The Buglers of Troop 1/00 in their ceremonial uniforms
before MFM 2001
At the end of our long awaited Passout day, I was exhausted and looking forward
to the Long Weekend. To be honest I think we were all physically and emotionally
drained from the experience and needed the weekend to recuperate, before returning
for our continuation training.
The three weeks left before Christmas sounded as if they were going to be quite
good. They started with the FA2's, a weeklong first aid course, which resulted
in a good qualification. It started well. The Tuesday, the day after the night
before…
On Monday night, it was our annual Christmas social. The social requires formal
dress, and included is a meal and a bottle of wine. We all had a brilliant night,
especially those that can remember some of it!
Anyway back to Tuesday - we were all hanging out (exhausted) and finding it
hard to stay awake, let alone concentrate on the lessons. Windows were opened,
routes to all the nearby toilets were memorised and needless to say there was
a huge sigh of relief when our bus came to take us back to Nelson!
Wednesday bought our practical lessons. None of us really knew what to expect,
and the sight of blood stained walls and upturned furniture didn't invoke much
confidence! However, the day proved to be a really good laugh, with Pete Dolby's
gun-shot wound and Steve Boyes' split head. I'm sure it's safe to say that although
it was good fun, we all learned a lot from it.
The rest of the week was full of various lessons, which led up to our final
exams. Most of us passed, and are now qualified FA2s.
Following that week we had a few days to play our instruments for the first
time in 3 months. This was our first insight into our new career since joining.
Then we went on a trip to Lympstone, kindly organised by the training team!
All we knew about the day ahead of us was that it involved us doing the endurance
course - not good! However, the day was actually extremely good fun and enjoyed
by all of us. We had an introduction (in slow time) to the bottom field (commando
assault course), which involved lots of rain, mud and large tanks of water.
A special mention has to go to Louise Bailey who slipped on the Monkey Bars,
and in true Bailey fashion went up to her neck (knee height for anyone else!)
in the murky waters of the tank below. Then we were taken out to a field exercise
being conducted on Woodbury Common by 799 Troop. We watched them practice an
ambush, and then we had the opportunity to speak to them and ask them about
their training. After this it was off to another part of Woodbury, where the
infamous endurance course is situated. We got changed and started running, a
little apprehensively, behind CSgt Fulthorpe, Capt. Cunningham and Sgt Baldwin.
As it turns out, I found this good fun, with the sheep dip and water tunnels.
But we only did this as a jog, spending a lot longer on each obstacle than our
commando counterparts would. When we returned, shattered and covered in mud,
we did a quick change and started our journey back to Nelson.
The last few days of the week we did music, practising privately in our cells,
some us even having a Professorial lesson, but with only a week left till Christmas,
there wasn't a huge amount we could achieve.
In the third week, we went to HMS Excellent Sea Survival and Fire School for
a day. The morning was spent learning about the layout of a Royal Navy ship,
and what we should do if an emergency was to occur whilst we were on board.
The drill we would be practising was abandoning ship, which involved jumping
off a board into Horsea Lake wearing a bright orange survival suit (known as
a once only), swimming out to a life raft, climbing into it and then making
our way back to shore. I was quite looking forward to this, all except for the
fact it was 6 days before Christmas, and the water was very cold. However, the
whole troop managed to do what was required of them despite the fact that many
of us have a fear of heights.
In the afternoon, we went to the Fire School. Personally, this could have been
in the running for the single most terrifying thing I have done throughout training,
easily beating the gas chamber and jumping into the lake! One of my only fears
in life is fire, and here I was being put face to face with loads of them! To
say the least I didn't enjoy putting them out. One thing I did enjoy about going
to the Fire School was the opportunity to use the water wall hoses. Basically
we all took turns in spraying one another with 30ft walls of freezing water.
Although parts of the day were daunting for some people, I'm sure we all enjoyed
parts of it, and would be willing to do it again (in summer next time, please!).
The last few days of the term were taken up practising in our cells, and getting
to know our new instructors. Then we left for our long waited 2 weeks Christmas
Leave!
Near the end of Christmas leave, I started to get nervous about returning to
the RMSM. I knew that there was a demanding 2-year course ahead of me, but I
didn't quite know what to expect. When I got back to the School on the first
day of Term One, we had a lecture from Bugle Major Platts about our course.
I still haven't got over how much work we need to do to complete this course
needs. The three lads (Stew Vyse, Dan Johnson and Andy Boardman) and myself,
still in shock, started to practice for our assessments that were to come.
I am finding the course challenging, but I'm getting a lot out of it. We're
very lucky to have the 2 civilian Professors (Mr John Yates and Mr Paul Cameron,
and the uniformed staff (Bugle Major Platts and Cpl Bugs Boulton and Cornish)
teaching us a brand new course. It's the only one of its kind in the world,
and we are the first four people to take it. Throughout our two years we will
take all our grades, which will eventually lead up to a diploma if we reach
the required standard, which if we all put in enough effort we will.
I'm looking forward to the 2 years I have at the RMSM. There's going to be highs,
and lows but at the end of the day I know that it is all going to be worth it.
In my opinion there is no band in the world with a Corps of Drums as good as
the Royal Marines, and I can't wait to be part of that.
We returned from our long weekend, for many of us spent socialising with friends
and sleeping, back to Portsmouth to start the last leg of the term. Before long
it would be Easter leave, but for now we had to concentrate on what was important,
assessments.
At the end of each month we receive tests in which we have to perform set pieces
of music. This assesses our progress with the course and music being set. They
are important, and the results go towards the monthly report we receive. February
went well for us and we all got C's! Tom Charnley did really well and got a
B! Well done mate. However there are things each of us have to improve upon,
and it becomes our aim to achieve them by the next monthly assessments.
Every year a competition called the 'Cassel Prize' is held at the School. It
is a competition where musicians play selected pieces with the aim of being
selected for the next round. The line up started with about 40 people, which
was then brought down to about 20 people in the second round, and it has finally
been whittled down to 9 remaining competitors. This year the Trainee Buglers
surprised the school by entering 3 out of the 5 of us. Andy Boardman played
his trumpet, Dan Johnson played his cornet and Tom played a piece on his snare
drum. Unfortunately Andy got knocked out in round one, but the other two were
selected for the next stage. When the second round came, the two buglers played
their pieces, and although Dan was unfortunately knocked out, Tom was successful
in getting into the final, which has yet to be held. On behalf of the rest of
the trainee buglers, I would like to say well done to Dan and Andy for entering
and wish Tom the very best of luck.
Parade Band, held every Wednesday and Friday mornings, is becoming more and
more of a challenge. The instructors have started to incorporate music with
drill, and when you're trying to concentrate on keeping in a straight line,
when to halt when to step off, following the drum major wherever he should decide
to take us, playing the marches becomes that little more difficult! The thing
I find hardest to do now that we are playing music is wheeling. This drill movement
involves the band changing direction by 90 degrees, sounds so simple but it
is surprisingly difficult, and a movement we've yet to perfect!
We believe that teamwork is the most important thing involved with being buglers.
To play effectively everyone must work together, but for some reason we began
the term unable to do this. So to improve teamwork Stew Vyse, Dan Johnson, Andy
Boardman, Tom Charnley and myself went on a 'Buglers run ashore!' The aim of
this was to really get to know each other, out of a work environment. A really
good night was had by all, and I'm looking forward to our next one!
Being a bugler doesn't just involve getting on with your oppo's. It also involves
maintaining the high standards that our branch prides itself on. So we shouldn't
have been so surprised when we got a crash locker inspection.
We were told to fall in outside the buglers suite, and there we were asked if
we had our locker keys on us! It was that moment our hearts sunk, we knew what
was coming!
Cpl Cornish and Cpl Boulton came to my block first. I knew before I opened my
locker that it wasn't up to the standard it should be, and the Cpl's just put
that into words, put pen to paper and gave me a rescrub the next day. I worked
all lunch time and rectified all the things that were wrong. The lads did the
same, and I'm sure that I'd be speaking for them too when I say, our lockers
won't look like that again!
Our first 'gig' (engagement) was at the Thorngate Halls in Gosport. This I was
really pleased with as Gosport is my hometown. First gig in your hometown hardly
ever happens! I can't speak for the lads, but it was an extremely proud moment
for me when I marched onto the stage. The adrenaline rush was massive, especially
when I heard our cue for sunset. The playing went without hitches, and we were
all pleased with the way we played, we even got a chuck up from the boss! with
that in mind we were all hoping the Cpls would let us off our ceremonial extra
parade set for us the following morning. No such luck - it was on as planned!
The next morning we were checking each other off, making sure we all looked
smart and presentable for the inspection, when Andy dropped his WHITE pith helmet,
on his BLACK boots! It left the most obvious black mark on the front of his
pith helmet, and a huge dent in his boots but by that point we couldn't have
done anything, so we laughed at him and marched out there regardless! Luckily
for Andy, Cpl Boulton understood about the accident, and he didn't get extra
paraded!
I wasn't feeling too well that day, and thought that I could be getting tonsillitis.
When Monday came along and I was feeling worse I went to the sick bay. They
diagnosed me with having Bronchitis and tipped me in (sent me to bed) for a
week. I don't think I have ever been so bored as I have been this week. I've
missed a lot of work, and I know next week will be extremely hard with all the
catch up I have to do. I'm looking forward to it though, as I've missed being
at work.
I'm really enjoying training. We've got loads of gigs coming in, 4 more before
Easter leave, 2 of those are on the same day! We are all working towards our
external exams and our T1's (Term 1 Exams). There is a lot of work to do, and
a lot to learn but I'm sure we'll be fine if we all put in the effort required.
Monday 5 March started what were to be the most challenging and stressful few
weeks of the term. Ahead of lay 3 weeks of exams and engagements, both of which
needed a lot of hard work, concentration and thorough preparation.
The first set of exams were the monthly assessments conducted by Prof Cameron
and Prof Yates, assisted by the Cpls. Unfortunately due to bronchitis I missed
some work, but I didn't realise that I had missed as much as I did. When I returned
to work on the 12 March I was confronted by several pieces of music that I was
required to play in the termly exam in 4 days. I tried to learn, but there was
one piece I just could not learn no matter what I did, and I started to panic!
It was Stew Vyse that got rid of my mental block. He showed me a track on a
CD that he had used to help him. I played the piece along to the track, it all
fell into place, and the panic was over. The exam was a combination of our usual
monthly exam but this time a military aspect was included. We had to recite
all the regimental marches of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, drum salutes
and selected bugle calls, all by memory. Quite a challenge to say the least!
Following the exams were two engagements (usually referred to as gigs). On Friday
30 March there were two gigs. The first was at a school in Liphook, and the
second was at a church in Selbourne. These were my first gigs in which I had
the opportunity to play my drum, so it was an extremely nerve racking experience.
The schools concert was a particularly good experience, because although the
audience (aged between 11 and 12) were 'boisterous' to say the least, it was
just knowing that if we appealed to just one person in the audience, we could
have a potential recruit, and that made it all worth it! The audience at the
church concert were very appreciative, and their hospitality was great.
Once a year at the school, a competition is held to determine the best musician
of the year. This competition is called the Cassel Prize. The final this year
had 9 competitors, whittled down from the 16 that got through to the second
round. The performances were brilliant, and enjoyed by everyone in attendance.
As mention in previous reports, this year was the first in which buglers had
entered the competition. Tom Charnley had got through to the final, which was
an achievement in itself. When he played I think the whole audience was more
in shock than anything else. This was the first time that a snare drum piece
had been played, and it was quite a contrast to the melodic pieces played before
hand. The 'Trommel Suite' was written to show the different sounds and effects
that are achievable on a snare drum. Half way through his performance Tom dropped
one of his sticks, but in true Royal Marines style he grabbed a different type
of stick, and using the wrong end carried on regardless. Everyone was impressed
by his performance, and no one was surprised when he won. I would like to take
this opportunity to congratulate Tom on behalf of the trainee buglers at the
school. Well done - you deserve it!
With the Cassel prize over it was on to the Royal Marines Museum to do a musical
soiree. This was our final gig before leave, and the first in which the PDM,
Lt Col Waterer had an opportunity to see the Corps of Drums. The gig went well,
and with Tom getting a special mention for his achievement, it was decided by
Cpl Cornish that for every mention, Tom would have to buy us all a pint!
The next day it was leave - we could go home for 2 weeks, but not before a full
kit muster in full number ones (Nos 1's)!! Earlier in the week we had been late
for an aural lesson, and for that our punishment was the kit muster. I don't
think we'll be late again.
When the kit muster was complete, we were free to go home, and most of us did
in haste. This term was 13 weeks - the same as basic training, but it seemed
to go quicker. Our theory is that in basics we were always looking for the end,
which was our pass out, whereas now the 'end' will be when we pass out to our
trained bands in two years time, so the end of term is a small goal in comparison.
We have all learnt the importance of deadlines (prompted by various punishments,
after several mistakes!) and we couldn't understand the point of all the Nos
1's inspections we got, but now we can do our kit in half the time it took us
at the start of the term. Now we are grateful, because it has worked to our
advantage.
I have found this term an extremely stressful experience, but even in term one
there have been rewards. We have just done our Grade II on the snare drum, and
all four of us got high honours. Tom got honours on his Grade 8. Then there
were the gigs, which gave me an enormous feeling of achievement and pride.
The term has been a very steep learning curve but progressive all the same.
Now it's time to concentrate on next term. It's the busiest term of the year
for gigs. We have a gig in Italy, and not all of us can go - so there is going
to be friendly competition this term. It is going to be just as hard and just
as stressful, but the rewards are the gigs, and yet more grade exams in which
we are all striving for high honours again. We can do it, if we put the required
effort in, which I'm sure we will.
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The Buglers of Troop 1/00 in their ceremonial uniforms
before MFM 2001
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Bugler Amy Clark