1939 British Expeditionary Force - Army G.H.Q. P.R. Unit - Christmas Party 

Menu - Concert - Theatre Play Programme 

The play written by Ian Hay 

Produced by Arnold Ridley

Unusual G.H.Q. Public Relations Unit Christmas Party Menu & Programme - the party was held somewhere in France where G.H.Q. was based with the British Expeditionary Force over Christmas and New Year 1939.

Interesting also as a collectable theatre programme featuring two significant figures in British Theatre:

Ian Hay. Ian (John) Hay Beith was born on 17 April 1876. He was educated at Fettes College, Edinburgh and St. Johns College, Cambridge. He was a second-lieutenant in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and was in France in April of 1915 and was one of the first 100,000 of Kitchener's Army. He was awarded the Military Cross. He was Director of Public Relations at the War Office (1938-1941). As Ian Hay, he was also a novelist, and playwright.

Arnold Ridley who in his later years was cast as Private Godfree in the TV series Dads Army rejoined the army in 1939 following the outbreak of the Second World War. He was commissioned into the General List on 7 October 1939 as a second lieutenant. He served with the British Expeditionary Force in France during the "Phoney War", employed as a "Conducting Officer" tasked with supervising journalists who were visiting the front line.

A rare custom designed menu / programme card, part of an historical archive discovered by the vendor, preserved among a collection of papers found in a Second World War officer’s footlocker owned by Lieutenant-General Sir (Frank) Noel Mason-MacFarlane (1889–1953), Head of Military Intelligence, BEF, 1939-40.

Very good vintage condition, small mark to otherwise bland back page. Size 21 x 13 cm.