The Savage Report

The role of the unit platoon weapons instructor RMSM

or

'Freeze a jolly good fellow'

A true story by Steve Savage aged (the square root of) 1566.8297

As always, the choice of subject for this article was a difficult one. Whilst discussing the personalities available for a character assassination, the HQ Staff made various suggestions regarding who to 'do' in my article - or was it what to do with my article? - but still to no avail. At that moment, CSgt Paul Basford walked through the door. He really should have opened it first but there you go. Stood there in his Combat Soldier 95, resplendent in shades of green, khaki and brown - actually, looking like the aftermath of an explosion in an Army paint store -the decision was made. Knowing Paul quite well, and knowing the sterling work he has done with both the School of Music and the outlying Bands, I thought that an insight into his particular role might prove to be of some interest to my reader. After all, things have changed drastically over the years as far as the military role is concerned.

Having invited Paul in for a chat about all things military, he was quick to remind me that I hadn't yet offered him a coffee. There's a first! Once we were fully caffeined up, we started to chat. Then it all came flooding back.
I was reminded of one of BRNC Band's 'Jolly Boys' outings to Tregantle Ranges in Cornwall during their annual military training package, way back in the early 1980s. 'Admiralty' weather had obviously been booked as we were merrily getting soaked. It was blowing a hooligan, and despite the CSgt PW's barking Welsh brogue, nothing could be heard over the howling gale. It was hardly surprising when a young Musician had a negligent discharge during his APWT. 'Oh dear!' he thought, realising that he might have upset the nice Welsh gentleman. Having carefully removed the CSgt's size 12 from his ribs, the young Musician thanked the CSgt for his gentle reminder to listen carefully for the orders, and carried on missing all the targets -this time waiting until somebody else fired first, he wasn't getting caught out again. Just thinking about it is making my ribs ache again.
Thankfully, those Neanderthal attitudes towards the Band Service and the Military Role are well and truly dead and buried, as I hope to point out as this article goes on.

My first question to Paul was regarding his background and why he joined the Corps in the first place. He was born into a military family - his father being a Major in the RAMC. A military career was not initially on the cards as he left school and worked as an apprentice watchmaker and pawnbroker for eighteen months. That life wasn't for him however, so when a mate brought in a poster advertising more exciting prospects in the Corps, they both decided to go for it. Two weeks into training, his mate broke his arm and left, leaving Paul to it. Not deterred by the loss of his mate, Paul stuck at it, passed out of training and joined 42 Commando. It was here, while peeling spuds on rear party, that the Guard Commander told Paul that the Unit was being recalled from leave as the Argentineans had invaded the Falklands. Somewhat bemused at the revelation, Paul asked why the Argies had invaded Scotland, to which the Guard Commander replied that he wasn't sure but he'd find out and let him know! The Unit was duly recalled and sent on the long journey 'Sobre Las Olas' to the Falklands - or 'Dan Saff' as it became known.

Two years after returning victorious, he was drafted to HMS Endurance. It was during one deployment that Paul decided to participate in some recreational training. After all, it was a beautiful day in the Antarctic - a little bit 'parky', but the sea was like a millpond. Paul donned his dry suit, picked up his windsurfer and threw it over the side. Like a graceful bird, he swallow-dived into the water, mounted his board and raised the sail. It was at that point that it all went pear-shaped. Bearing in mind there is a clue in its name, a windsurfer needs wind to get the best out of it. Oh! How the sea boat's crew laughed as they rescued the becalmed and rapidly drifting Bootneck!

Paul decided that he wanted to become a PW and after passing the required courses, achieved his goal in 1987. Further drafts to 40 Commando, the Commando Helicopter Operations and Support Cell and the Royal Naval Presentation Team ensued, as did further promotion, attaining the Rank of Colour Sergeant in 1999.
Prior to arriving at RMSM, Paul visited many countries such as Chile, Peru, America, Panama, the Virgin Islands - that must have been a toughie! - Norway, Brunei and Kuwait, undergoing many different forms of training. During an exercise in the deserts of Kuwait, amidst the nomadic shepherds and camel drivers, a tented 'barracks' was established from which night firing demonstrations were to take place. Paul's role was to oversee the firing of the 94mms. As the exercise unfolded, the CSM barked out the order to fire. Paul ensured that his troops were firing as ordered, but he became a little confused when the CSM kept on shouting, 'Fire! Fire!' All became apparent when they noticed the telltale glow emitting from four 24' x 18' tents that had been set ablaze by somebody drying his dhobi on a lighting necklace! Very nearly a case of 'Red sky at night, shepherds alight!'

A very young Paul Basford on exercise in Norway

I enquired as to Paul's sporting prowess. Paul informed me that he is a qualified ski instructor, a major rugby fan - he used to play but had to give up due to injury - and he was the 1984 South Georgia cross-country half marathon champion. Pretty impressive I thought, until I realised that his fellow competitors were a herd of sheep, three penguins and an elephant seal - who, to its credit, shattered its personal best and came in a close second.

With twenty-two years' service crammed into a page and a half of A4, it was time to move on to the nitty-gritty and discuss his role heading the Training Team. In a nutshell, Paul's job is to oversee and co-ordinate New Entry Training, and to programme, plan and execute all Band Service military training.

Having witnessed his first New Entry Troop pass out, Paul revisited the training programme, removing elements that he felt were of limited use to potential Band Service Personnel and replacing them with more appropriate training. Serials such as the Basic Sea Survival Training package and venue and vehicle searching were included, as both are extremely apt in the current climate. Although New Entry training is fifteen weeks long, to achieve the required standard in all elements of PT, drill, weapon training, NBCD, field craft and personal husbandry requires an extremely well planned and well balanced programme, something that Paul now considers he has all but achieved. Also to test whether all the training has sunk in, there are ten days of field exercises where the New Entries are put under the spotlight. The most important of these exercises being 'Hunter's Moon' the final four day exercise involving low level tactics, fire and manoeuvre and night attacks as well as general field craft. What is it they say about the proof of the pudding and all that? Well I'm pleased to say that this year's New Entry Troop have produced the highest final results ever, with the lowest individual score being a credible 72% overall. This is a great achievement for the New Entries for which they should be heartily congratulated, but it also shows the measure of the Training Team.

CSgt Paul Basford briefs the New Entries prior to their pass out rehearsals

Now I can understand that many of those who lived through the military training of the early 1980s, and despised it as a result, might question the need to have the Band Service fully trained as Infantry soldiers, but the truth is that they have to be. Firstly, there is the 'political' angle. We have witnessed the numbers of RAF and Army musicians diminish considerably over the last five years whereas our numbers have remained stable. Despite the fact that we are damn good at what we do musically, to my mind it is also down to our military role and the fact that the Corps has to rely on the Band Service to provide support for an ever-increasing number of exercises and deployments. To illustrate this point, the Band Service will be taking part in three major exercises in 2002.

Secondly, ask any of the guys and gals who went to Kosovo and did the job for real. With Band SNCOs undertaking the role of Troop Sergeants, the JNCOs undertaking the role of Section Commanders, and the entire Band spending six months in theatre with a live one 'up the spout', the necessity for quality and in-depth military training speaks for itself.

Paul and his team were actively involved in the training of our gallant 29 in preparation for their deployment to Kosovo. How the Band were to be utilised was, at that stage, not fully known and so the difficulty for Paul was to pre-empt what training would be essential and what would be less so. Paul drew up a programme which included weapons instruction, pyrotechnics, observation, signals, vehicle and foot anti-ambush drills, harbour positions - funny, I thought Pristina was land-locked, and of course, casualty evacuation. All this coupled with, as Paul hastens to point out, the Band's unrivalled professionalism and attitude towards training, held everyone in good stead for their deployment in what was an unstable and potentially dangerous situation. As a means of 'quality control', Paul visited the Band 'in situ' to ensure that the training was what was required. Having contacted Drum Major Dave Taylor, he received a weather report and packed accordingly. You can just imagine Paul's face when he pitched up in shirtsleeves, as advised, only to find out it was minus two. Nice one Dave, if nothing else it gave me a second title for this article!

As far as training for the wider Band Service is concerned, the real bonus is that we now have a centralised Training Team. These highly motivated professionals are, by being based at RMSM, fully aware of our musical role, the heavy engagement schedule and the need to sympathetically programme suitable training packages. So much different from the old days when we used to be trained by a team of 'strangers' from CTCRM, who often knew little about the Band Service, or indeed the manner in which to train us in order to achieve the best results - not that it was necessarily their fault. The current situation suits everyone, as any military training issues can be discussed by the training team, the Staff Officer Band Service, and those of us at HQ almost at the drop of a hat. This way too, the Band Service has a direct input into what goes on which can only be a good thing.

It is fair to say that we all remember the individual members of our training teams with varying levels of fondness. Should you meet them in the street, there are some you'd like to shake firmly by the hand, others you'd like to shake firmly by the neck, but however you remember them, they are the people who shaped you for your future career in the Band Service. As far as I'm concerned the future personnel of the Band Service have never been in better hands. There is no doubt that Paul commands the respect of all he works with, from the New Entries to the PDM. So obvious is this, that when Paul married Sam in July this year, he was afforded a 26 piece marching Band, a six piece fanfare team - who played a specially composed fanfare named after the man himself, and a dance band for the evening do. Lets face it, you don't get all that for no good reason. Commanding this amount of respect both professionally and personally, it will come as no surprise that Paul has been awarded a further five years' service. I for one hope that it's with the Band Service.

The Band Beating retreat for Paul and Sam

Paul and Sam with the fanfare team on the deck of HMS Warrior

So ended our little chat and Paul left, leaving me to clean up his dirty cup! Still, never mind. I was quite pleased with the way it had all gone, and I was happy that I had enough information to hopefully produce an informative article for this edition of the Blue Band Bullet Holder… Sorry... magazine. Will I ever learn?