In my previous post, I wrote about Joyce Grenfell and her contribution to the war effort by entertaining troops in hospitals, specifically whilst visiting Italy in 1944. In this post, the spotlight turns to another remarkable woman of ENSA (Entertainment National Services Association), Naomi Jacob (1884–1964) or ‘Mickie’ to her friends. Mickie’s appearance reflected her non-typical lifestyle (for the 1940s), wearing male clothes and keeping her hair short. Did she care what others thought? Of course not, she performed an essential role first as a Welfare Officer and then later as a Public Relations Officer for ENSA in Italy. Jacob commented on Joyce Grenfell’s selfless nature when they met in Naples in early 1944; ‘there was the same utter tiredness, the same quiet satisfaction that nothing really mattered so long as the boys had been entertained, had enjoyed it and laughed.’[1] This was a quality Jacob admired and emulated throughout the war.
Figure 1: Naomi Jacob in her First World War Women’s Legion uniform (from Me and the Mediterranean)
Born in Ripon, Yorkshire, Jacob always had a very strong sense of her roots and often played with regional accents in her writing. She was a prolific author, publishing on average two books a year for much of her adult life. As well as fiction, she wrote memoirs and her time in Italy are covered in “Me and the Mediterranean” (from 1943-44) and “Me Over There” (from 1945-46).[2] She also appeared in several films before the war, most notably opposite John Gielgud in The Ringer (1936). In the First World War she was a Captain in the Women’s Legion and ran a munitions factory in Willesden. She insisted on wearing her First World War uniform throughout her time working with ENSA, which often drew remarks charging about Italy during 1944-46! Italy was always close to Jacob’s heart. In 1930, she moved to Sirmione on Lake Garda for health reasons and only left Italy at the outbreak of war. She returned to her beloved house on the shores of the lake, and neighbours who she dearly missed, at the end of the war.[3]
As an ENSA Welfare Officer, Naomi Jacob was responsible for organising the accommodation and taking care of the visiting artistes whilst they were on tour. Not an easy job. Especially as many of the artistes had been promised ‘beautiful villas or first class hotels’ in Italy before they left Drury Lane![4] Reflecting on the more highly strung artistes she dealt with them in a forthright manner and Jacob comments, “The artist is like the British soldier, he or she loves a grouse. In most cases anyone with a little “sense and sensibility” can sooth them and keep them happy.”[5] Her job also included making sure that the ENSA artistes behaved themselves whilst in Italy. As the war progressed, the growing black market (especially in Naples) was enthusiastically supported by some of the performers. Reflecting on the reality of war during a less nostalgic passage in her memoir, she writes, “Certainly fifty per cent of the artistes, of the officers, and a great number of lower ranks were “on the make.” ENSA transport was used to transport Italian Black Market goods, and the price paid to the driver of the camion was considerable.”[6] She freely admitted that the Army Welfare Officers in Sicily 1943, Captain Green and Lieutenant Pelster, “both loathed to sight of me”.[7] Jacob was a formidable character and not afraid of putting a few noses out of joint.
Figure 2: Naomi Jacob and Gina Cigna in Italy (from Me Over There)
By contrast to her fierce reputation, many of the artistes and Army officers had a very soft spot for Mickie. The Introduction to her memoir was written by Lieut. Colonel T. L. Carteret Carter, OBE, and he refers to her as ‘auntie’. Jacob was always happiest rolling-up her sleeves and ‘doing a turn’ to entertain the troops herself. She organised a variety show on board the troopship back to Britain in late 1944, enlisting volunteers from the Italian prisoners on board. She loved jokes and this one may well have been told at that show (Cockney accents courtesy of Jacob):
“Two British soldiers standing in a bar when an American comes up to them and pointing over his shoulder to his pal, says, “Say, you fellers, care to take a drink with the chaps who are winnin’ the war?”
One Cockney says to his friend, “Don’t kere if I do, d’you, Charlie?”
“No,” says the other, “S’orl rite by me.”
The American says, “Order what you fancy, s’long.”
As the two Cockneys are drinking one said to the other, “Blimy, Charlie, they’re clever these Russians ter learn ter speak English se quick, eh?”[8]
She writes compassionately of the officers and other ranks she met whilst in Italy. Never more so than her notes about the song, Lili Marlene - the signature tune of the Eighth Army. In her memoir covering her time in ENSA up to mid-1944, she writes nostalgically that the haunting tune, ‘always conjures up to me a picture of the crowded dining room at the Imperiale at Bari, packed with soldiers.’[9] By 1945, that nostalgia had changed to bitter disappointment and she writes passionately about “The D-Day Dodgers”[10] sang by the Eighth Army to the same tune;
“To me it was one of the most bitter things the war produced. It wasn’t first class verse, indeed I have no idea who wrote it; it appeared in the Union Jack, but I heard it first sung in the old Regina Hotel at Padova, one rather stuffy evening, by a group of young officers. They stood out on the balcony and sang it, I listened and thought: “Is this what they feel then? Do they really believe - and what is more - have they a right to believe, that Britain has forgotten all about them? Have all those grim battles on the banks of rivers, in the mountains, gone for nothing? Are those pathetic graveyards only of interest to those people who have sons, husbands, or sweethearts buried there?”[11]
To echo the song's lyrics, Grenfell’s aunt, Lady Astor, had a mouth that was indeed “bloody too wide”!
Jacob’s memoirs are full of interesting observations and stories, including experiencing the infamous air-raid on Bari harbour in December 1943, attending the opening of an Indian Officers club (complete with a drag act in saris), and teaching the troops how to appreciate opera through her guidebooks![12] Mickie was a larger than life character, doing a difficult job, in a war zone and should be remembered for her work.
I will look at another remarkable woman of ENSA in the next post.
[1] Naomi Jacob, Me and the Mediterranean, First Edition (Hutchinson & co., ltd, 1945), p. 132.
[2] Jacob, Me and the Mediterranean; Naomi Jacob, Me Over There (Hutchinson & Co, 1946).
[3] Oxford Dictionary of National Biography https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-56965?&mediaType=Article
[4] Jacob, Me Over There, p. 103.
[5] Jacob, Me and the Mediterranean, p. 43.
[6] Jacob, Me Over There, p. 112.
[7] Jacob, Me and the Mediterranean, p. 34.
[8] Jacob, Me and the Mediterranean, p. 94.
[9] Jacob, Me and the Mediterranean, p. 74.
[10] D-Day Dodgers Song (warning includes some ‘salty’ language):
[11] Jacob, Me Over There, p. 83.
[12] “How to listen to opera” by Naomi Jacob - https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1502013139