Monday
At 0830 this morning, I began my first week as a fully trained Bugler in the
Royal Marines Band Service. Last Friday I got the results of my B3 examinations
and found that I had got a distinguished pass. Friday night was obviously a
bit of a blur but I am now fully recovered and ready to enjoy the perks of being
a 'trained rank'.
A large part of the day was spent rehearsing for Open Day (on 31st) for which
the Corps of Drums seems to have greater involvement this year. With three 'statics'
and our visual display during 'Riverdance', there is a lot to remember! And
the fact that it was so hot outside today didn't exactly help matters.
The heat did mean though, that after work we could go down to the sea and have a nice relaxing evening.
Tuesday
Again work began at 0830 and most of the morning was spent on the parade square
going through the Open Day Drum Routine. We can play the two statics and the
bugle fanfare fine on their own but putting them together involves some quite
irregular tempo changes and this seems to be causing some problems. However,
with a quite imaginative link passage the problem was eventually alleviated.
In the afternoon, I wrote up some outstanding paperwork, evaluating my own performance
over the B3 course and in my final examinations. I also produced a list of all
the engagements I have performed in throughout my training. On completion the
list looked quite impressive, with 56 engagements performed as far afield as
Iceland and Cyprus.
After another very hot day, I returned to my flat in Portsmouth and had an early
night because of the early start in the morning.
Wednesday
I had to get up at 0530 this morning to get into work and on to the coach for
0630. In place of the usual afternoon RT session, this week we have been given
a whole day to travel down to the Commando Training Centre at Lympstone near
Exeter. We were assured it would be an insight and not a beasting but we were
understandably dubious as, after all, it was CTC we were going to.
On arriving we first went swimming for half an hour or so until we could get
onto the bottom field. The following two hours were spent going around the bottom
field,(this is where the famous assault course is) in slow time, watching demonstrations
and then having a go ourselves. Virtually everyone tried every obstacle, although
some took a bit more encouraging than others, but at least everyone came away
with a sense of achievement.
In the afternoon, we travelled down the road to Woodbury Common to take a slow
jog around the 'endurance course'. Basically, this is a run around a circuit
going up and down hills, through streams and through a series of tunnels; some
dry, some wet! Ant then there is the sheep dip, two underwater tunnels that
everyone needs to be pushed and pulled through. Again, everyone did manage the
whole course, picking up little more than a few cuts and grazes along the way.
We returned back to HMS Nelson by about 1930 and I drove straight back home,
nearly destroying my washing machine with all the dirty combats from the days
activities.
Thursday
This morning I was in work for 0830 and started working on 'Three Dances', one
of four pieces I am hoping to play for my (Cert) GSMD Recital next term. This
took me up until stand easy, after which we got together to go through the music
for the Open Day Concert. 'Riverdance' is finally coming together and so it
is now simply a matter of playing through it all each day until the week of
the concert itself.
In the afternoon, I looked through a lot of repertoire I've covered over the
two years I've been at the School, brushing up some of the pieces that I might
need when I start with Portsmouth Band in September.
Friday
We began with Parade Band at 0800 this morning, spending a whole hour on just
two pieces and the two movements carried out during them. There is still a large
amount of work to do with this challenging display but with the extra periods
planned, it should just about be ready to perform on the day.
At stand easy, I went over to the Regulator's Office to sign for my 'Cell Sentry'
duty next week. This is a new duty to be given to the School by the Navy on
HMS Nelson which basically involves us being on 24hr call to come in and watch
over drunken sailors when they get themselves arrested.
Before lunch, I saw the Drum Major with the rest of those passing out this term
to sort out various bits of admin before we go on draft. I was thinned out after
lunch to sort out my leaving routine and other points before leaving for the
flat at about 1600.
After picking my girlfriend up from work in Portsmouth, I headed home to my
parents' house for the weekend.
Weekend
We had quite a relaxing weekend, staying in most of the time at my parents.
I went to see a production on Saturday night put on by my old school. It was
good to see some old teachers again and that the school productions are still
of such a high standard.
After a nice home-cooked Sunday roast, we headed back to our flat in Portsmouth
and had a relaxing evening before returning to work on Monday morning.