AIR FORCE RELATIONS

Camp News, Volume 1, Issue 32, 19 July 1940, Page 4

AIR FORCE RELATIONS

Hundreds Attend Delightful Dance In Town Holl The first thing noticed by manj guests entering the ■ Wellington Town Hall on the evening of July for < the Air Force 'Relations dance was the air force flag prominently displayed in the foyer in the centre of an arch made by British flags. This note was carried out in the ballroom, too, where the flag was displayed at intervals along the balcony, encircling the dance floor. The “imprint” of the air force was noticeable in the ballroom as well, as in the supper room decorations. At either end of the Town Hall a ; full sized model of an aeroplane was poised as if about to go into a swift nose dive above the balcony. , One model was a Wellington bomber and the other a Spitfire fighter. A silver model dirigible was hung in mid air and the scheme was completed with the gilded wings, the emblem of the service, suspended at the head of 'the balcony with the letters R.A.F. enclosed. . Looped bunting of red, white and blue added an appropriate patriotic note. The full band of the Air Force played some favourite waltz tunes and the orchestra was made up from members of the N.Z.R.A.F. band.

The final distinctive touch to a scene that seemed to leave everyone “airminded” was found in the pre-? dominance of air force uniforms worn by many men. ■ J The blue uniforms blended subtly with the frocks of many colours worn by women guests and created a very charming picture, especially when' a dance was in progress and the floor was crowded-with the hundreds of dancers present.

The unusual decorations on the supper tables were the work of Madame Pouquet. Model pairs of wings, to represent aeroplanes in flight were poised above the level of the supper tables on lacquered stands around which redbrown lacquered leaves were twined. Down the length of some of the long tables trails of maidenhair fern were laid as well, scarlet berries and green leaves being used in the same way on the others.

• There.was one.debutante who chose this occasion to make her entry into adult society. She was Miss Pamela Benham, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. P. B. Benham, her parents giving a dinner party .beforehand for a number of her friends. Miss Benham’s frock ; was of parchment satin with fitted bodice - and gracefully designed skirt and she carried a Victorian posy of flowers.

There were a number of pre-dance dinner and sherry parties and among guests were'a number of visitors in town for the races.