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Home , Anchor and Star, Band of the Welsh Guards, Band Sergeant Major, Kerry Ellis, Kneller Hall, Rob Dougan

ISSN2050-4926 INTERNATIONAL MILITARY MUSIC SOCIETY (FOUNDER) BRANCH Journal

No. 120 SUMMER 2019

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 Major (Rtd.) Roger Swift It was with real pride that I was elected at March. It’s particularly striking that so CHAIRMAN: the Annual General meeting at The Royal much of the music performed for us to Jim Davies, Amberstone, Pyrford Road, Military School of Music in March to be enjoy was composed or arranged by Woking GU22 8UP your Branch Chairman in succession to members of the Royal Marine Band Tel: 01932 355135 Alan Purdie. To hold such a position is a Service; also, one can only wonder how E-mail: [email protected] great honour, following in the Jon Ridley and his fine musicians had the HON. SECRETARY: distinguished footsteps of predecessors stamina to give two performances on the Alan Purdie, 5 Hemming Close, including John Ambler, Colin Dean, Saturday! Hampton, Middlesex TW12 2JD Nigel Ellis and Alan, all of whom made The ‘low’ I referred to was the Tel: 020 8941 1416 (Monday to Friday their distinctive mark on the Branch’s confirmation we received of Kneller between 1000 and 1600) fortunes. I will endeavour to follow the Hall’s closure at the end of September E-mail: [email protected] path sent by these eminent colleagues and next year ending 150+ years as the home HON. TREASURER friends, all of whom continue as of military music. We look forward to & MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY: members of this Society. hearing about the plans for training of Guy Morris, 32 Claremont Avenue, CAMUS bandmasters and musicians; Hersham KT12 4NS Of course I wish Alan Purdie every your committee will be looking urgently Tel: 0870 904 6453 success as our Secretary. Having E-mail: [email protected] relinquished the role after a very happy to find a suitable location for our future quarterly meetings. JOURNAL EDITOR: tenure I know some of the demands and Mike Boxall, 38 Hortensia House, pressures he will be encountering. A priority for us all in the Society is to Hortensia Road, SW10 0QP However, with his wide connections with recruit new members and we’ll be E- mail: military musicians and knowledge I looking at ways of achieving this using [email protected] know Alan is ideally qualified for his the increasingly-important means of social media. Have you visited our COMMITTEE MEMBERS: new role which he will fulfil with Charles Gray, Brian Hill, Rodney Illsley, distinction, and for which he has my full IMMS Facebook page? Martin West, and Ron Shooter (co-opted) support. Indeed, in his new capacity he While penning these notes it was good to has already met with the services’ three see on television Major David Barringer ADVISORY PANEL: Principal Directors of Music to explore John Curtis, Colin Dean, Lt.-Col. (Rtd.) and the Band of the – Graham Jones MBE, Philip Mather, the relationships and extend mutual complete with a Drum Major in State Major (Rtd.) Richard Powell & Major benefits between the world of military Dress – at to support (Rtd.) Gordon Turner MBE music and this Society. the long-established singing of Abide With Me and the National before REGIONAL ORGANISER My first couple of days in office were North East & Cumbria: Ivor Shirley, marked by a ‘high’ and a ‘low.’ The the FA Cup Final. 9 Hurst Grove, Darlington DL1 4NX massed bands of the I wish you an enjoyable summer of WEBMASTER: reached new heights of musicianship, military music-making, including the Ron Rose, Flat 4, Kingsholm House, presentation and entertainment value at Household Division Festival of Music at 7 Close, Swindon SN3 3FF this year’s Mountbatten Festival of the Guards’ Chapel later in June. E-mail: [email protected] Music at The on 15/16 Jim Davies Website: www.imms-uk.org.uk The IMMS UK Branch Journal is published four times a year. The remaining closing dates Follow us on Facebook for copy for 2019 are 30th August and 15th 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. Members receive in FRONTBranch COVER:Meetings addition to the UK Branch Journal three editions each year of Band International, which is Senior Drum Major sent to all members worldwide. Further details about the Society and its activities are

Terry Gardner pictured before leading available from the UK Branch Secretary. Enquiries and correspondence about the Society’s the Massed Bands on The Mall for the (At The Royal Military School of meetings should be addressed to the Branch Secretary and not to Kneller Hall. The contents RAF100 celebrations last July. of the UK Branch Journal are copyright and no part of it may be reproduced without (Music,Photo: MOD/CrownKneller Hall, copyright2018Twickenham) permission. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the President, the TW2 7DU) UK Branch Committee or the Society’s membership as a whole.

Our meetings at Kneller Hall in 2 IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 2015 will take place on Saturdays 20th June, 12th September and BRANCH SECRETARY’S NOTES

Branch meetings entertained by three musical items. concerns and to counsel me on With the kind permission of the These included Rusalka’s Song to the possible ways forward. Commandant, Colonel Reid Moon (Dvorak) and Rhapsody for My thanks go to him for this and for OBE, and with the support of her Euphonium (Curnow) both of which all the work he has done for the team, our meetings take place at The were accompanied by Major Swift on Society over the years. Royal Military School of Music, piano. Kneller Hall Twickenham TW2 7DU. Kneller Hall Concerts in the Park NOTE: The remaining meetings at Kneller Hall this year will be on I have received clarification that this Saturdays 15th June, 21st September year’s Concerts in the Park will be on: and 7th December, all starting at 1400. • Wednesday 26th June at 2000 featuring an evening of Scottish Members attending meetings should music allow sufficient time to complete the th security procedures at the school. To • Saturday 6 July at 1930 assist as far as we can, those travelling featuring the Army Big Band and Rock / Pop Group by public transport should notify me Serjeant Graham Allen and Major (Rtd.) in advance so I can pass their names Roger Swift at the March meeting in the • Saturday 20th July at 2000 which to the School. Kneller Hall Museum. will be a Celebration of the 25th (Photo: Jim Davies) anniversary of CAMUS. Those travelling by car to Kneller To complete the afternoon’s Please put these dates in your diary Hall for the first time should let me entertainment, Major Swift related and support what may be the last have their vehicles’ registration tales which brought back memories to Concerts in the Park. numbers by post, telephone or e-mail some of us of those by Stanley (see page 2). After their first Holloway. 2019 Household Division Music attendance, members’ details are Festival automatically passed to the June meeting Guardroom for subsequent visits – Our next Branch meeting will be on Once again the Household Division but please let me know of changes of Saturday 15th June starting at 1400 will be holding their Music Festival vehicle registrations! when our speaker will be from Tuesday 25th June to Sunday Colonel Vernon Yates, currently 30th June in the Guards Chapel. When attending our meetings, Commanding Officer of CAMUS As detailed on page 7, there will be a members should carry their IMMS Regional HQ. membership cards as proof of very varied programme of music identity. Lost membership cards can Colonel Yates will be regaling us with during that week ranging from Big be replaced on request. tales from his long and illustrious Band and Dixie Swingers through career and we may even get an insight Chamber and Jazz ensembles to a full March meeting into some of the future changes to Band Concert each evening. CAMUS following the news of the The March meeting began with the The final concert on Sunday 30th will closure of Kneller Hall in autumn AGM which had been moved from feature the return of the Veterans 2020. the morning and began at 1400 with Reunited Band. the Various Reports for the Branch We will, of course, let you know in Officers. These reports are printed in the Journal, and in Jim's Newsbriefs, The History of British Military full on pages 18 to 21 of this edition as soon as we get definite information Bands of the Journal. on what will be happening in the In 1994 Gordon Turner and his son As previously indicated, the members coming months. Alwyn produced three excellent were invited to endorse the Geoffrey volumes on the History of British appointment of Major (Rtd.) Roger Kingston Military Bands which document the history of our bands up to the point Swift as Branch President and Mr Jim During 2018 Lieutenant Colonel Davies as Branch Chairman. There when many were downsized and Kingston indicated that he wanted to amalgamated in the early 1990s. were two vacancies on the Committee relinquish his position as our Branch A strong supporter and friend of and Messrs Brian Hill and Martin President as he was finding it IMMS, is helping to dispose of a late West were elected. increasingly difficult to get to friend's books which include pristine meetings from his home in . Following the AGM there was a editions of these three volumes. change to the normal format of our Geoff took over as President from meetings when our newly-elected Currently out of print and much Lieutenant Colonel George Evans and sought-after, the price for the set of Chairman took the floor in ‘Michael during his time in office he was a Parkinson’ style and introduced three books is £200. If you are great support to the Committee and interested in buying these, or if you Serjeant Graham Allen from the Band his advice and words of wisdom were of The Rifles. know someone else who might be a wonderful asset to the Branch. interested, the seller seeks genuine Jim interviewed Graham on his During my time as Branch Chairman enquiries only by email to introduction to military music and his Geoff was always available to spend [email protected] later career during which we were time on the telephone to listen to my Alan Purdie

IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 3 OBITUARY Mrs June Alford Members will be sorry to learn of the death of Mrs. June John Ambler, who succeeded Richard as UK Branch Alford on 11th February 2019. June’s hard work and Chairman, adds: “June’s duties were to change dramatically dedication kept the society going in its early years when it soon after I succeeded Richard Powell as Chairman. My four- might otherwise easily have foundered. year tenure included the IMMS 25th Anniversary and, as a She typed the complete Band result of the complex projects that were International for many years (on a initiated to mark this occasion, the ‘proper’ typewriter where you had to get Branch turnover increased from £9,000 it right first time!) and, with her husband to £65,000. Ted, posted copies to every member During the same period June took on the worldwide four times a year. additional role of Membership Secretary. In 1993 she was relieved of this heavy No matter what was asked of June she task, but, as Richard Powell, UK Branch responded competently, thoroughly and Chairman at the time, recalls: “In 1993, always spoke quietly and softly. When not only was the UK Branch Chairman she disagreed she did so with gentleness to change but the then Branch Treasurer – but great firmness; she had no need to raise her voice! found himself in difficulty. He too would June and Ted at The Royal Hospital Chelsea for resign his rôle. It was then that June a Commandant’s Review prior to Oak Apple June’s integrity was not only much offered to undertake the accounts, a Day in the late 1990s. (Photo: Colin Dean) appreciated by Margaret and me, but kindness both accepted and greatly appreciated by the United greatly contributed to that period of celebration and growth. Kingdom branch committee. She was a thoroughly nice lady who is now reunited with June continued to offer her light but sensible guidance as the husband Ted, a thoroughly nice gentleman.” branch stretched forward into what were then activities new When she finally stood down as Treasurer, June was to its schedule. appointed an Honorary Vice President of the UK Branch to For me, certainly, the committee was where I came to know recognise the enormous contribution she had made to the and value June. Her resolve to be responsible coupled with a society. She remained a member of the society, keeping in lightness of touch and a well-developed sense of humour touch with her IMMS friends and enjoying hearing their news were, I felt, a thoroughly constructive contribution to taking of military music. our minority music forward by letting the branch help others June and Ted’s contribution to IMMS was immense and we who enjoyed military music. She is a lady who is very much must forever be grateful to them. missed.” RIP FROM THE BRANCH PRESIDENT

It was certainly a pleasant surprise and unexpected honour to Company, (we joined forces on special occasions) then later receive the invitation to become the next President of the again we both served at Kneller Hall together; he as Principal United Kingdom Branch of the Director of Music, Army, and me as Conducting Professor. International Military Music It does therefore lend a welcome sense of continuity that I Society, following the retirement should be following these two distinguished gentlemen, and I of Lt Col Geoff Kingston from now look forward to supporting the Society in whatever way that appointment. I have long I am able during my three-year tenure as President. enjoyed an association with IMMS and have had the pleasure Whilst I feel proud and honoured to be elected as your of getting to know a number of President, I am taking over the Presidency at a time when I the members on a personal basis am very conscious of the fact that dwindling numbers of our over the years, more so since Society is a matter of grave concern. This, of course, is not being elected International Vice peculiar to IMMS but is symptomatic of today's society. President following on from I do not profess to have any immediate answers to this former President Lt Col George Roger Swift situation, but it does seem obvious that current members of Evans some years ago. (Photo: Jim Davies) our society, recognising the advantages of membership, During my career I had worked closely with Colonel Evans should be encouraged to actively recruit new members at each who, as Principal Director of Music, Army, had chosen me to and every opportunity. Your Committee does all within its become his School Bandmaster at Kneller Hall back in 1979, powers to ensure you continue to enjoy your membership to then many years later again at Kneller Hall I was to follow the full; now perhaps it is your turn to support them in return him as Assistant Director of Music and Professor of by vigorously promoting the Society whenever and wherever Conducting. I have also enjoyed a close association with Col. possible to ensure the continuance of our unique organisation. Kingston, firstly when he was Director of Music, Royal Roger Swift Artillery, and I was Director of Music, Honourable Artillery

4 IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 PROFILE

Major (Rtd.) Roger Swift I first attended a concert at Kneller Hall in 1974 and among At one particular Sunday afternoon concert on Castle Hill at the conductors that evening was a certain Band Sergeant Windsor, he brought down his baton to conduct the opening Major R. G. Swift, Royal Engineers. I had the pleasure of march and was taken by complete surprise as the band instead listening to him at the piano at the IMMS AGM in 2019 which burst into Cliff Richard’s hit, Congratulations, as they had means I have been enjoying his music-making over a span of just heard of Roger’s recent engagement. He had lost his first forty-five years. wife at a cruelly young age but was now to marry Carol, a Major Roger Swift was born on very talented musician in the Women’s Royal Army Corps 20th May 1938 in Sheffield and Band and quite possibly its prettiest! joined the Band of the Corps of He was also involved with the Westminster Festival of Music Royal Engineers (Aldershot) in for a number of years, and in 1992 treated the audience to a 1960, playing piano and virtuoso performance at the piano of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in clarinet, and serving under Blue, accompanied by the massed bands. Lieutenant Frank Hays and Roger retired from the army in 1990 and took up the retired Captains ‘Ted’ Jeanes, ‘Gerry’ officer appointment of Assistant Director of Music at the Horabin and ‘Dick’ Ridings. Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, as well as He completed the student being Professor of Conducting and Curator of the Museum. bandmaster course at Kneller As if this wasn’t enough, in September 1992 he also became Roger as Director of Music, Director of Music of the Honourable Artillery Company. Hall in 1974, holding the The Band of the Coldstream appointment of Band Sergeant Guards, c1988. His talents as a , which will be the subject of an Major, and took eight of the (Photo: MOD/Crown article in a future edition of the Journal, were in evidence in thirteen top awards. Copyright) his entry for the student march competition at Kneller Hall, Roger was appointed Bandmaster of the Queen’s Royal Irish the SSAFA March later retitled Royal Ceremony, which was Hussars on 4th November 1974 and served with them in recorded a number of times. Royal Celebration was Germany until April 1979 when he returned to Kneller Hall composed for the 1981 Wembley Pageant to be played by the as the School Bandmaster. Massed Bands of the , accompanied by the voice of the Guns of The King’s Troop, Royal Horse He was commissioned into The Light Infantry on 11th Artillery, and the Honourable Artillery Company, as well as February 1981 as Director of Music of the Light Division, a full peal of bells. based at Winchester, a very appropriate appointment as one of his bore the motto, Celer et Audax, which The tables were turned in 2003 when one of his fellow Kneller translates as Swift and Bold! This was in the heyday of Hall professors, Stephen Roberts, composed a march in massed bands events and the Light Division were always a Roger’s honour entitled The Swift. great favourite. Listening to recordings of Roger’s massed He finally retired as Kneller Hall’s Archivist following his bands with a metronome at hand confirmed they were last museum tour in July 2013 after 53 years’ continuous marching at 160 paces to the minute, not just strolling around service to Army music. A real gentleman, he has always been at the regulation 140! a great friend and supporter of IMMS, addressing the society The blackest moment of Roger’s career must surely have on a number of occasions as well as accompanying soloists at some of the quarterly meetings, and it is a great honour for us been the bombing of the Band of 1st Battalion The Royal Green Jackets in Regent’s Park in 1982. He found himself to have him as our Branch President. Colin Dean very much at the heart of the aftermath, culminating with an emotional concert by the Massed Bands and Bugles at the Royal Albert Hall on 30th June 1983 to raise funds for St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, where the casualties had been so well treated. Captain Swift was appointed Director of Music of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps on 1st November 1983 and began his association with the Shrewsbury Flower Show where numerous IMMS members got to know him and appreciate his musical talents and the great personality he displayed at the microphone. It must have been a very special moment for Roger in November 1985 when he became Director of Music of the Coldstream Guards, taking over the band from Lieutenant The perfect gentleman. Captain Roger Swift, RAOC, shelters Colonel Ridings, his Director of Music with the Sappers and Moira Anderson during the very wet Wembley Military Musical the man who put him forward for the bandmaster course. On Pageant in 1985. Lieutenant Colonel Duncan Beat LVO conducts. 30th September 1988 he was promoted to Major. (Photo: Colin Dean)

IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 5 NOTES FROM RAF MUSIC SERVICES

Changes in the air The Royal Air Force reached the significant milestone in Music. To be eligible to become a DOM, applicants must reaching its 100th anniversary in April last year. Royal Air have completed the in-house Continuing Professional Force Music Services were at the forefront of the pomp and Development programme, gaining the mandatory ceremony celebrating the Centenary year, leading the parade qualification of the Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music down The Mall last July prior to the 100-strong fly-past over (LRSM) in Music Direction. Candidates are then filtered Buckingham Palace. through the Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre process. An additional celebration to the RAF 100 parade was a sell- The successful candidate is chosen prior to starting Initial out concert in the Royal Albert Hall, featuring international Officer Training. As tradition dictates, the new DOM is due recording artists Mick Hucknall, McFly and Alexandra to take up his or her post with the Band of the RAF Burke, all under the command of the then newly-promoted in March 2020. Flight Lieutenant Tom Rodda will then Principal Director of Music, Wing Commander Piers Morrell. become DOM, Central Band of the RAF. Squadron Leader Wing Commander Morrell joined the RAF in 1997 as a Richard Murray becomes DOM, Headquarters Music trombonist and was selected for Initial Officer Training in Services, in July 2019 and Flight Lieutenant Chris I’Anson 2006. He graduated as a Flying Officer taking command of moves to become DOM, Band of the RAF , at the Band of the RAF Regiment in 2007. He has been Director Cranwell in August 2019. of Music in all three Regular RAF Bands with two tours as Senior Drum Major, Warrant Officer Terry Gardner, a well- DOM, Headquarters Music Services. He was promoted to the known face across all three Services, has now hung up his rank of Wing Commander and appointed as the Principal Ceremonial Mace to concentrate on his resettlement Director of Music, Royal Air Force, in May 2017. activities, after 36 years in the RAF. Terry, a highly In March of this year, renowned singer and DOM, Squadron accomplished trombonist, will now train to pursue a Leader Matthew Little, made the decision to leave the Service profession in music tuition in schools and colleges and use his to pursue new career opportunities as a civilian Military remaining time to mentor and develop the new Senior Drum Liaison Officer in , with his wife Heather. Major. Squadron Leader Little joined the RAF in 1992, serving in the Finally, a new position within Royal Air Force Music has Central Band of the RAF and the RAF Squadronaires as a been established to showcase our Bands to online audiences bass trombonist and vocalist. Having completed Initial through our social media channels. I am lucky enough to head Officer Training in 2008, Matthew has since been DOM in all this up as the newly-appointed Social Media Manager. For three Regular RAF Bands, receiving two Air Officer more information and to see our online content and news, Commanding Commendations for the in the Park please follow us online: events at Cranwell, performing with Hayley Westenra, Brian Facebook: www.facebook.com/RoyalAirForceMusic May and Kerry Ellis. In 2017, he returned to Headquarters to Twitter: @RAFMusic take up the position of Director of Music, prior to retiring Instagram: RoyalAirForceMusic from the Service. Website: www.raf.mod.uk/rafmusic Friends of RAF Music: www.FriendsOfRAFMusic.co.uk Due to Matthew moving on to pastures new, Royal Air Force Music Services is now commissioning a new Director of Sergeant Warren Ringham, Social Media Manager

Squadron Leader Matthew Little performing in inimitable style with the RAF Squadronaires. (Photo: MOD/Crown Copyright2018)

6 IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 MORE MUSIC IN THE AIR

The Band of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force An early RAF Bandmaster celebrated This March saw the Band of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, The Central Band of the Royal Air Force have celebrated an formed in 2016, reach new milestones in its development. early RAF Bandmaster by adding his March of the British to The newly-formed Saxophone Quartet didn’t have far to their repertoire. An influential figure in early 20th Century travel for its first engagement when they performed at musical circles, Rutland Boughton composed this symphonic College Hall Officers' Mess on their home Station, RAF march in 1901 during the patriotic fervour of the Boer War. College Cranwell. Called to the Colours himself in Corporal Phil Richards of the band did travel though, as on 1916, he was first appointed 27th March he played the Last Post for a burial service held at Bandmaster to the Padua War Cemetery in Italy. The service was for World War Regiment and told to raise and Two Warrant Officer Henry Coates, RAF Volunteer Reserve, train a band in a week! This he whose Spitfire had crashed in March 1945 and been somehow achieved and served excavated in October 2017. The service was attended by with the regiment until it was family members, British Defence Staff and local dignitaries. posted to France. Also in March, the band’s recruitment team attended the In 1918 he was the Bandmaster of British Trombone Society (BTS) Day at RAF Northolt the Royal Flying Corps Band when advertising the attractions of being a part-time RAF musician the RFC became the Royal Air to the more than 100 trombonists present. Force. Musically, it proved not to be a very productive time for him. His biographer Michael Hurd, in Rutland Boughton and the Rutland Boughton in Glastonbury Festivals, records 1918. (Photo: Boughton saying that the band “did MOD/Crown Copyright) little more than play the Dead March in Saul for the ‘flu epidemic then raging.” Leaving the RAF late in 1918 he resumed his work as the founder and director of the Glastonbury Festival of music and the arts. Also, in the 1920s, his hugely popular choral drama The Immortal Hour had a record-breaking continuous run in London. The new arrangement of his March of the British that the Central Band now play was specially commissioned from award-winning contemporary composer Thomas Hewitt Jones. The world premiere performance, on 12th December 2018, was in a concert at Millfield School in Somerset. RAuxAF Band members Corporal Ann Joyce and Sergeant Jim Michael Hurd describes the original march as “Heavily Simpson, both ex-Regular musicians with RAF Music Services, at Wagnerian (the Wagner of Tannhauser), it is creditable the BTS Day. (Photo: MOD/Crown copyright2018) enough, even if it does lose its way in an exhibition of The formation of the Band of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force chromatic circulation.” Billy Mear, who heard the new in 2016 had been an historic event for Royal Air Force Music arrangement at the Millfield School concert, said however Services with the band tasked to support the Regular RAF “Rutland Boughton’s march was something special, bands to ensure maximum operational flexibility. especially as no-one I spoke to had any knowledge of it. Excellent.”. Thomas Hewitt Jones’ arrangement must have The Director of Music is Squadron Leader Chris Weldon smoothed out any imperfections. LRSM, ALCM, RAF who, on his retirement from Regular Boughton fell into obscurity in the years before the Second service in 2015, took the opportunity to return as a full-time World War. This was partly because his extreme left-wing Reservist to form the band. The musicians serve as members political views were at odds with the financial supporters of of the Part-Time Volunteer Reserve (PTVR) and must musical performance at the time, and partly because his complete basic RAF Reserve training and must have a Grade musical style had gone out of fashion. 8 ABRSM or equivalent in their instrument. The inclusion of one of his works in the Central Band’s repertoire 100 years since Boughton became one of the Since its inception the band has supported the Regular bands RAF’s first Bandmasters is a timely tribute to this largely- at some of the finest venues in the United Kingdom including forgotten British composer. Birmingham's Symphony Hall and Manchester's Bridgewater Mike Boxall Hall. All this in addition to the ensemble and individual To find out more about Rutland Boughton, Michael Hurd’s engagements such as those noted above. biography Rutland Boughton and the Glastonbury Festivals is published by Clarendon Press, and the website The Royal Auxiliary Air Force motto Comitamur Ad Astra www.rutlandboughtonpromotions.uk, run by his grandson (We go with them to the stars) could have been adopted with Ian, has a newsletter and provides information on recordings their band in mind. of his music

IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 7 CHRISTMASNOTES FROM MUSIC CAMUS IN THE AIR

A special year 2019 is a special year as we celebrate 25 years since the Corps younger generation, as well as encouraging young musicians of Army Music was formed. This is being recognised in a to develop their musical talents. variety of different ways both within CAMUS and by The competition is designed to give school bands, youth reaching out to our wider musical community. bands and music services the opportunity to record a Big The Brass Band (BABB), under the direction of Band version of Amazing Grace, arranged by Rob Neild. The Captain Brenden Wheeler, involves members of the Corps of music will be available by sending an email to Army Music alongside members from the Army Reserve [email protected] and requesting the parts. Those Bands. All those who are involved with BABB have a passion wishing to enter must record and send in their performance, for Brass Band music and many members perform with top which will be assessed by a panel of Army musicians. The class civilian brass bands including The Cory Band, winning entry will perform a joint concert with the ABB at Grimethorpe Colliery Band and Leyland Band. their school/rehearsal venue. The first BABB concert of the The Concerts in the Park year, in line with the Corps of season is fast approaching with Army Music 25th Anniversary the first concert taking place on celebrations, was held at St Wednesday 26th June. This Edmund’s School in Whitton. concert will feature Scottish Paganini Variations by Philip military band music and will Wilby, Shine as the Light by begin at 8pm. The second Peter Graham and In Perfect concert will take place on Peace by Kenneth Downie Saturday 6th July with a Stars were performed and very well and Stripes theme featuring the received. British Army Jazz Orchestra and a Rock/Pop group. The second concert was held at The final concert is the St Peter’s Church in Harrogate CAMUS 25 Gala Concert and and featured the works of The British Army Brass Band conducted by Captain Brenden Wheeler will be an evening of Philip Wilby to celebrate his at St Peter’s Church, Harrogate (Photo: Hazel Whittall Photography) celebration for the 25th 70th birthday. Highlights of the concert included LCpl Russel anniversary of the Corps of Army Music. This final concert performing Fantasie Concertante and Mr Wilby conducting will take place from 8pm on Saturday 20th July and will be a a number of pieces including Thine Be The Glory. spectacular way to round off the Concerts in the Park season Also as part of the Corps of Army Music 25th Anniversary 2019! Tickets are £10 and concessions are £5. These are celebrations, the British Army Jazz Orchestra (BAJO) are available online at Skiddle.com or on the gate (cash only) relaunching under the direction of Major Mark Aldridge. A which will open two hours prior to the concert. competition is being held that will bring Big Band music to a LCpl Gail Ronson, Media JNCO

The British Army Jazz Orchestra rehearsing for their Concert in the Park last year. (Photo: MOD/Crown Copyright2018)

8 IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 HOUSEHOLD DIVISION FESTIVAL OF MUSIC

The Household Division Festival of Music will be held from 25th to 30th June in The Guards’ Chapel and on the forecourt at Wellington Barracks, London. This year’s programme of events is as follows; Tuesday 25 June Friday 28 June 1.10pm – 3pm The Guards Big Band 1.10pm – 2pm The Duke of York’s 18th Century Band A tribute to American composer/arranger Sammy Nestico Music by Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and Krommer 3.30pm – 5pm The Dixie Swingers 3.30pm – 5pm Lance Sergeant Ben Beavis and friends Traditional Swing, Blues & Jazz Latin Fever 6pm – The Band of the Coldstream Guards 6pm The Band of the Welsh Guards The Golden Age of Radio Music from the Stage and Screen Wednesday 26 June Saturday 29 June 1.10pm – 2pm The Guards 1.10pm – 2pm The Household Horn Ensemble Division Saxophone Quartet A selection of hits from the Whimsy and Wonder movies The Saxophone through the ages 3.30pm – 5pm The Birdcage 3pm The Band of the Grenadier Walkers Guards featuring the Eynsford Traditional New Orleans- Concert Band style Jazz Armed Forces Day Concert 6pm The Band of the Irish 6pm The Countess of Wessex’s Guards String Orchestra with musicians from the Household Division and the World of Dance Salon Orchestra of the Royal Air Thursday 27 June Force 1.10pm – 2pm The Household Division Chamber Ensemble Wagner, Schumann and Beethoven Stravinsky ‘Octet’ and Ravel ‘Mother Goose Suite’ Sunday 30 June 3.30pm – 5pm The Coldstream Guards Jazz Orchestra 5pm Veterans Reunited Again concert The Giants of Jazz Former musicians of the Household Division Bands 6pm The Band of the Household Cavalry A Celebration of British Music and (Refreshments will be available at all the events.) SAINTS’ DAYS

St David’s Day Presentation of Leeks On Friday 1st March the 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards, held conduct Gordon Langford's arrangement of Men of Harlech their annual St David’s Day celebrations in Brecon. These and then a Big Band version of the traditional Sospan Fach. included a traditional church service, a parade and Presentation of Leeks. The day started with a service in Brecon Cathedral led by a reduced Band of the Welsh Guards under their Director of Music, Major David Barringer MBE. As guests arrived the band performed David of the White Rock (Sparke), Suo Gan (Trad. arr. Smith), Benedictus (Jenkins) (which sounded incredible with the acoustics of the long and tall cathedral!) and Jesu Joy of Mans Desiring (Bach). During the service they accompanied two hymns, the National Anthems of Wales and the United Kingdom and performed Karl Jenkins’ And the Mother Did Weep. After the service, members of The Welsh Guards Association formed up behind No2 Company 1st Battalion, The Welsh Guards, and the band to march through the town. First was Major David Barringer MBE presenting band members with their Peter Hannam’s The Welshman and then The National leeks on St David’s Day 2019. (Photo: Joe Elliot) Emblem March by Edwin Bagley finishing with the The parade then marched to the Theatr Brycheiniog playing Regimental Quick March Rising of the Lark. the No2 Company Welsh Guards march, Deep and Wide and The officers then collected cotton leeks from The Mayor of Sons of the Brave (Bidgood). It was an unusual sight to see Brecon and presented them to each of the members of their both the Director of Music and the Bandmaster marching with unit to wear in their headdress or greatcoat. their batons in the band. At the Theatr Brycheiniog the band’s While Major Barringer presented the members of the band duties ended and a reception was held. with their leeks, Bandmaster David Hatton took over to Joe Elliott

IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 9 St Patrick's Day Presentation of Shamrocks On a bright, sunny day with a slightly cold wind, Robin During the presentation of shamrocks by the Duchess of Ridewood and I (care of Colin Dean who had got us the Cambridge, appropriately dressed in green and looking very tickets) attended the Presentation of Shamrocks by the smart, the band and pipes played The Shamrock Shore (a new Duchess of Cambridge to 1st Battalion, Irish Guards, at arrangement by Lance Sergeant James Scott, heard here for Cavalry Barracks, Hounslow. the first time), The Last of the Great Whales (part) and Lord The 38-strong band under Director of Music Captain Craig of the Dance (part). Bywater included three Pipers and was led on parade by The band also played Bidgood’s St Patrick’s March, which I Drum Major Gareth Chambers in State Dress. They marched hadn’t heard since the Irish Regiments Beat Retreat on Horse on playing the Battalion Company Marches: Star of County Guards Parade in June 1981. The final march-past was to the Down, The Holy Ground, The Boys of Wexford, The Green Regimental Quick March, St Patrick’s Day. Glens of Antrim and The South Down Militia. All in all a good day out and, even though we didn’t have the After the Royal Salute, a lone Drummer sounded Last Post full Pipes or Drums on parade, it was nice to see Domhnall and Rouse on the bugle to mark the tragic events in the Irish Wolfhound mascot and his handler. New Zealand. Billy Mear Personalities on Parade (Photos: Colin Dean)

CSgt Paul Hooper who mentored Mark Recently promoted Sgt Mark Skinner, Capt Craig Bywater judging when to cut the Skinner when he was learning to play. the son of IMMS member Averil. music at the end of the shamrock presentation.

St George’s Day Roses St George’s Day is a Royal Regiment of Fusiliers regimental church service and the following march past before ending day inherited from antecedent regiment the Northumberland the day with music to accompany the luncheon back in the Fusiliers, while the tradition of wearing roses in their Drill Hall. headdress on the day comes from the Fusiliers. With red and Fusiliers paraded wearing red and white roses on the Saturday white roses following St George’s Day in Alnwick, Bury and London. below their After a service at St Michael’s Church in Alnwick, the Band hackles, C Coy, of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, troops from 5 Fusiliers, 5 Fusiliers, held veterans and cadets paraded through the town. Taking the a parade and salute was 5 Fusiliers’ Honorary Colonel, Lord James Percy. service for St After the parade, presentations were made to Musician Gavin George’s Day Stewart who received his VRSM medal and to CSgt Steve in London’s Collins who received a third bar to his medal after an Battersea Park. impressive 38 years’ volunteer service. The salute was In Bury the Band and Corps of Drums of the Royal Regiment taken by Colonel J. W. of Fusiliers (Lancashire) had a full . St George’s Day Drum Major Colin Ashton led the London is linked in Lancashire with Gallipoli Day commemorating Taylor MBE of Fusiliers Association Corps of Drums in the 1st Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers’ “six Victoria Crosses before the Fusiliers Battersea Park. (Photo: Adrianna Mickiewicz) breakfast” landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula on 25th April and music for the march was by the Fusiliers Association 1915. On Saturday the 27th the band played at the Castle (City of London Branch) Corps of Drums. Armoury Drill Hall in Bury and on Sunday played for the Mike Boxall with information from Phil Mather

10 IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 THE MOUNTBATTEN FESTIVAL OF MUSIC

This year’s Mountbatten Festival of Music, on the 15th and The 75th anniversary of Operation Overlord, D-Day, and the 16th of March in London’s Royal Albert Hall was much more 20th anniversary of the bombing of the Royal Marines School than a (mere) massed bands concert but a true celebration of of Music at Deal were emotionally remembered, and Colonel tremendous music in so many different genres. We savoured Ridley didn’t forget a touch of humour by the percussion Pop to classical by way of marches, film music and music to section at the expense of Captain Steve Green! stir the emotions. Not forgetting the glittering displays of For me, a magical element of the Mountbatten Festival is the precision, timing and stickwork of the Corps of Drums who comradely atmosphere and sense of keen anticipation used the whole stage and arena to delight us. (How do they prevailing throughout HMS Royal Albert Hall (as the late manage to negotiate those awkward steps into the Arena with Richard Baker called it) with reunions of former RM bandies, those heavy side drums?) old sailors and former shipmates. Doubtless there were Although perhaps I’m too old (!!) to appreciate the finer numerous yarns to tell (some probably enriched by many points of the pop selection, you have to admire the tankards of beer), while meeting up with the proud musicians sheer musicality and skill of its arranger WO2 Trev Naughton - many of them so young but all so able - of today’s Royal and the various soloists and vocalists who performed it. Marines Band Service. Band Sergeant Hannah Trudgeon played her own This year’s Mountbatten Festival was conducted by arrangement of piano works by Beethoven. I had the pleasure Lieutenant Colonel Jon Ridley (Principal Director of Music), of meeting her afterwards – she was delightfully thrilled by and Captains Steve Green, Sam Hairsine and Tom Crane the opportunity she had been given to arrange and perform (respectively Directors of Music of the CTCRM, Scotland her own work to the Royal Albert Hall’s capacity audience and Collingwood bands). John Suchet compared the evening. which, on the Saturday evening, included the Corps’ Captain The 2020 MFM will be on Friday 6th and Saturday 7th of General, HRH Prince Henry of Wales. March; make a note in your diaries now! Jim Davies Pictures from this year’s Festival

(All photos: MOD/Crown Copyright2019)

IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 11 CONCERT REVIEWS

The Waterloo and Salamanca Bands and Bugles of The Rifles After an exciting IMMS UK Branch AGM at Kneller Hall on Before the interval we were treated to Philip Sparke’s Music 2nd March listening to Serjeant Graham Allen, euphonium for Festival. After the interval the band opened with Opus player with The Band and Bugles of The Rifles, and Major One following which we were introduced to an ex-Royal (Rtd.) Roger Swift accompanying on piano, I returned home Marine, former Colour Sergeant Gary Hasley, who just in time to attend a concert in aid of SSAFA by the mesmerised us with his skill on the trombone as he played Waterloo and Salamanca Bands and Bugles of The Rifles at Trombonanza. Then on to more familiar items with Irish the Amey Theatre in Abingdon. Tune from County Derry Major Lawrence Sale and A Selection from The opened the concert with Greatest Showman. the National Anthem To close Captain (which should be Clayson’s session he told obligatory, but isn’t), and us that we were going to the Bugles marching on to be the canon in the Finale Silver Bugles. We were of The 1812 Overture and then entertained to Sir to this end, under our John Moore played very seats, we all had four well by the 40+ members The Waterloo and Salamanca Bands of The Rifles on stage at the Amey Theatre, Abingdon. (Photo: by kind permission of Grace Illingsworth) paper bags. After splitting of the bands after which the audience into four the Buglers doubled off to The Keel Row. sections he explained that, on his command, we would blow We were then introduced to Captain Lee Clayson who had up and pop the paper bags. He returned to conduct, and great probably gone unnoticed in the cornet section. After revelry was had by all. introducing himself he conducted Russlan and Ludmilla. The Bugles then re-joined the bands on stage by marching on Major Sale by this time had taken over in the percussion to Jellalabad before complementing them in one of my section supplementing the two personnel from the Royal favourites, High on a Hill. Just before the end Major Sale Yeomanry Band. This was followed by WO2 Robert Ghigi recounted how he was able to help an ex-REME soldier by playing Czardas on clarinet who had everyone eating out of referring him to SSAFA. Of course we finished with his hand as he romanced among the audience. Jitterbug Mechanised Infantry and from what I heard at the exit, followed, which we were told was best appreciated with rum! everyone enjoyed it thoroughly. Ron Rose

Whittle Hall Spring Concerts For the Spring Concerts on the 1st to the 3rd of May, the Band Strike up the Band, the ever popular One O’Clock Jump and of The Royal Air Force College was conducted by Director of more vocals by Phillipa Hobbs. But the highlight for me was Music Squadron Leader Richard Murray BMus, LRSM, a trumpet solo in the Harry James theme song Chiri Biri Bin MCMI, RAF and Bandmaster WO Andrew Allott LLCM, with super playing by Corporal Malcom Knapp. DipABRSM, RAF. The main band then re-formed to play Will You Follow Me? After the National Anthem the concert got under way with by Australian composer Rob Dougan. Arranged by Principal Jubilee Overture (Philip Sparke) a really good opener for any Director of Music, Wing Commander Piers Morrell, this was concert. Next on the program was described as a March something new to me. The baton was then handed back to Canter which included The Great Escape (Bernstein), Squadron Leader Richard Murray for another march, Barnum Berliner Luft (Lincke), and one l have not heard for some and Bailey’s Favorite (K L King). time, Old March of the Ukranian Cossacks (Zaphorovsky), a This took us to the last solo of the evening Song of Almah super medley. (Andrew Beall). It featured two more participants in the RAF This led us to the first solo of the evening featuring SAC Music Services Competition, SAC Craig Lutton on marimba Ashley Harper on Trombone. Ashley, a participant in the RAF and Sergeant Neil Wharton on trombone - a very unusual Music Services Competition, played two movements Blue duet, but fabulous. We wish them luck in the competition, too. and Green from the suite Colours for Trombone by Bert Tornado: To The Last (Andrew Stevenson) captured the Appermont. A super solo, expertly played, we wish him well. exploits of the aircraft which recently finished its 40 years’ service with the RAF. Into the finale with A Queen Medley Film music came next which is always popular at these (Mercury/May arr. Morley) before ending in traditional style concerts. Coming Home From The Sea (James Horner) from with the RAF March Past (Dyson/Davies). An encore was the film Perfect Storm is not often played, but this band do it called for and the band obliged with Slavyanskaya justice. The Other Side of the Rainbow featured the vocals of (Kozhevnikov) a fast and furious piece to send us on our way. newly-promoted Corporal Phillipa Hobbs who always does a splendid job with the main band and the Swing Wing. On a slightly sad note, this was Squadron Leader Richard Murray’s last Whittle Hall concert as he is being posted to A change in conductor to Bandmaster Andrew Allott took us RAF Music Services HQ. Also moving to the HQ, and being to the interval with two movements from East Coast Pictures promoted to , is principal percussionist Jim by Nigel Hess. The Catskills and New York were each very Moss. We wish them all the best in their new roles. This was descriptive and a good workout for the band. a bit of a milestone for me as I was also at Jim’s last concert The Royal Air Force Swing Wing led by Sergeant Tom with the Queen’s Division Band at Lincoln some years ago. Ringrose started the second half with four numbers including How time flies! Rodney Illsley

12 IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 A Guards’ Chapel recital In its tenth anniversary year, the Guards’ Chapel recital series CSgt Stones had only had their instruments for two months. included a challenging programme on Tuesday 30th April. The group’s first piece, Beethoven’s Sextet for Horns and Major David Hammond, Director of Music of The Countess String Quartet, Op. 81b, with its virtuoso parts for the two of Wessex’s String Orchestra, Colour Sergeant Nick Stones horns, revealed the limitations of having so little time with the of the Band of the Coldstream Guards and members of The instrument. Countess of Wessex’s String Orchestra performed The string quartet comprised first and second violins LCpl Beethoven’s Sextet for Horns and String Quartet, Op. 81b, Katie Davies and LCpl Andrew Telesia, Cpl Matt Hart on and Mozart’s A Musical Joke, K. 522. viola and cellist LCpl Adrian Calef. Thankfully the string ‘What’s so challenging about instruments we use today are little different to those of that?’, you may be asking. Beethoven’s day, so the Allegro con brio, Adagio and Rondo The challenge came in the (Allegro) movements of this piece allowed these talented form of the two natural horns musicians to show their mastery to good effect. that Major Hammond and Double bass player SSgt James Welsh joined the group for CSgt Stones used instead of Mozart’s ‘divertimento for two horns and string quartet’, K. their normal French horns. 522. Entitled A Musical Joke. It is said that its "harmonic and As Major Hammond rhythmic gaffes serve to parody the work of incompetent explained in his introduction, An 18th Century natural horn in composers". For those of us without a formal musical natural horns were the first the Bate Collection, Oxford education many of the jokes pass us by, but this fine development of the University. (Photo: the Bate performance did raise one or two chuckles from the more Collection) continental hunting horn. musically erudite in the audience. They pre-date the introduction of the French horn’s valves, so I particularly enjoyed LCpl Katie Davies’ fine violin playing achieving some of the notes of the chromatic scale requires throughout, culminating in the exciting Presto movement. combinations of embouchure and adjusting the hand position Familiar to all as the theme to the BBC's Horse of the Year in the bell. Major Hammond demonstrated the un-evenness Show, it brought this recital to a close. I was left with a of tone that this produces. renewed respect for the musicians of The Countess of He went on to admit that, whereas the 18th Century natural Wessex’s String Orchestra and a new appreciation of the horn players had a life-time to refine their technique, he and challenges that playing the natural horn presents. Mike Boxall FROM THE ARCHIVES

One of the late Vic Hillsdon’s photos from the summer of 1989, this is the Pegasus Band and Drums of The Parachute Regiment with Bandmaster Mr Jim Taylor and Drum Major Martin Conlon. It was taken as the band led street-liners from Horse Guards Parade to Victoria Street for a State Visit. One of the members of the band in this picture has since gone on to a much higher military appointment. Do you know who he is? (Answer on page 17.)

IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 13 ‘70s ADDENDA

A Civvie on Horse Guards! The article by Stuart Dean in the last edition of the Journal really determine, although civilians have ridden on the mentioned seeing Lieutenant Colonel Rodney Bashford OBE parade, the royal grooms, for example. marching with the Band of the Grenadier Guards some while He was on parade with the band for from after his retirement, so it may be interesting to see this Horse Guards, a State Visit, and the Funeral of Field Marshal photograph of him with his fellow Directors of Music prior to Viscount Montgomery. He also conducted them on Friday The Queen’s Birthday Parade, 1976. Night is Music Night and for a week’s On the left of the photograph is Captain concerts in St. James’s Park. ‘Dick’ Ridings, Coldstream Guards, who In addition, he made an LP record with the was to become the Senior Director of Music band entitled The Sound of Pageantry, to in the following year. Next is Captain celebrate the Silver Jubilee. Side one Duncan Beat, Scots Guards, Lieutenant contained a number of his own Colonel Bashford as centre man, then Major arrangements of music from earlier Gerry Horabin, Irish Guards and Senior centuries, such as the Agincourt Song, Royal Director of Music, and finally Captain Music of King James I and Purcell’s Rondo Derek Taylor, Welsh Guards. from Abdelazar, with marches from 20th Colonel Bashford was born on Waterloo Century composers on side two. Day so officially retired from his position as For many years, Colonel Bashford had a Director of Music at the Royal Military column reviewing records for Soldier School of Music, Kneller Hall, on 18th June magazine in a humorous and sometimes 1974, three days after his advancement to very blunt style, pulling no punches if become an Officer of the Most Excellent something was not to his liking. Order of the British Empire. He had the front to review his own LP in In 1976/77, the Grenadier Guards were The Directors of Music prior to The very glowing terms, referring to his own Queen’s Birthday Parade, 1976. without a Director of Music for a long arrangements as “Great stuff all this, (Photo: MOD/Crown Copyright) period and Colonel Bashford returned from somewhat let down by additional fillers by retirement as acting Director of Music, apparently claiming Elgar, Walton, Ketelbey, Eric Coates, and people like that”. to be the first civilian to have marched on The Queen’s Only he could have got away with it! Birthday Parade. Certainly, he must have been the first since the bands had civilian bandmasters, longer ago than we can Colin Dean

Faugh a Ballagh Lack of space prevented the inclusion in the last Journal of and bugles marching to Buckingham Palace on their first day, these paragraphs from Stuart Dean’s article on the Public playing Rory O'More, St Patrick's Day and Garry Owen, with Duties he recorded in his notebook in the late 1970s: the band playing Eagle Squadron. “As now, other During their month it regiments would was great to hear their sometimes perform combined resources Public Duties. We had playing tunes like Back 1st Bn. Gloucestershire To Donegal, The Holy Regiment, 1st Bn. Ground, The South King's Own Scottish Down Militia, Let Erin Borderers, 1st Bn. Remember and The Argyll and Sutherland Minstrel Boy. rd Highlanders, 3 Bn. The band on their own Royal Green Jackets, played marches such as the Royal Artillery The Liberators, Namur Woolwich and and National Emblem, Alanbrooke bands, the and with bugles - Les Royal Marines School Clarions Anglais, The Band, the Pipes and Drums and the Bugles of 1st Battalion, The Royal Irish of Music band and the Jellalabad and By The RAF Central Band. Rangers, Bandmaster WO1 David Catt, on Public Duties in October 1982. (Photo: Colin Dean) Left. However, 3rd January 1977 was particularly exciting as 1st Bn. On their final day, the 2nd February 1977, they marched back Royal Irish Rangers took over. I've always had a soft spot for to Wellington Barracks all playing their regimental March, the Royal Irish Rangers, and I remember vividly the thrill Killaloe.” of seeing and hearing their band with the pipes and drums Stuart Dean

14 IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 CD REVIEW

Onward And Upward! - The marches and concert music of Ray Woodfield The Band of H.M. Royal Marines Plymouth conducted by their Director of Music Major Huw Williams RM Chevron Recordings on behalf of Crown Copyright CHVCD49 First release: December 2018 There was a time when military band CDs came out every Quite apart from the solos, the band give admirable month. Nowadays, however, a new release is a special event. performances of all of Ray's compositions, including the Also, military bands have a tendency to feature music that has snazzy Ragtime March, Russian Cavalry and Russian Circus a special significance to them, such as Regimental music. Music. The march Amsterdam which concludes the recording Coupled with the inclusion of often-recorded marches that is probably Ray's best-known work - certainly amongst will already be in the collection of every military band enthusiasts of Royal Marines bands. enthusiast, they may not always produce what their intended As someone whose raison d'etre is music, I am naturally recipients are seeking. concerned that the acoustics of the One answer to this is to come up with recording location should be good, with a collection of compositions by one minimal reverberation to 'blur' the composer, many of whose works will sound. All too often recordings are made be unfamiliar to band supporters but in unsuitable locations such as churches, will have instant appeal. With their which may cover up errors but are new album Onward and Upward! the distracting to the listener. No such Band of the Royal Marines (Plymouth) problems here, however, as the sound have achieved exactly that! The quality and balance is perfect - all detail composer concerned is Ray in the exemplary performance being Woodfield, a man with a long and crisp and clear. distinguished career as Bandmaster We are not told the location of the and subsequently Director of Music of recording but the booklet accompanying several Royal Marines bands - today's it includes a photograph of all involved musicians clearly take great pride in (in civvies) with Major Huw Williams presenting this recording of music by and Ray Woodfield standing in front. 'one of their own'. Incidentally, the Introduction is written This CD contains a mixture of marches and concert works, by John Kroes, who is currently the Vice Chairman of the many of which demonstrate Ray Woodfield's affinity with Netherlands branch of the International Military Music light music, a particular favourite genre of mine, but one that Society. has been seriously neglected of late. An important facet of the This is, without doubt, one of the best military band genre is a good tune, probably the most difficult thing to recordings in my collection, performed by one of the finest achieve in music - yet there are those who think it is 'corny'. bands in the world. Well, I don't think anyone could describe the works of master craftsmen such as Edward German, Robert Farnon, Eric It is sometimes said that music is a reflection of the soul. If Coates et al in this way - and certainly not the works of Ray this is the case, Ray Woodfield must be a very happy man! Woodfield whose output sometimes has a touch of big band Brian Reynolds swing as well as some suggestions of Latin-America. Track Listing After the opening number and title tune of this album, Onward and Upward!, Curtain Up!, Russian Cavalry, Onward and Upward!, there follows a vaudeville-styled Concerto for Trumpet – Allegro – Andante – Allegro, Russian piece entitled Curtain Up! which reminded me of Jack Circus Music, Theme and Variations, Walkabout, Varied Strachey's march Theatreland. Interspersed amongst the Mood, La Verbena, Trumpet Éclair, The Blue Band, Kent shorter pieces are some longer works which give some of the Police March, Capriccio for Band, Showcase, Ragtime band's soloists an opportunity to shine. The three-movement March, Trumpet Charisma, Amsterdam Concerto for Trumpet demonstrates the considerable talents This new Royal Marines Band Service CD can be purchased of WO1 Ivan Hutchinson RM. He's also spotlighted in on the Blue Band shop website, by post from The Blue Band, Trumpet Eclair. Musician Sophie Perriam, with her clarinet, RM Band Service, Walcheren Building, HMS Excellent, makes a masterful job of Theme and Variations and PORTSMOUTH PO2 8ER or by telephone on 02392 547563. trumpeters Band Corporals Steve Saleh, Matt Pym and It costs £10 per copy inclusive of p&p, cheque payable to Musicians Ben Elliott and Aaron Pitman make Trumpet RNRMC Enterprises Limited. Charisma seem easy! Brian Reynolds has been an IMMS member since 1976 and I think that my favourite item in the collection is Varied Mood has had a life-long interest in light music. The acknowledged which I used to enjoy in those distant days when our service expert on the subject, he is the author of Music While You bands regularly performed on park bandstands. It is a Work – An Era in Broadcasting which details the history, euphonium solo which has a lovely melodic theme to a gentle musicians and music of the famous long-running BBC light Latin rhythm. As its title suggests, there are a number of music radio programme. As a composer he was fortunate to variations which would be challenging to the average player, have many of his compositions arranged for wind band by the but Band Corporal Stephen Boyes handles them with late Major Terry Kenny (Royal Artillery Mounted Band and apparent ease. Later in the recording, he is featured again in Royal Corps of Transport Band). A CD of Brian’s music, Showcase, which I suspect Ray Woodfield intended as a Team Spirit - the music of Brian Reynolds, was recorded by follow-up, as it is in similar idiom. Kent's Invicta Concert Band in 2014

IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 15 BANDS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

No. 45 Gold Coast Regiment/Ghana Army Band In the last edition of the UK Journal Phil Mather traced the history Ghana is roughly about the size of , so in normal of the Band of The Gold Coast Regiment up to the country’s circumstances a band would have some difficulty in satisfying the Independence. He continues the band’s story with this account needs and demands of the military, not to mention performing written by the band’s last British Loan Officer, Walter James Adams musical duties at a national level and undertaking civilian ARCM, a former Welsh Guards musician and WO1 Bandmaster of engagements. nd 2 Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment. In between coping with these tasks, I was recruiting. In my three “I went to Ghana in April 1958 with no knowledge of the country years, I only discovered one person who had any knowledge of other than it was once named the Gold Coast, moreover I could not music, and he was a beginner trumpeter. Those I did recruit made find anyone who could give me the benefit of his experience there. excellent progress due to the first class instrumental coaching I had My predecessor who had spent seven years as Bandmaster was received on the Bandmaster Course at Kneller Hall, which I was able leaving within 48 hours for England and proved to be non-committal to pass on. There were some very good performers in the band, so I on the subject. However, he did confess to me that he had used the only demonstrated within my skills. When a demonstration last two years as a holiday by reducing the band’s repertoire to half demanded something beyond these – such as a very fast clarinet a dozen programmes of music and repeating them ad infinitum. Yet passage – I would borrow a trombone, put in a mouthpiece I always he was a good musician and bandmaster, well liked and respected had available and play the passage at sight, usually provoking a loud by his men. “EEEH”, an African expression of surprise tinged with admiration. I arrived by air in Accra at 8am. Within an hour or so, the handover Had I attempted it on the clarinet I would probably have made a mess of the band started and went on until mid-afternoon. Almost of it! immediately, I was given several new African National Anthems to Alongside these activities, I was trying to discover the correct arrange for military band, which relationship between the men and would be needed in a few days’ time myself. I learned that apart from their when the Heads of State of these tribal elders they did not have the newly-formed nations would be respect for rank that British soldiers arriving for a Pan-African possess. They only respected Conference. someone of proven worth who led by Then my baggage, sent by sea, example. I well remember that at arrived. I spent the evening arranging short notice, the band had to give a music and unpacking, consequently marching display at a national when at last I went to bed I felt gathering in the Accra football absolutely exhausted but owing to the stadium. The men were very tired for heat found it difficult to fall asleep. we had just completed a very heavy When I did fall into a semi-coma only schedule of engagements. I marked a bomb or an earthquake would have out the stadium dimensions on a woken me. In fact, it took the mess nearby football pitch and we started orderly, with whom I had arranged a the rehearsal. call, almost ten minutes of banging to It was soon apparent that the men do so. The Ghana Army Band conducted by Major Wally Adams, were in no mood for rehearsing. So United Nations Day 1960, The Congo. (Photo: from Phil African bands were considered at one after about 20 minutes I got the Band Mather’s collection) time, to be somewhat second rate and Sergeant Major to gather the band my appointment could have been seen as an inferior posting. As it around me together with the band interpreter (there were seven turned out, it was probably one of the most difficult tasks going. I languages in Ghana) and proceeded to tell them that they looked like worked a seven-day week and often a twelve-hour day, in tropical a lot of ‘old men’ and that as I was, with the exception of the Band heat, often acting as my own typist and librarian among other tasks. Sergeant Major, probably the oldest person present. I was quite certain that if I was to line the band up on a goal line and race them The brief given to me by the G.O.C. was, in fact, quite brief, but very to the other goal line no one would pass me and if, by chance anyone difficult. First, I had, within six months, to choose my successor did, I would give them a bottle of beer (highly prized). They all from among the band members and train him until at twelve months shouted to have a go. So line them up I did, the Band Sergeant Major he would be sent to Kneller Hall for Bandmaster training. Second, I shouted “go” and off we ran – but no one finished ahead of me. Some had to increase the strength of the band from forty-five members to complained that the order “go” was not heard, so I repeated the run. one hundred in the next three years. Third, I had to bring the Again, no one passed me. standard of discipline, drill and playing to that of a Guards Band as soon as possible. I then told them that we would have a 30-minute break and then I expected a first class rehearsal, which is what happened, for I had Choosing a successor, I rated the most difficult assignment. The fact proved my capability was more than equal to theirs and we went on that I actually chose the right person I deem to have been my finest to give an excellent display in the Accra Stadium. The drill, bearing achievement during my three-year tenure. and sound of the band eventually approached and equalled that of All these factors had to be dealt with at a time when Ghana was about the Foot Guards Bands (as an ex-Welsh Guards musician I speak to install its first President and Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia, from experience). the Duke of Edinburgh, various African Heads of State, the Prince I must confess that, looking back, I am amazed at what I achieved. of Morocco and President Tito of Yugoslavia were due to visit the The men were often over-worked, but they knew I worked even country. harder than they did, and this eventually worked to my advantage. The Ghana Army consisted of three battalions of infantry, a Recruit For instance, when the heat was beginning to affect them I would Training Centre plus all the logistic units, a Military Academy and tell them that it wasn’t really hot until their brass buttons melted. Headquarters. None of the band ever fainted on parade, yet the duty soldiers in

16 IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 Guards of Honour at Accra Airport often fainted if the plane carrying present numbering in all about two hundred. Custom was that the the guest of honour was late in arriving – about ten extra soldiers guest (me) supplied and paid for the food and drink. At the end of were kept in reserve amongst the bushes for such a contingency. the afternoon, there were many speeches, mostly in Ghanaian and In addition to Western music, the Band played their own popular later a pretty girl presented me with a pair of sandals, the symbol of music called “HIGHLIFE”. It was all played by ear. The tune would a Tribal Chief. This party came as a delightful ‘coda’ to what had be picked up in a village beer hall, or from the radio and within a been a somewhat inauspicious ‘Introduction’ to what turned out to couple of rehearsals the tune, harmony and rhythm would be worked be a splendid and exciting ‘Theme and Variations.’ Serving with the out and played thereafter spontaneously. At any one time the band Ghana Army was an experience I would not have missed for all the knew about 30 tunes, so we had no problem if the lights failed (as gold remaining in the Gold Coast.” they often did). From a letter by Wally Adams to Phil Mather All Africans appear, to me, to have an innate gift for rhythm. When Uniform notes: the band played at Government House for a Presidential Dinner, Until 1960, the uniform worn was still the fez and zouave waistcoat always held outdoors at 9pm, the band would play hidden amongst type. The new uniform (as in the photograph) consisted of a dark the trees. Behind the band and out of sight of the guests, the servants blue peaked cap with scarlet band and piping and a gold cap badge; not on duty, together with their wives and children would jive away a scarlet tunic with gold anodised buttons and collar badges, scarlet enthusiastically. The band became so popular we began to appear collar, cuffs and shoulder straps with yellow piping; scarlet wings regularly on Ghana Radio. laced yellow; a black waist belt with a brass rectangular fastening; When the time came for my departure in April 1961, the band invited dark blue trousers with a scarlet stripe, and black boots. me to a farewell party at which all the wives and children were (Thanks to Peter Watkins for these notes on uniforms.) DISCOGRAPHY Central Band of the Royal Air Force and others: , Music for Wind Band, Part 2 All recorded on the NAXOS label and conducted by Keith Brion. ROYAL NORWEGIAN NAVY BAND CENTRAL BAND OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUME 9 Naxos CD 8.559396 (recorded 2008/released 2011) VOLUME 14 Naxos CD 8.559730 (2012/2014) From Maine to Oregon/ Overture/Flags of March of the Royal Trumpets/The American Maid (Glass Freedom March/Nymphalin/The Dwellers of the Western World Blowers) Overture/The Triton Medley/Listen to my Tale of Suite/The Man behind the Gun/The Lily Bells/The Chantyman’s Woe/The Lambs March/Esprit de Corps March/ and March/When My Dreams Come True Fantasy/US Field Artillery his Friends Suite/The Circumnavigators Club March/The Loyal March/ Harmonica Wizard March/University of Illinois March. Legion March/The International Congress Fantasy. ROYAL NORWEGIAN NAVY BAND MARINE BAND OF THE ROYAL NETHERLANDS NAVY VOLUME 10 Naxos CD 8.559397 (2008/2011) VOLUME 15 Naxos CD 8.559745 (2013/2015) The Salvation Army March/Jazz America/The Free Lance March/ Prince Charming March/Across the Danube March/The Band The Quilting Party March/People Who Live in Glass Houses Came Back/Magna Charta March/Chris and the Wonderful Ballet Suite/When the Boys Come Sailing Home!/Myrrha Lamp, Electric Ballet from Act II/Legionnaires March/Nocturne Gavotte/Vautour Overture/The Beau Ideal March/Humoresque No 11 (Chopin)/ Volunteers March/Désirée Selections/Pet of the on Kern’s Look for the Silver Lining/Anchor and Star/Who’s Petticoats March/ Gliding Girl Tango/Ben Bolt March/Yorktown Who in Navy Blue. Centennial March. ROYAL SWEDISH NAVY BAND MARINE BAND OF THE ROYAL NETHERLANDS NAVY VOLUME 11 Naxos CD 8.559690 (2010/2012) VOLUME 16 Naxos CD 8.559746 (2013/2017) Mother Hubbard March/Keeping Step With the Union March/In The Irish Dragoon Circus Galop/I’ve Made My Plans For The Parlour and Street Fantasy/Wolverine March/Globe and Eagle Summer/The Charlatan Operetta Selections/Pushing On March March/ In Pulpit and Pew Fantasy/On Parade March/Tally Ho Song/Tyrolienne/The Irish Dragoon Overture/The Star Spangled Overture/We Are Coming March/Liberty Loan March/National Banner/Homeward Bound March/On the Tramp March/Wedding Fencibles March/Guide Right March/You’re the Flower of my March/The Triumph of Time March. Heart, Sweet Adeline/Annie Laurie. GUILDHALL SYMPHONIC WIND BAND ROYAL SWEDISH NAVY BAND VOLUME 17 Naxos CD 8.559811 (2016/2017) VOLUME 12 Naxos CD 8.559691 (2010/2013) The American Maid (excerpts)/The Smugglers Quintet/The Sound Off March/Peaches and Cream Foxtrot/Transit of Venus Salute of the Nations to the Columbian Exposition/Humoresque March/Marching Through Georgia Patrol/Maidens Three Suite/ A Mingling of the Wets and the Drys/March of the Pan Mikado March/The Honoured Dead Funeral March/Marquette Americans (excerpts). University March/Revival March/Chris and the Wonderful Lamp Complete as of March 2018. Phil Mather Overture/Right Forward March/Leaves From My Notebook Suite/ Right-Left March. The answer to that Archive question CENTRAL BAND OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUME 13 Naxos CD 8.559729 (2012/2014) Did you spot Corporal Kevin Occidental March/Mother Goose March/Katherine Operetta Roberts in our Archive photo on Overture/Chris and the Wonderful Lamp/President Garfield’s page 13? Now, of course, he’s Inaugural March/President Garfield’s Funeral March ‘In Lieutenant Colonel Roberts MBE, Memoriam’/Resumption March/Gallagher and Shean and the much higher military Humoresque/ Paroles d’Amour Waltzes/Camera Studies appointment he holds is Principal Suite//While Navy Ships are Coaling/White Plume March. Director of Music (Army).

IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 17 AGM 2019 REPORTS

CHAIRMAN'S REPORT Air Force Music Services and a meeting with the Principal Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen and can I thank you Director of Music, Royal Marines is scheduled for the all for your attendance this at your Branch AGM in its beginning of May. One of the results of these meetings will amended format and let me first of all explain why your see regular articles appearing in the Branch Journal. Committee decided to make the change to the structure of Visits to various establishments and events continue to be the AGM. a benefit of membership and while we appreciate that it is A few years ago it was possible for us to provide a cooked harder for bands to offer visits I would like to thank Jim lunch for everyone following the morning meeting and the Davies for his tireless efforts in doing what he can to afternoon presentation but in recent years this has proved arrange these on your behalf. Please continue to support impossible and I was felt that this created a hiatus between visits as they are arranged in the future. the two meetings. We decided, therefore, to dispense with the morning meeting and to shorten the timing of the AGM Writing about Jim leads me very neatly to draw your by asking your Branch Officers to present their annual attention to the fact that you are being asked to support reports in writing rather than spend time reading them out. various changes to the Committee for the forthcoming An added factor was the difficulty for some members to year. hear the reports clearly. Following the decision of Lieutenant Colonel Geoff This report on my final year as your Chairman will, I hope, Kingston to stand down as Branch President you will be reflect not only the events of the past nine months but also asked to endorse the Committee’s nomination of Major my three years in office. Roger Swift as Branch President. My own term as Branch Chairman has run its course and Jim Davies felt that a new Sadly I have to report that the Branch recently lost one of Secretary could be the answer. As a result of this your our Vice Presidents. June Alford was Treasurer for over 11 Committee took the opportunity to invite Jim to become years of the Branch and, along with her husband Ted, did a your new Chairman and I will take up the Secretary’s role. lot more in the Society. Another Vice President, Pat You will also be invited to support the election of Martin Higgins, is presently in the Margaret Thatcher Infirmary at West to the Committee. the Royal Hospital Chelsea and when In closing my report I realise that your new Committee has I saw Pat recently he was not at all well. Hopefully Pat will many challenges ahead of them which I am confident can recover soon. be achieved to the benefit of all of us. Membership continues to be my main concern as can be Finally I would like to thank all my Committee colleagues seen by the Treasurer’s Report although it is an inevitable for their support throughout the year and can I also thank fact that with an older age membership we are bound to every one of you for your attendance at our regular lose members through the effects of age. Once again I meetings. If you have any ideas for speakers you would wrote to those members who had not paid their annual like to hear from then please let me or Jim have your subscription, and this produced a limited response. thoughts. Unfortunately some members have not amended their Standing Orders and continue to pay the old subscription Alan Purdie, Branch Chairman rate. I would suggest that these consistent defaulters should no longer receive the Branch Journal (which I hope you SECRETARY'S REPORT will agree is an excellent publication) or Band International We continue to be extremely appreciative of the help and until they renew their membership at the current support of the Commandant and her staff in allowing the subscription rate. branch to hold its quarterly meetings here at the home of Following the Calling to Higher Service of John Crisford, military music – The Royal Military School of Music, the Society’s International Treasurer, I spent much of my Kneller Hall; we look forward to meeting the Commandant time during the latter part of 2018 attempting to find a new soon, if not today. Treasurer, but I am happy to report that it is hopeful that a Captain Paul Goodwin MBE, the school’s Quartermaster, new Treasurer will take up the reins shortly. Due to the is particularly helpful as our principal point of contract. efforts of Bob Davis in New Zealand, Peter Holt who is a member of the New Zealand Branch has agreed to become It seems that military music in the Army is heading for the new Treasurer. Peter is a qualified chartered accountant another perhaps far-reaching restructure, so we await and a military musician. This will mean a change to the details with keen interest. Remember the days of the 1970s International Rules which will, hopefully, be approved in with the former Wembley Stadium pitch entirely filled by due course. military musicians? During the past year I have managed to have meetings with Our planned AGM and quarterly meetings on 3 March the Commandant and Principal Director of Music (Army) 2018 were cancelled because of ‘the beast from the east,’ and other colleagues here at Kneller Hall with a view to which was particularly disappointing as we were to have establishing better relationships between ourselves. I also heard from Lieutenant-Colonel Kevin Roberts. However, had a meeting with the Principal Director of Music, Royal at our other meetings we were delighted to welcome

18 IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 excellent speakers from the world of military music and would like to receive a paper copy of these Newsbriefs, military music-making: please let me have a few stamped, addressed envelopes and I send you a copy by Royal Mail. • Saturday 16 June: Lieutenant-Colonel Roger Tomlinson Our list of members’ vehicle registrations may need • Saturday 22 September: Colonel Tim Purdon, updating; if you have recently changed your car, please let formerly of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at me have details as the information will be very useful when Arms dealing with Kneller Hall and also for visits to other service • Saturday 8 December: Corporal Andy Braet, Band of establishments. the Irish Guards and formerly of the Governor Steve Mason has suggested these points may be of interest General's Band, Ottawa. to members today: Our meetings remain a key ‘selling point’ of our Society 1. Members travelling to European countries after Brexit and I hope the numbers attending will be maintained as it should check whether or not their passports have is embarrassing to everyone for a speaker to address just a sufficient validity, thought to be a requirement for six few – albeit dedicated – members. Our speakers give their months remaining time freely and generously to talk to us. We are always 2. BBC Radio 4 Extra (digital channel) is repeating a pleased to receive suggestions for future speakers. half-hour documentary on British Army bands by Visits remain an important aspect of what we do. Our visits Courtney Pine entitled Pomp, Pageantry and Parade; in 2018 included those to the Household Cavalry at it's at 13 30 and 20 30 on Thursday 14 March. Windsor, The Band and Bugles of The Rifles at Winchester Mrs June Alford's funeral will take place at 15 30 on and the Royal Marines School of Music in Portsmouth. Monday 18 March at Randalls Park Crematorium, Disappointingly we decided to cancel the local meeting at Leatherhead. Portsmouth because of the poor response; I'd like to try it Paul Meacham from Blue Band Magazine has written to again in 2019. tell me of a pre-publication offer for John Ambler's new Our publicity and sales table was present at Kneller Hall book World War I Remembered – Royal Marines Buglers for three of the 2018 ‘Concerts in the Park’ season; with and Musicians at War. The offer expires on 16 March; I the help of Paul Goodwin we were located alongside the have details with me. Kneller Hall. Even then, I thought there was Without wishing to repeat the comments I made in the most disappointingly little interest in us - audience members recent Journal, it has been an honour for me, with the rush by to secure good vantage points. While we support support and encouragement (and yes, sometimes patience!) military music-making in all its forms – including by the of Chairmen and committee colleagues to serve as your contemporary bands – the reality is that we really cannot Secretary for the last 15 years during which time I have had justify the time in attending the ‘pop’ concert. We believe the great delight of meeting many distinguished and senior that the team at Kneller Hall are aware of, and understand, figures from the world of military music. our position on this matter. I am delighted that Alan Purdie, so excellently qualified As the home of military music I believe our attendance at with all his contacts within in the world of military music, the concerts is important; we need to be seen to be has succeeded me and I wish him a happy and successful supporting by the authorities in the Corps of Army Music tenure of what is an exciting and enjoyable position. and we need to see that our members see we are doing so. Jim Davies, Hon. Secretary

This summer there will be five concerts: TREASURER'S/MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY'S • Wednesday 19 June REPORT • Wednesday 26 June The main figure to note is that IMMS UK branch has • Saturday 6 July income of £1,277.60 more than its expenditure in 2018. • Wednesday 10 July This is a marked turnaround from the loss of £1,697.05 in • Wednesday 17 July 2017 (though note that there is an outstanding payment of Attracting new members remains vital. Reaching potential £99 and an extra income or £124 in 2019 subscriptions recruits is remarkably difficult but they must be out there; which came in December 2018 – the true position is just look at recent capacity audiences for bands that I have £1,054.60). seen at Basingstoke, Portsmouth and Fareham … how do Apart from the continued decline in membership, more of we enrol them and take their subscriptions? which below, the main feature in the finances bringing this Ron Rose has continued to maintain the branch’s website; improvement is the reduced printing and distribution costs we need to explore further social media, building on the over the full year. These are both down to Rodney Illsley’s Facebook exposure that Chris Mace secures for us. contribution in getting excellent rates for printing through North-East Derbyshire District Council, and along with A number of my Newsbriefs are being returned as keeping the Journal weight level to a minimum postage undeliverable; if you have changed your Email address or rates for the size and quality we can achieve, carrying out if you have given it to us but have not received Newsbriefs, the distribution itself. please let me or Alan know. If you do not use e-mail but

IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 19 Notable points on expenditure: 2018 Membership: • There were a number of one-off costs such as Highest level of membership during year: 341 renewing our display boards associated with Consisting of: membership recruitment, which continues to be one of • 1 Honorary member our most significant priorities. • 2 Statutory (legal requirements for Journal deposits) • Kneller Hall charging has now been moved under a • 54 Complimentary (military bands, International separate part of the organisation, and last year cost us branches) a flat £200 for the licence to have events, and £50 per • 284 Subscription members (of which 128 paying event. This is now our biggest single cost. electronically) • Otherwise administrative costs have continued to be This is a net reduction of 22 on 2017 – roughly 7%, slightly kept to a minimum, with the committee members better than recent years, but still not good at all. There has absorbing their own costs and the only other notable been a small increase in new joiners, sadly it has been costs being those required for public liability insurance largely balanced by departures, most of whom continue to (without which we could not hold any events) and the be for age-related reasons (including already this year). web site hosting. Actions taken last year to find more ways of reaching and There is a note on our current assets: much of what we have encouraging new members (as well as continuing is very old stock, of which we are selling minimum traditional ones) has helped, and we in the committee are numbers even at a heavily discounted level. Considerations continuing to look for more means both to reach out to are in progress as to whether this should be written off, and potential more membership and find ways in which the how thereby it can be used to encourage new membership. Branch can be an attractive proposition within the continuously changing world of military music in the UK. The financial summary is that of currently a viable future with the current balance of income and expenditure and we Guy Morris Hon. Treasurer & Membership Secretary therefore do not need to consider an increase in the International Military Music Society United Kingdom subscription at present. (Founder) Branch Contact no.: 0370 904 6453 Postal address: 32 Claremont Avenue, Hersham KT12 4NS

ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31/12/2018

INCOME & EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT Income 2018 2017 Expenditure 2018 2017 Subscriptions 7,073.54 7,088.42 International subs 2,706.00 3,322.00 Newsletter 200.00 - Newsletter 2,445.47 5,197.00 UK events 58.00 530.00 UK events 100.00 542.00 Regional events - - Regional events - - Shrewsbury - - Shrewsbury - - KH meetings - - KH meetings 350 100.00 Sales: Sales: Book sales 70.00 298.48 Books - - CD sales 120.00 662.00 CDs 194.00 468.00 Merchandise 188.00 10.00 Merchandise - - Administration 4,339.61 - Administration 4,976.08 656.95 Donations - - Bank Interest - - TOTAL 12,049.15 8,588.90 TOTAL 10,771.55 10,285.95 Excess of inc. over exp. 1,277.60 -1,697.05

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS AS AT 31/12/2018 Opening Balances £ Closing Balances £ Current Account 1,922.22 Current Account 7,146.70 Book Account 3,952.94 Book Account Cash 99.51 Cash 109.51 Bank & cash totals £5,974.67 less excess of income over expenditure - 1,277.60 Bank & cash totals £7,256.21

Merchandise stock (IMMS) £2,133.15 Merchandise Stock IMMS (Note 1) £2,031.95 Total assets £9,288.16 Note 1 – Stock asset reduction 2017 after full check of holdings

20 IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 OFFICERS & COMMITTEE, 2018/2019 In accordance with the rules of the Branch your Officers and Committee are elected to serve for terms of three years, when they may stand for re-election. As at 1st March 2018 your Officers and Committee, with the dates of expiry of their current terms of office, were as follows: Position Name Branch President Lt.-Col. (Rtd.) Geoff Kingston Major (Rtd.) Roger Swift (Designate) Vice-Presidents Miss Eileen Pearson, Mrs June Alford, Pat Higgins Esq., Philip Mather Esq. International Vice-President Major (Rtd.) Roger Swift Chairman Alan Purdie (March 2019) Vice-Chairman Vacant Hon. Secretary Jim Davies (yearly appointment) Hon. Treasurer & Membership Sec. Guy Morris (yearly appointment) Journal Editor Mike Boxall (yearly appointment) Committee John Crisford CBE (March 2020), Charles Gray (March 2020), Brian Hill (March 2019), Rodney Illsley (March 2020), Ron Shooter (March 2018, but co-opted to continue) Regional Organiser North East & Cumbria: Ivor R F Shirley Advisory Panel John Curtis, Colin Dean, Lt.-Col. (Rtd.) Graham Jones MBE, Philip Mather, Major (Rtd.) Richard Powell & Major (Rtd.) Gordon Turner MBE IMMS International Treasurer Awaiting appointment Note: Regional Organisers. other than those also serving as Officers or Committee members, are invited to attend committee meetings but not entitled to vote. NOMINATIONS OF OFFICERS & COMMITTEE 2019/2020 Position Name Notes Branch President Major (Rtd.) Roger Swift Nominated by your Committee International Vice-President Major (Rtd.) Roger Swift Vice-Presidents Pat Higgins Esq. Philip Mather Esq. Miss Eileen Pearson Chairman Jim Davies Nominated by Alan Purdie, seconded by Marion Larsen Vice-Chairman No nominations Hon. Secretary Alan Purdie Appointed by Committee on 8 December 2018, effective 2 March 2019 Hon. Treasurer & Membership Secretary Guy Morris Re-appointed by Committee on 8 December 2018 Journal Editor Mike Boxall Re-appointed by Committee on 8 December 2018 Committee members Charles Gray Brian Hill Rodney Illsley Ron Shooter Co-opted 8 December 2018 Martin West Proposed by Charles Gray, seconded by Jim Davies

Advisory Panel John Curtis, Colin Dean; Lt.-Col. (Rtd.) Graham Jones MBE, Philip Mather, Major (Rtd.) Richard Powell, Gil Singleton & Major (Rtd.) Gordon Turner MBE Regional Organiser North East & Cumbria: Ivor R F Shirley

2019 Combined Cavalry Old Comrades Parade

Pipe Major G Grant, The Queen’s Royal Hussars (Queen’s Own Staff Corporal Tony Walsh led the Band of the Household Cavalry at & Royal Irish) played the Lament in the service. (Photo Colin Dean) the head of the parade in Hyde Park. (Photo: Colin Dean)

IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 21 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Day/Date Band/Organisation Event Location & Time June 2019 Wed 5 & Thurs 6 Household Division Household Division Horse Guards Parade, London (2000) Thursday 6 Scots Guards Founder’s Day Parade Royal Hospital, Chelsea (1020) Thurs 6 to Sat 8 RAF Salon Orchestra Royal Cornwall Show Wadebridge, Cornwall Saturday 8 Household Division Queen’s Birthday Parade Horse Guards Parade, London (1100) Saturday 8 Royal Welsh Royal Salute Castle (1030) Saturday 8 Royal Regt of Scotland Roya Salute Edinburgh Castle (1130) Saturday 8 Royal Irish Regiment Royal Salute Hillsborough Castle (1130) Saturday 8 Royal Artillery Royal Salute Green Park, London (1230) Saturday 8 King’s Divn., LAV, DofL Military Show Fulwood Barracks, Preston (1230) Saturday 8 Royal Irish Regiment Concert Waterfront Hall, Belfast (2000) Sunday 9 Royal Air Force Regt RAF Honiton Freedom Parade Thetford Town Centre (tbc) Sunday 9 Brigade of Gurkhas Royal Gurkha Rifles Freedom Parade The Bulwark, Preston (1400) Sunday 9 RMA Concert Milton Glee Concert The Guildhall, Portsmouth (1900) Monday 10 ’s Divn. Royal Salute Cardiff Castle (1030) Monday 10 King’s Division Royal Salute Museum Gardens, York (1100) Monday 10 Royal Artillery Royal Salute Green Park, London (1130) Monday 10 Royal Regt of Scotland Royal Salute Edinburgh Castle (1130) Monday 10 Royal Irish Regiment Royal Salute Hillsborough Castle (1130) Monday 10 Royal Artillery Heritage Day, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (1100) Sunday 16 R Marines Collingwood RN and RM Charity Concert Ferneham Hall, Fareham (1430) Monday 17 Scots Guards/HCAV Garter Service Windsor Castle (1400) Tue 18 to Sat 22 Coldstream Guards Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse (1200) Sunday 23 RAF Swing Wing Bandstand Concert Mesnes Park, Wigan (tbc) Tue 25 to Sun 30 Household Division Household Division Music Festival Guards Chapel, Wellington Bks (1310) Wednesday 26 RMSM + visiting bands Open Air Concert Kneller Hall, Twickenham (2000) Friday 28 Royal Air Force Central Recital Regent Hall, London (1300) Sunday 30 Royal Air Force Regt RAF Halton Freedom Parade Hemel Hempstead (tbc) Sunday 30 Royal Signals (Northern) Bandstand Concert South Park, Darlington (1500) Sunday 30 RMA Concert Concert Alexandra Theatre, Bognor Regis (1500) July 2019 Friday 5 RMA Concert Concert St Paul’s Church, Chichester (1930) Friday 5 Royal Air Force College RAF Leeming Freedom of Ripon Parade Ripon Town Centre Saturday 6 Massed bands Buxton Military Tattoo The Dome, Buxton (1400 & 1900) Saturday 6 RMSM/REME/AAC/AGC Open Air Concert Kneller Hall, Twickenham (1930) Sunday 7 Royal Air Force Regt Battle of Britain Memorial Day Capel-le-Ferne, Folkestone (1315) Sunday 7 RAF Volunteer bands Massed RAF Volunteer bands concert Symphony Hall, Birmingham (1500) Friday 12 Royal Air Force College RAF Music Charitable Trust Concert Chester Cathedral (1930) Sunday 14 R Marines Portsmouth Bandstand Memorial Bandstand, Deal (1430) Saturday 20 RM/Coldst’m Gds/HCAV Open Air Concert Kneller Hall, Twickenham (2000) Sunday 21 RMA Concert Concert Lights Theatre, Andover (1500) Friday 26 Royal Air Force College RAF Lossiemouth Freedom of Angus Parade Montrose Town Centre Saturday 27 Royal Marines CTCRM Open Air Concert Pavilion Gardens, Exmouth (1200) Tuesday 30 Guards Divn. Ensemble Recital Guards Chapel, Wellington Bks (1310) August 2019 Fri 2 to Sat 24 SG/IG/R Regt Scotland Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Edinburgh Castle Friday 2 RAF Central Band Concert featuring an ensemble of the band Charlton House, Greenwich Saturday 3 R Marines School of Mus Prizegiving Concert & Beat Retreat The Guildhall, Portsmouth (1400) Sunday 4 Central Band, RBL Bandstand Concerts (to 9 August) Grand Parade Bandstand, Eastbourne Wednesday 7 Parachute Regiment Commandant’s Parade RMA Sandhurst (1045) Friday 9 Parachute Regiment Sovereign’s Parade RMA Sandhurst (1045) September 2019 Sunday 8 Royal Air Force College RAFC Cranwell Battle of Britain Parade Newark Town Centre Monday 9 Royal Air Force Regt Battle of Britain Parade City Hall, Norwich (1130) Tuesday 10 Irish Guards Beating Retreat & Concert Thursford Collection, Fakenham (1900) Thursday 12 RM Portsmouth Concert St Mary’s Church, Fratton (1930) Saturday 14 RMA Concert Concert Romsey Abbey (1930) Sunday 15 RAF Central Battle of Britain Service Westminster Abbey (1030) Sunday 15 Royal Air Force College Battle of Britain Parade & Service Lincoln Cathedral Sunday 15 R Marines Collingwood RN and RM Charity Concert Ferneham Hall, Fareham (1430) Thursday 19 Countess of Wessex SO Concert Guards Chapel, Wellington Bks (1900) Thursday 19 Royal Marines Plymouth Concert Roebuck Theatre, HMS Raleigh (1930) Saturday 21 Royal Air Force College Concert Sheffield Cathedral (1930) Wed 25 to Fri 27 Royal Air Force College Autumn Concerts Whittle Hall, RAF Cranwell (1930) PLEASE NOTE: Events are shown in good faith, but dates and times are subject to change. Please check for further details with the venue before attending.

22 IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019

IMMS UK (Founder) Branch Journal – Summer 2019 23 BEATING RETREAT 1990

In 1990 the Scottish Division performed a Beating Retreat on Horse Guards Parade. Colin Dean was on hand to enjoy and photograph the occasion.

Bandmasters, Mr. Tony Hodgetts, 1st Bn. The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) and Mr. Danny Greer, 1st Bn. The Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret’s Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment) led their bands during the march on. (Photo: Colin Dean)

Mr. Trevor (‘Tex’) Calton, Bandmaster of 1st Bn. The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) in the centre left of the picture. As Major Calton of the Army Cadet Force, he was appointed MBE in this New Year’s Honours list. Behind him in the picture is The Queen’s Piper, Pipe Major Brian Macrae. (Photo: Colin Dean)

Scots Buglers, something of a rarity, sounded Retreat. Buglers were from 1st Bn. The Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret’s Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment) with Drummers from other Scottish regiments. They were joined by the Buglers of 2nd King Edward VII’s Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles). (Photo: Colin Dean)

If this Journal is undelivered, please return to Hon. Treasurer, 32 Claremont Avenue, HERSHAM, Surrey KT12 4NS