Band of HM Royal Marines Scotland

Director of Music Captain R Harvey BMus(Hons) LRSM AMusTCL Royal Marines

Welcome readers to the latest instalment t’up north, Scotland Band style. In the last Blue Band we mentioned the Band’s impending trip to the Isle of Man. Every year on the 5th of July the ancient ceremony of Tynwald takes place. During it, those laws enacted in the previous year are promulgated and confirmed in an open air ceremony. Warrants of Office are appointed and confirmed, and those persons who believe themselves wronged may seek redress from the Lord of Man. Although it was a beautiful sunny day on the 5th of July, unfortunately the rehearsal on the 4th was more wellies, kagoul and umbrella weather! Our time in the Isle of Man also included concerts in the Villa Marina Concert Hall and All Saints Church, also marching displays at Port Erin, Ramsey and Government House. No trip to the Isle of Man would be complete without a trip to the aptly named ‘Quids Inn’ now a tradition for Scotland Band.

Scotland Band in the Isle of Man

As any Director of Music would, when the chance to work with the ever popular opera singer Katherine Jenkins came around, Capt Tony Smallwood grabbed it with both hands. So the Band travelled to Womersley to join Katherine in many popular songs including O Sole Mio and an Italian version of Bryan Adams' hit Everything I Do I Do It For You. The Concert also featured the tenor Matthew Crane and a long time friend of the Band Service and former singing professor at the Royal Marines School of Music, Emer McParland.

Womersley Concert

The coastline at Seaburn and Roker was filled with the sights and sounds of the largest airshow in Europe during the last weekend in July. In between fly-pasts by the Red Arrows and a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, we, the diamond nine of Scotland Band, performed numerous Beat Retreats to entertain the crowds and attempted to convert and recruit wannabe pilots into the Royal Marines.

The Scotland Band Egg & Spoon Race

Each year sees Yorkshire Day marked on the streets of a different Yorkshire town or city; this year’s being Kingston-upon-Hull. The event, which began at Hull City Hall and paraded through to Holy Trinity Church for a special church service, was to commemorate the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade in Britain and to celebrate the traditional culture and heritage of the county. The parade included over 200 mayors from around Yorkshire and also members of the ship’s company from its affiliated ship HMS York. Whilst in Hull the Band also supported the annual north east region Support to British Reservists and Employers (SaBRE) reception, which was held onboard HMS York. We performed a Beat Retreat on the quayside although I’m not sure that the crew had considered the all important tides, as all the guests could see by the end of it was our feet! Good job I’d painted, sorry, polished my toe caps!

There’s no rest for the wicked with the Band working right up until the last day of term with a very, very hot Beat Retreat on board RFA Mounts Bay, berthed at Ocean Terminal, Leith to celebrate the Edinburgh Royal Marines Association’s 20th Anniversary. Guests for the dinner included Sir Robert Fulton KBE, former Commandant General and current Governor of Gibraltar, and most importantly, my childhood hero, the legend that is Sir Jimmy Savile, who finally answered my letter and fixed it for me to play with the Royal Marines Band Wind Quintet! Now then, Now then!

The author with Sir Jimmy and her badge

After enjoying a less than sunny summer leave in the Costa Del Rosyth, Scotland Band were straight back to work with a trip to Copenhagen under the new direction of Capt Rich Harvey. The event was organised to help support the commemoration of the Battle of Copenhagen that took place two hundred years ago in 1807. Whilst there, we performed ceremonies and Beat Retreats in many locations including Christiansborg Palace, Kastellet and the Naval Museum in København. As all bands do, we immersed ourselves in the local culture by sampling the traditional food and drink of our host country, English bar, Irish bar, Scottish bar and not forgetting the Indian take away! Sounds a bit like the start of one of Capt Smallwood’s terrible jokes!

Scotland Band in Copenhagen

Memorable gigs in September also included the concert band travelling to Greenock and the parade band to Tyne to celebrate the round UK voyage of the grand old liner the QE2 who was succeeded as Cunard’s flagship by the Queen Mary 2 back in 2004. Her final voyage in November will be from Southampton to Dubai after which she will be refurbished and berthed permanently at the Palm Jumeirah as a luxury floating hotel.
As ever, an important part of our term has been the concerts held at the Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline. The audiences this term have been treated to many special moments including the return of BdCpl Brian ‘Elvis’ Lloyd who we have confirmed is definitely working in a chip shop in Inverkeithing. We performed the ever popular Children of Sanchez with solos from BdCpl Adi Breen and the ‘Wise Old Owl’ BdCSgt Miles Bolton, hoot hoot! The buglers also ‘treated’ (and I use that term loosely!) the audience to their own special version of Offenbach’s Can-Can. I’m still trying to work out who the redhead with the long legs in the middle was?!
Our travels this term have taken us to many great concert venues including Bridlington, for the Royal British Legion, and Perth for a joint concert in aid of Seafarers UK. Our joint concert brought us together with the Perth Choral Society under the direction of a former Director of Music Capt Peter Rutterford.

To celebrate this year’s Corps Birthday, BdCpl Smudge Smith and Musn Victoria Beaton organised some ‘light’ refreshments and cake at our local Royal British Legion in Dunfermline. The event was well attended by musicians and commandos both new and old, and also by the local press. A special guest at the night was a former driver for Sir Vivian Dunn, Mr Ian Davidson. Special mentions for the night must go to our guys in old time rig, Musn Martin ‘Tubs’ Chapman who read the citation, also Musn Jess Norton and Bug Damien Challis who provided musical accompaniment with ‘Lily Bolero’.

The Director of Music presents a cheque to the Childrens Liver Foundation

Say hello, wave goodbye

Since the last edition of The Blue Band we have had to say a sorry goodbye to a few members from our motley crew! Firstly Musn Jim Lloyd who left us for that big wide world outside of the Band Service; we wish him all the best and hope he does well in whatever he chooses to do. Secondly Musn Jess Norton, off on temporary draft to Portsmouth. Although only with us for a brief time, Jess has definitely left her mark with her ‘Yazz Flute’.

Thirdly, and very much missed from the Corps of Drums, Bug Kerrie Silk. Last but defiantly not least we have said a sad farewell to Drum Major Gavin Moxworthy who has moved to the Plymouth Band and has donated his aptly named goldfish, Globe and Laurel, to the new Drum Major! I’m glad to say both are still doing well!
This term welcomes go to our new boss, Capt Rich Harvey, shipped in straight from the snowy hills of Troodos, Cyprus! From Portsmouth we welcome Drum Major Buster Brown. We also welcome from Training Company, Musn Heather Unwin and Musn Emma ‘Stroppy Jock’ McFadyen, and finally the infamous trio Dave, Mac and Ernie… sorry, I meant Dave McEnnerny! The joke never wears thin!

The Band would like to congratulate BdCpl Mark Flintoft on completing his M1s Course and Nige Jones on his recent promotion to BdSgt. Medal presentations this term have gone to Cpl Bug Jon Lee for his recent trip to Afghanistan, also to Cpls Quentin Brown, Jon Lee, Matt Gaylard, Paul Farmer, Mark Flintoft and Drum Major Buster Brown for being very, very, very old and having fifteen years of undetected crime! If only they knew!
Well that’s all folks! Goodbye from Scotland Band and goodbye from me, the tallest lankiest female in the Corps! And remember ‘We’re no awa tae bide awa!’

Cpl Jon Lee being presented his Afghanistan Medal

Last updated May 2008