Corps of Drums Corner

The Corps Drum Major JR Whitwham Royal Marines

Plymouth Corps of Drums

Things have certainly changed in the Plymouth Corps of Drum recently. On returning from Easter leave, an extensive change in the distribution of manpower across the whole Branch meant that just a handful of the old team were left.

At the end of last term we said farewell to Buglers Dave Birt and Gill Forde who have both moved to Lympstone and Bugler Perry Lawrence who has now joined Portsmouth Band. Also, moving slightly further a field, was Cpl Stu Warmington and Cpl Tim Needham who have both joined Scotland Band. Conveniently, Tim’s new cabin in Rosyth means his newborn child doesn’t have to share his nursery with Tim and his flight simulator. Slightly belated congratulations to Tim and his wife Rhia on the birth of their first child, Daniel. We have also lost Drum Major ‘Moxy’ Moxworthy and on completion of his SCC, Cpl ‘Jessie’ James to the newly formed Collingwood Band.

Whilst it is a shame to break up the enthusiastic, close-knit team we had before, the new team has an array of characters that should prove entertaining enough in the months ahead. Joining us from Lympstone are CSgt ‘Scouse’ Annett and Sgt Chas Brown, from Portsmouth is Bugler ‘Biff’ (long story) Trowbridge and from the school, Bugler Lisa Pessol. We also welcome back Cpl ‘Afghan Dan’ Johnson and Bugler Stew Vyse from their stint with CLR in Afghanistan. Last but by no means least, Drum Major ‘Flash’ Gordon joins us from Dartmouth where he’s been carrying out ‘essential administrative duties’ for the last year or so (whatever Drummie).

And so, it is with this new look Plymouth CoD we embarked on some fairly memorable gigs. Firstly, we carried out our true primary role in support of the Corps in Plymouth by leading several homecoming and medal parades around the city. The atmosphere at these events was quite special and it was an honour to accompany the real heroes through the city’s streets on these occasions.

A similarly enthusiastic and extensive audience was met in Dartmouth for two days of events to mark the disbandment of BRNC band. It seemed as if the whole town turned out to watch us Beat Retreat and exercise the Freedom of the town for the last time.

nd finally, just as we were beginning to miss all those that had left us at Easter, it was time to all meet in Portsmouth for Massed Bands rehearsals for Beating Retreat 2009. For a Bugler, it doesn’t get much better than this; three weeks of marching and cleaning gear, the opportunity to tread the hallowed gravel of Horse Guards Parade before one’s Sovereign and, of course, the chance to reacquaint oneself with the drinking establishments of Portsmouth!

Sticks Down, Stand at Ease

Whilst in Portsmouth, we were able to say a proper goodbye to our outgoing leader, Sgt. Andy ‘David Brent’ Finn. Andy joined up in 1985 and, throughout his 24 years service, served in all areas including onboard the Royal Yacht, in Scotland and in Portsmouth, where he has now settled with his family. We would like to think though, that his finest hour was as i/c Plymouth CoD where he has spent his last few years. Andy finally retired from the Band Service the day before our opening night on Horse Guards and all of us at Plymouth would like to wish him all the best for the future and reassure him that no-one will find out about him breaking down in tears during his leaving speech. Your secret’s safe with us Andy.

Another retirement from within our ranks this term is that of Bugle Major Kev Tullett who is to be the last ever Bugle Major to serve in the West Country.

For some years there has been an appointed Bugle Major at each of the two ‘Staff’ Bands at Portsmouth and Plymouth. With the forthcoming reorganization of the Band Service into five bands of equal size and capability, there will no longer be a requirement for this appointment to exist at Plymouth and, consequently, Kev’s shoes will not be filled on his retirement.

Kev joined the Band Service in Deal on the 5th of January 1981. He had learned his early skills as a drummer in the Sandown Boys' Brigade on the Isle of Wight and the natural progression was to join the best Military Band in the world. After his training Kev considered himself fortunate to work with the likes of Errol Flynn and Pete Law and drumming became his passion.

After short drafts to Deal Staff Band and the then FONAC Band in Yeovilton, Kev found himself at his spiritual home at FOP Band in HMS Raleigh where he would collectively serve more than 20 years. Contrary to popular belief, Kev has applied his skills in all the RM Bands, including Fleet Band and FOF3 Band on HMS Fearless.
Kev has travelled extensively with the Band Service and has been fortunate to visit some amazing places all over the World, including Ethiopia, Bermuda, Russia, the Far East, Australia, New Zealand, and the Mediterranean, to name but a few, and he also has his own parking billet in the Embassy car park in Washington, USA. Kev takes some wonderful memories from his travels but if he has to pick one it would be the sodden night on parade for the Hong Kong Handover Ceremony whilst on the Ocean Wave deployment in 1997.

Kev has made some great friends, has had a wonderfully fun career in the Band Service and is extremely proud to have finished his time as Bugle Major Plymouth. Kev lives in the Torpoint area with his wife Stephanie and daughter Sophie and will concentrate on his newly found passion of… golf!

It is fitting that this appointment was held, for the final time, by someone with such enthusiasm and dedication to the Corps and, in particular, the Buglers Branch

Portsmouth Corps of Drums

At the beginning of this term we said goodbye to Cpl Sean Donoghue, congratulations Sean on passing more of your B1s course than you thought you would, and the best of luck for your senior command course! We also said a fond farewell to Bugler James Biff Trowbridge, we will miss your unmistakable laugh and impossibly long arms and hope you enjoy the fabled Plymouth COD. We also begrudgingly welcomed Buglers Lee Kidd, Ben Paine, Ross Tomkins and Lawrence Perry.

We have been working incredibly hard (as normal): Early in the term we performed on HMS Illustrious for celebrations surrounding Fly 100 - the centenary of Naval Aviation. We rehearsed hard for a Beat Retreat on the flight deck and Prince Andrew seemed to enjoy our efforts, as did the Greenwich social scene that evening.
One of the highlights of the term has been The Windsor Castle Royal Tattoo, a Military Musical Extravaganza set to blow the proverbial socks off four different Royals on four consecutive nights. We were staying at Pirbright Army Camp and being a training camp we were without a Beer Boat, so none of us drank anything all week (Honest!). Thankfully all was not lost, as the base's cafe Sandes cooked the most amazing breakfast ever. Carlsberg don’t do full English breakfasts, but... you get my point. The rehearsals for the Tattoo itself were somewhat chaotic for the COD as the organisers wanted us to perform the Drum Static on a 4ft high stage with no steps, which we weren’t going to see before the day of the gig. For the performance that evening we marched up to the stage and in a military fashion unhooked our drums and gave each other boosties onto the stage, where we resumed playing the bugle march and the show went on. We were then supplied with a different set of steps every night until the gig was over. One night we also sheltered from torrential rain in a horse box.

When we returned it was time to knuckle down and learn all the music for this year’s Beat Retreat on Horse Guards Parade and before we knew it, we had been overrun with buglers from all corners of the Band Service. Although we all thoroughly enjoyed the display, after 3 weeks of massed COD banter, the Benny Hill Tea Race and the Shot Game we were all relieved when they returned to their respective bands and we had our own Buglers' Grot back.

Undoubtedly the most uplifting moment of my term so far has been Bugler Mark Johnson’s first gig in over 15 months. Johno has been OOA due to debilitating disease and after courses of steroids and physiotherapy AND painting 40 pairs of white sticks for Horse Guards, he is finally making a welcome return to the COD.
It is with (slight) regret that we wish Buglers Nic Cansfield, John Sumner, Ben Paine, Ross Tomkins and Sgt Bugler Si Chapman the very best of luck in their new drafts in Collingwood Band and hope that their band complex will be ready soon, so that we can have ours back. That’s it from me, until next time,
Ciao
Bomber

RMSoM Corps of Drums

Throughout this past term the RMSoM Buglers' Grot has been quite busy with more than its fair share of events. First of all, congratulations are in order to Buglers Crossley and Pessol as they both got married (to separate people), and another congratulations to Bugler Pessol on the birth of her “thin-red-line” daughter Molly Rose. This term has been a busy one and a good experience for us all with gigs such as a Royal Beat Retreat outside HMS Victory for Princess Anne, an RNPT onboard HMS Illustrious, the last ever Mess Beatings in the current HMS Excellent Senior Rates' Mess for Trafalgar Night and of course the Band Service Reunion.

We also played a marching Band for HMS Nelson, raising money for Children in Need, wearing silly-rig. We even managed to put a smile on Drum Major Scollick’s face with the Buglers' excellent “Star Wars costumes” (even Jabba the Hutt, Paine).

The Grot has been getting fairly crowded with six new Buglers who have just passed their Initial Military Training. We would like to welcome them and wish them success in their forthcoming musical training.
We would also like to congratulate Cpl Bug Hawkins on successfully passing his CRNB(I) course, (GAS, GAS and GAS!)

Good luck goes out to Buglers Trowbridge and Cartwright for their B3 Exam and their Grade 8 external exam. Finally I would like to say a big well done to Buglers Trowbridge and Kidd for winning the game of football in their Royal Marines advert which you may have seen on the television recently. “How many Royal Marines Commandos can you see?” (Obviously none, ‘cos them were Buglers!)

Bugler Tomkins

Last updated January 2010