warmly welcomed, with soldiers excitedly yelling “Hi-ya Glad”. When asked by a war correspondent about what songs she planned to perform, Gladys cheekily replied she was there to sing whatever the boys requested. While there, she stayed in the nurses' quarters and was delighted to discover her tent was called ‘Hags Nook’. Later in life she often thought about renaming her home on the Gold Coast after her army tent.   

During her two weeks’ stay in New Guinea Gladys committed herself to bringing joy and happiness to Australian troops. Her concert party performed in the evenings at Port Moresby, Dobodura, Buna and Koi Taki, to a total of roughly 70,000 attendees. She would often extend her performances to take additional song requests. During the days she visited the hospitals’ wards to perform for bed-bound patients. She had a particular soft spot for those suffering from broken bones:

She was well liked by all she met, with one besotted Australian soldier later declaring; ‘She was class. She was tops. She brought Australia back to us’ (The Daily Telegraph, Sat 28 Oct 1944). Her popularity only increased when she left one of the two pianos that she had brought with her at a recreational hut for personnel to enjoy.   

Her final concert was held in Port Moresby and attended by 17,000 servicemen and women, who were spread out on a giant sports ground, ringed by blooming poinciana trees. In her autobiography, My life in Song, she recalled how people began arriving early in the afternoon to secure a spot and by 6pm ‘you couldn’t put a pin between the bodies’(1971, pg. 87). The concert was a great success and at the conclusion she was presented with 42 bouquets of tropical flowers that had been handpicked by grateful soldiers. She was widely praised for her concert party with Flying Officer Charles Taylor, the former musical director of the Tivoli, arguing:

In 1944 in acknowledgement of her successful concert party Gladys was presented by General Blamey a record cabinet made of New Guinea timber and decorated with the Australian rising sun badge. It bore the inscription ‘This cabinet was made by Australian soldiers in New Guinea as a gift to Miss Gladys Moncrieff for her kindness in coming to New Guinea to entertain the troops, December 1943.’ It became one of her most treasured possessions, acting as a reminder of her time in New Guinea, which she considered the greatest success of her career.  

Following the successful concert party Gladys continued to assist the war effort by performing for service personnel, singing at street stalls, helping with poppy sales for Armistice Day, and appearing at garden fetes and other functions to raise money for patriotic funds. On New Years Eve in 1943, just a few days after arriving home from New Guinea, she featured in a special broadcast for troops in the Pacific, the ‘Allied Show’, alongside American film star John Wayne, who she described as ‘tall, tanned and charming’ (1971, pg. 89). In the final two years of the war, Gladys performed numerous matinées to fundraise money for comfort funds. This included the Lord Mayor’s Fund for partially blinded soldiers, which raised more than £24,000 in donations and the Anzac House Queen competition that raised more than £32,000. She was also deeply involved with the Stage Door Canteen in Sydney, which provided meals and performances to allied service personnel once a month. Gladys, who was a keen cook, helped to prepare the food that was served. One soldier was so enthusiastic about her mayonnaise that he sent a message to the kitchen asking if he could meet her ‘because her mayonnaise was as good as his mother made’ (The Sydney Morning Herald, Mon 11 Sept 1944). Gladys’ tireless wartime contributions only further endeared her to the Australian public. She had proven herself not only as a glamourous and talented performer, but as someone who was unafraid of hard work when times were tough. 

When World War II concluded Gladys' focus briefly shifted back to her musical career. However, in 1951 she was once again asked to perform for Allied troops, this time stationed in Korea and Japan. Without hesitation she accepted the offer and was made an Army Private, with the service number B2/915. She arrived in Korea in August 1951 after several weeks of delay due to Army officials initially being unable to find a piano for her accompanist Mabel Nelson to play. Over the following six weeks she performed 14 concerts in Korea and 9 in Japan for crowds of up to 2500 attendees. Unlike her time in New Guinea her performances in Korea brought her closer to the frontline. She would later recall:  

Despite being battle weary Allied troops were always excited to see Gladys perform and when asked what they would like to hear the common response was ‘Anything, Glad, anything’. Not only was there the threat of constant enemy action and air raids, but the sweltering heat and summer rainstorms often made performing uncomfortable. At the concert in Kimpo for the 77 Fighter Squadron, RAAF, it began to pour rain. When Gladys suggested that they might take cover the audience shouted, ‘Go on, Glad’, so she finished the concert in steady drenching rain. She had brought many of her best dresses to give the boys the “glamour stage treatment” only to have them destroyed by the weather. Despite this she had no regrets, commenting ‘the boys appreciated the efforts we made’ (1971, pg. 102).  

Following Gladys’ concerts in Korea she sang to Commonwealth troops in Kure, Hiro, Haramura and Tokio in Japan, as well as visiting hospital and convalescent centres. While Gladys described her tour as a ‘wonderful experience’, it had left her and Mabel utterly exhausted. The pair went to a rest and recreational facility near Mount Fuji before returning to Australia in October. The following month she was made an honorary member of the Korean Veteran’s association in acknowledgement of her contributions. Her selfless service in Korea and Japan had once again endeared her to the Australia population, particularly service personnel.

Gladys’ musical concerts in Japan and Korea were one of her last overseas adventures. In 1952 she was awarded the Order of the British Empire for her patriotic and charitable services during times of war. The award ceremony was one of the few times that she experienced stage fright: 

In 1958-59 she began her farewell stage tours of Australia and New Zealand, with her final stage appearance in Hamilton, New Zealand. She would return to the stage for a concert in Brisbane in 1962, before she retired to the Gold Coast in 1968. It was here that she prepared her memoirs My Life of Song, a fascinating insight into a truly incredible music career. Gladys passed away in 1976 at Pindara Private Hospital, Gold Coast, at the age of 83.  

This Remembrance Day we share Gladys Moncrieff's unique wartime contributions. Her story is a reminder of the myriads of ways that Australians supported the war effort beyond joining the AIF. We encourage you to consider who you will stop to Remember on 11 November. You can explore more ways to commemorate at home, work and in person at Anzac Square here: https://www.anzacsquare.qld.gov.au/commemorate/remembrance-day 

Further Reading:  

• Gladys Moncrieff Photographs 1912-1920
• Gladys Moncrieff Papers 1940-1976
• My Life in Song by Gladys Moncrieff 
• Gladys Moncrieff dedicating her voice to raising patriotic funds, The Telegraph, Thursday 30 May 1940, pg. 9. 
• Music to help overcome wartime worries, The Courier Mail, Friday 3 January 1941, pg. 6.
• ‘Greatest experience was singing to troops’- Gladys Moncrieff, The Advertiser, Wednesday 30 May 1945, pg. 3. 
• Moncrieff: After 29 years still tops, The Daily Telegraph, Saturday 28 October 1944, pg. 10. 
• Turkeys and songs: Gladys Moncrieff at Canteen, The Sydney Morning Herald, Monday 11 September 1944, pg. 5. 
• Our Gladys is Off to Korea, Brisbane Telegraph, Friday 24 August 1951, pg. 3. 
• Gladys Moncrieff sings in Rain, Cairns Post, Saturday 15 September 1951, pg. 1.
• ‘Our Glad’ becomes Korea veteran, Sun News-Pictorial, Saturday 3 November 1951, pg. 3.