Jugglers during World War 2 ( ANZAC Day Edition)

 Australian jugglers played a large role in the entertainment and fighting units in the Middle East and New Guinea during World War 2.

Jim Collins- Major Jim Collins, a juggler known as Collino, or J J Collins, organised performances in New Guinea. He also designed a portable stage for the shows.

The Testro brothers, part of the famous Testro juggling family, performed for the troops, and there is an urban legend that either in World War 1 or WW2, one of them juggled live grenades. 

 Jimmy Wallace in New Guinea- State Library of Victoria.

Jimmy Wallace, barely of conscription age, juggled in the entertainment unit in New Guinea for several years. Jimmy was a Sydney boy whose family lived in Petersham in inner city Sydney.

Ossie Delroy, a circus legend, lied about his age to join up. Ossie told the government he was born in 1900 when he was actually born in 1890, so he was 50 when he toured the Middle East with the Australian entertainment troop in 1941. Ossie came home and then returned to entertaining the troops in New Guinea several years later. Born in Newtown in inner Sydney, he lived in Marrickville and trained Jimmy Wallace in juggling.  

Ossie Delroy in Tel Aviv, 1941. From the Australian War Memorial. 

Let's hope no more jugglers need to visit war zones or fight in wars.

Lest we forget....