Royal Air Force Dance Orchestra

The Royal Air Force Dance Orchestra (popularly now called The Squadronaires) is a British Royal Air Force band which began and performed in Britain during and after World War II. 
In 1939, the Royal Air Force implemented a plan to raise morale and entertain the troops during wartime, and The Squadronaires was one of the bands organized as a result. The band drew from some of the best musicians of the day. It became a popular jazz band and likely the best known of the British military dance bands of the time, with hits like "There's Something in the Air" and "South Rampart Street Parade." The Squadronaires played at dances and concerts for service personnel, and also broadcast on the BBC and recorded on the Decca label. The orchestra's first broadcast took place in January 1941.
After D-Day, the Squadronaires went on to entertain service personnel engaged in the Northwest European campaign but had to return to Britain because of military operations. After demobilization, the members formed a civilian band of the same name. Ronnie Aldrich had been the arranger and co-piano player, but in 1951 he took over as bandleader, and the band was then billed as Ronnie Aldrich and The Squadronaires. The touring season of 1951 was the busiest period of activity the band had ever experienced. In 1952, The Squadronaires began a regular summer engagement at The Palace Ballroom in Douglas, Isle of Man which continued until 1963. They played in the Ballroom every night except Sundays when they played concerts in the Palace Theatre. A cut-down version of the band (The Squadronetes), compared by vocalist Peter Morton, appeared every afternoon in the Palace Gardens (1960-1962). The Squadronaires continued to work together under Ronnie Aldrich until 1964.
==Links to Peel==
Peel played their track, 'Jersey Bounce', as one of the songs for the Peelenium 1942 in 1999.
==Shows Played==
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*25 August 1999: Jersey Bounce (Peelenium 1942)
==External Links==
*Wikipedia
*Discogs
Category:Artists