It features members of the popular “swing” band known as the Ace Orchestra.

We have been told that members of this group included Barry Poignand, Curly Newling, Jim Newling and Basil or Noel Knight.

If you can help us (Cowra Family History) identify any of these people or others in the photograph please let us know.

Dances and balls were a very popular form of entertainment in the 1940s.

In fact the government believed that they were an important tool in keeping up morale during the war years.

The Cowra Guardian reported that on New Year’s Eve 1946 a midnight procession was headed by the Ace Orchestra playing on the back of a lorry.

The Ace Orchestra usually played for two dances a week in this period.

On average the tickets to the dance cost five shillings (50p.) for gents, three shillings for ladies and seven and sixpence for a couple.

Often the card game Euchre was part of the evening’s festivities- presumably to amuse the non-dancers.

* See the full story on page 9 of today's Cowra Guardian, Friday July 1, 2011.