One of the first Australian concert parties to begin operating along the battle lines of Europe during WWI, The Kookaburras (aka The Kooks) were established in late 1916 and continued through until 1919. Among the artists associated with the troupe to carve out professional careers were George Long (female impersonator), George Jennings (vocalist) and Johnny Marks (later a member of the Famous Diggers).
Two countries the Kookaburras are known to have played in during the war are France and Belgium. On some occasions, when the troupe was performing away from the battlelines, it was accompanied by the Signal Company Orchestra. In an article on the troupe, published as part of the "Aussie Field Theatres" series in 1918, an Aussie magazine contributor said of the Kookaburras:
Starting out at the end of 1916 the Kooks have shown many hundreds of times in the various parts of the line to which Aussies have gone to keep their engagements with Fritz. They know how to mix and serve a good programme of mirth and music. Like all our versatile and enterprising Field Shows, they can transform an old barnyard or a plonker-pounded building in to a quite a decent-looking theatre possessing a good stage and attractive props, within a few hours (September 1918, p.4).
The same article also distinguishes the singers as being either 'straight' (Ashworth, Ransom, Cushing and James) or 'fancy' (Jennings, O'Brien and Pirie).
[Source: Australian Variety Theatre Archive]
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