INTERNATIONAL MILITARY MUSIC SOCIETY UNITED KINGDOM (FOUNDER) BRANCH Journal
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INTERNATIONAL MILITARY MUSIC SOCIETY UNITED KINGDOM (FOUNDER) BRANCH Journal No. 123 SPRING 2020 INTERNATIONAL MILITARY MUSIC SOCIETY UNITED KINGDOM (FOUNDER) BRANCH Founder President: Lt-Col Sir Vivian Dunn KCVO, OBE (1908-1995) Branch President: Major (Rtd.) Roger Swift Honorary Vice-Presidents: Miss Eileen Pearson, Mr Pat Higgins, Mr Philip Mather INTERNATIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT: CHAIRMAN’S CALL As I write the news is that the newly- Major (Rtd.) Roger Swift Our Annual General Meeting on elected Johnson government is to CHAIRMAN: Saturday 21st March at The Royal undertake a defence review. One can Jim Davies, Amberstone, Pyrford Road, Military School of Music, Kneller Hall only hope that the structure of the Pyrford GU22 8UP – for the last 150+ years the home of Corps of Army Music will not be Tel: 01932 355135 military music – will, in all likelihood affected and that the Corps’ new bands E-mail: [email protected] be a blend of sadness, memories and will have the opportunity to settle HON. SECRETARY: change, not only for the Army and its down in their new organisation. Alan Purdie, 5 Hemming Close, musicians but also for this Society. The recent passing of Major Gordon Hampton, Middlesex TW12 2JD Turner is a grievous loss to the Society Tel: 020 8941 1416 (Monday to Friday It has been an immense privilege and between 1000 and 1600) honour for us to be allowed to use both at here in the UK and E-mail: [email protected] Kneller Hall for our meetings; what internationally as Editor of Band HON. TREASURER more fitting location could there have International. His distinguished & MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY: been for a Society bearing our title? contribution to military music and Guy Morris, 32 Claremont Avenue, Clearly the Branch owes a great deal to military music-making will be fully Hersham KT12 4NS the kindness and support of the late recorded in the next edition of Band Tel: 0870 904 6453 Lieutenant Colonel George Evans International. E-mail: [email protected] OBE who, after he took up the retired The pressing issue of membership JOURNAL EDITOR: officer post as Assistant Director of levels and recruitment to our Society Mike Boxall, 38 Hortensia House, Music, invited us to hold our meetings continues to concern your committee. Hortensia Road, London SW10 0QP at the School. Subsequently, Colonel With this in mind, if your subscription E- mail: Evans became our Branch President is still outstanding from 1st January, [email protected] and took an on-going interest in our Guy Morris would appreciate receiving COMMITTEE MEMBERS: activities. Over the years we have been payment (annual £25 or £23 by Charles Gray, Brian Hill, Rodney Illsley, immensely grateful to the standing order) as soon as possible. Martin West, and Ron Shooter (co-opted) Commandants and their staff for their Finally I am sorry to report the ADVISORY PANEL: help and support with regard to our retirement on medical grounds of John Curtis, Colin Dean, Lt.-Col. (Rtd.) Lieutenant Colonel Jon Ridley RM Graham Jones MBE, Philip Mather & meetings. Major (Rtd.) Richard Powell An Annual General Meeting is an from his appointment as Principal important occasion for members to Director of Music, Royal Marines. REGIONAL ORGANISER after such a very short tenure of office. North East & Cumbria: Ivor Shirley, hear about the Branch’s activities in the 9 Hurst Grove, Darlington DL1 4NX year just past as well as plans for the We wish him a speedy recovery and every success in the future. We WEBMASTER: future. In this year of change your Ron Rose, Flat 4, Kingsholm House, opinions and ideas will be particularly welcome Lieutenant Colonel Jason 7 Twickenham Close, Swindon SN3 3FF welcome. Arrangements for the AGM Burcham RM who succeeds him and E-mail: [email protected] are included in the Branch Secretary’s who will be at the helm for this year’s Notes and we look forward to Mountbatten Festival of Music and the Website: www.imms-uk.org.uk welcoming you to Kneller Hall on Beating Retreat spectaculars in June on 21st March, possibly for the final time. Horse Guards Parade. Jim Davies Follow us on Facebook The IMMS UK Branch Journal is published four times a year. The remaining closing dates for copy for 2020 are 29th May, 28th August and 13th November. Contributions for the Journal from members are always welcome. The annual membership subscription, due on 1st January, is £25 of which the UK Branch retains £8 to help finance local activities. FRONTBranch COVER:Meetings Members receive in addition to the UK Branch Journal three editions each year of Band Corporal of Horse Darren Witter led International, which is sent to all members worldwide. Further details about the Society and the Band of the Household Cavalry on its activities are available from the UK Branch Secretary. Enquiries and correspondence about the Society’s meetings should be addressed to the Branch Secretary and not to Kneller Public(At The Duties Royal in MilitaryWindsor Schoolon Thursday of 7th February. Hall. The contents of the UK Branch Journal are copyright and no part of it may be (Music,Photo: PKnelleraul Barker Hall,) Twickenham reproduced without permission. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TW2 7DU) the President, the UK Branch Committee or the Society’s membership as a whole. Our meetings at Kneller Hall in 2 IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Spring 2020 2015 will take place on Saturdays 20th June, 12th September and BRANCH SECRETARY’S NOTES Branch meetings recently retired as Quartermaster at corner of the envelope and further With the kind permission of Colonel Kneller Hall, who looked back on his details will be sent once these become Victoria Reid OBE, Commandant of musical life in the Corps of Army finalised. the Royal Military School of Music, Music. Paul’s presence gave the All best wishes to you all and I hope our meeting on the 21st March will be Chairman the opportunity to thank to see you at Kneller Hall in March. him, not only for his most held at Kneller Hall. Twickenham, Alan G Purdie entertaining address but also for his TW2 7DU. Branch Secretary support of the Branch over many If you are intending to attend the years, by presenting him with a March meeting please let me know if crystal tankard bearing the Branch Your memories wanted you are driving or travelling by public crest. In 2016 it was announced that Kneller transport. If you are coming by car Hall was one of 12 Ministry of please include details of your car Defence sites to be released as part of registration. If you arrive without the MoD’s drive for greater informing me then entry may be efficiency. As we now know, the refused. Additionally, all members Kneller Hall site is expected to be must carry their IMMS membership cleared by the end of August this year. cards as proof of identity. Lost cards can be replaced by the Membership The Royal Military School of Music Secretary on request. will move to Portsmouth, next door to the Royal Marines School of Music at I am still in discussion as to whether HMS Nelson, while Headquarters, the June Meeting will be held at Branch President Major (Rtd.) Roger Corps of Army Music, will in future Swift with our speaker at the December Kneller Hall and I hope to have a be sited at Gibraltar Barracks, decision before we meet in March. meeting, Captain Paul Goodwin MBE. (Photo: Jim Davies) Minley, Hampshire. The Meetings on 19th September Future band visits The Museum’s collections are and 5th December will be held at As you know it has been increasingly expected to be in storage for 2 years St Edmund’s Social Club, Nelson difficult recently to arrange visits to while a new site for the museum is Road, Whitton, TW2 7BB which is any Service Bands but I am delighted established. Some instruments and about 200 yards from the Admiral to be able to let you know that, other artefacts will be selected for Nelson public house. Regrettably following communication between display at Minley and Portsmouth, there is no parking available on site Charles Gray and Captain Justin items currently on loan to the but there is a car park nearby in Teggarty Director of Music / Officer Museum may be located with their Nelson Road. Commanding The Band and Bugles loaners while the Legacy project will Annual General Meeting of The Rifles, we are hopeful of being form a touring display. Notice has already been given that the able to attend the Colonel Annual General Meeting will start at Commandant’s Inspection and the 14:00. As this could be our last Band solo competition at their new meeting at Kneller Hall your home in Winchester. Committee is hoping for a large During the week beginning Sunday attendance to give members an 2nd August the Central Band of The opportunity to contribute to the way Royal British Legion will be forward for the Branch. performing daily on the Eastbourne Following the AGM our Guest Bandstand. The Legion Band, under (Photo: MOD/Crown Copyright) Speaker will be Major David the direction of Captain David Cole, To mark the end of 163 years as the Hammond who has recently retired as are believed to be the only band who Army’s School of Music, the next Director of Music of the Countess of have a regular annual engagement in edition of the UK Journal will feature Wessex’s String Orchestra. David has Eastbourne and it has been suggested a celebratory Kneller Hall section.