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Not long after Great Britain's entry into the Second World War, the Royal Air Force Music Services began recruiting seasoned entertainers to serve in dance bands that were assigned to RAF stations where they fulfilled common military duties during the day and changed into band uniforms at night to provide Armed Forces personnel with uplifting jazz and pop music. Rather than waiting for conscription, instrumentalists from bands like the Heralds of Swing and the Bert Ambrose Orchestra were soon showing up at RAF Uxbridge where (after basic training at Morecombe) they eventually became players in the Royal Air Force Dance Orchestra, popularly known as the Squadronaires and informally referred to as "the Squads". This highly acclaimed ensemble was directed by vocalist and pianist Jimmy Miller, with trumpeters Archie Craig and Tommy McQuater, trombonists Eric Breeze and George Chisholm, reed players Andy McDevitt, Jimmy Durrant, Harry Lewis, and Tom Bradbury, and a rhythm section of pianist...