[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

CBD, I don't know for sure, but perhaps that "Service Men" designation was intentional. Female service members were not really welcomed at the Canteen, at least not like the men were. They did provide a very small viewing area upstairs where they could go and have something to eat and watch what was happening, but were not invited to be in the main room to dance etc. Although those rules were relaxed on occasion. There's some stories about women who were quite upset about this treatment and, indeed, later on they opened a section for them to sit downstairs, but the Canteen was basically for the enlisted men.
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Very good point Martin. I had not thought of that angle. Yes, the Canteen could well have been a stags-only venue. That would make sense to me.
It was not really designed as a place for "Service Men" to look for female dates.

The WACS, the WAVES and the Lady Marines were on their own to find entertainment... elsewhere.

It was a different culture in those days...more respectful and innocent.


CD file - Hollywood

A popular song of that era. It still rocks...click link:

https://youtu.be/NqAmrUEnc1g