RN Volunteer Band HMS Drake (Devonport Naval Base)

BdCSgt M Phillips BMus (Hons) RM

Not a great deal has changed since the last instalment from the Band here in Devonport; we seem to be getting busier and busier, the festival seems to come round quicker each year and the stores still have no junior ratings hats due to a navy wide shortage! Add to that our usual round of summer engagements and somewhere in amongst all of that I have found time to sit here and write down all of our most recent exploits.

Over Easter I took a month of leave to go on honeymoon, taking in Hong Kong, Australia and L.A. In my absence I was very fortunate to have the M1 students from RM Band Plymouth offer to take the Band for rehearsals which proved very useful, for both the students and the Band alike. My thanks go to Bd Cpls Jules Cook, Tom Crane, Dunc Newman and Kev Harvey for taking up the baton and giving the Band suitable work outs while I was away!

On my return, we began marching rehearsal for the forth-coming band festival. The Corps of Drums continued to cement their reputation as a useful asset with a charity ball in Plymouth attended by many celebrity chefs and local VIPs, the COD providing the pre-dinner entertainment. It obviously went well as they were mentioned in a local newspaper article. Another mess beatings at the Wardroom the following week kept them out of trouble, while accompaniment for the dinner came from the newly formed duet ‘Just the Two of Us’ which was equally well received.

Bank holiday Monday found the Band at the re-opening of the Plymouth museum after a period of refurbishment. The museum was re-opened by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke even managed a quick word with the Band on his way round the assembled guests, making this a highlight of this term's engagements.

During May the band were treated to another week of the M1 students as I took part in the RM Band Service memorial cycle ride, ‘Bandies on Bikes’. This ride was organised in memory of Major John Kelly and Bd Cpl Andy Thomson who both passed away last year and involved riding from John’s hometown of Deal in Kent and concluding at HMS Raleigh in Torpoint five days later. Needless to say some days were a little more emotional than others but I think that I speak for all involved that the organising by the Corps Bugle Major Lee Cullen, Bd Sgt (Now Lt RN) Brett Simpson and Bd Cpl Phil Hobby was nothing short of exceptional. We all got to where we needed to be at the right (ish) times and all in one piece (stand fast Fraser - hope you’re feeling better mate!). The RNVB association was well represented with Dr Zoe Goldthorpe and LNN Gareth Bott supplying medical cover, fortunately only being called into action once!

Thanks must also go to all the lads and lassies who gave up their time as the support crew, ex-Bandie Jon Hawkes and his skills on a motorbike that avoided anyone getting killed at roundabouts and to all the support we received whilst doing the ride, especially the receptions received at both CTCRM and HMS Raleigh which were something we will all remember for a long time. As it stands, the amount raised is over £20,000, which will be split three ways between St Luke’s Hospice, Deal Memorial Bandstand and the RM Benevolent fund.
On returning from ‘Bandies on Bikes’, I got on with sorting the next major RNVB event, massed volunteer bands for BRNC Passing-Out divisions on June 13. The recce was done and all necessary arrangements made to get thirty-seven members of the RNVB association from five different bands to BRNC for a rehearsal at 1330 the day before, as well as supplying musical combinations for the cocktail parties the night before the parade. Most members of the bands arrived in time for lunch on the Friday to be met with damp weather conditions, which did not improve over the three hours of rehearsal that we stood through that afternoon. If asked to do it again I will get waterproof jackets, honest! Fortunately, all spirits were raised by a social held that night at the Seale Arms in Dartmouth, kindly organised by Tommo, and by the end of the evening the whole Band had managed to find their way to Dartmouth. I briefed the drum major, Ron Naden, over a pint outside the pub in much nicer weather conditions and assured him that I knew what was going on!

Saturday greeted us with BRNC bathed in gorgeous sunshine and with a couple of phone calls to the Corps Drum Major to confirm certain salutes all was good to go. We marched on for the band display at 1040, leaving BRNC parade ground at 1220 after being inspected by both FOST (Flag Officer Sea Training) and the Mayor of Dartmouth. Overall the divisions went exceptionally well, the RN Volunteer Band proving to be both professional and musical in difficult weather conditions. From my point of view, I would like to thank all members of Nelson, Collingwood, Devonport, Heron and Culdrose Volunteer bands who gave up their time to carry out this engagement and hope they have forgiven me for getting them a little damp on the rehearsal and I hope that if asked again we would be able to supply a band in the absence of the RM Band Service.

From there we fell into the usual summer engagements around the naval base, including the annual reception at the Wardroom, which involved us entertaining the guests in a marquee before the evening was bought to a close by RM Band Plymouth with a fine performance of Beating Retreat. The Friday saw the officer’s dressing themselves up for the Wardroom summer ball, the evening starting with an impeccable performance of sunset by Steve Benwell in front of an audience of 600. The band were involved in the annual Armed Forces week in Plymouth, a night playing for a veteran’s dinner here in Drake, and a joint concert with the Plymouth Youth Concert band in Plymouth Guildhall, which concluded with the Battle of Trafalgar.

Next week we all make the journey to Portsmouth for the annual festival, but not before supplying the musical support for a dinner to commemorate the leaving of the First Sea Lord from the Western area on Wednesday evening, which includes mess beatings, violinists, post horns and sea shanties.

Up-coming events worth noting are Plymouth Navy Days which are in early September, where both RM Band Plymouth will be performing arena displays whilst I will have my band on the flight deck of HMS Ocean, which will be moored next to HMS Daring, the newest addition to the British fleet. So if you are visiting, keep an eye out for us!

Egor

Last updated January 2010