RN Volunteer Band HMS Nelson

BdCSgt C N Silvester RM

Well, with continuing gigs and engagements, Nelson Band has been extremely busy.

In March the Band had its first concert with their new Bandy out front at Drayton Methodist Church. With two days to go, we had lost our kit player – panic set in as the caffeine levels dropped. Nathan Crossley was coerced with only slight pressure into picking up the sticks and did a fine job (after we had agreed the correct tempo!). With a good audience, Band and organ performed well.

With a tinge of sadness we took part in the closure service of St Luke's Church, Haslar. After over 200 years, the Royal Navy presence at Haslar is coming to an end and the start of the formal hand-over to Portsmouth Hospital Trust started with the final church service in St Luke's. A brass quintet plus myself on the organ were the icing on the cake for the service – although on arrival we discovered that the tuning was nearly a semitone out between Band and organ! Adapt and overcome…

Before I forget, I must congratulate the Corps of Drums for their excellent performance at this year’s Festival that won them the Collingwood Trophy for the Best Drum Display - 6 years in a row now?

Also congratulations go to Chris for his excellent solo playing with Harlem Nocturne – another trophy to add to the collection! Again it was good to see the social aspect of the Festival, this being held in the historic dockyard. Now, the Nelson girlies went as fairies, Neil went as a ferry…

Music sorting has been a major activity. This left the bandroom strewn with the faded copies of untitled second pages and forlorn handwritten manuscript from “that gig a couple of years ago”. Still, a slimmer gig pack is the end result – Now it’s time for repertoire research in order to fill it with “new” music like My Fair Lady and Gigi – (“well I like ‘em”) and Toccata arr. Farr/Lamb – our organist cringes…! It should also give us the chance to find some of the elusive parts that BdCSgt Dave Bromley, Chief Librarian RMBS, has been asking for for the past year or so. Greenfairy is working on it as she’s buried under the piles of music… One new piece that is universally popular is a selection of thigh slapping tunes from Pirates of the Caribbean. There is, methinks, more than one Johnny Depp fan amongst the ‘vollie dollies’ as the new poster in the bandroom will attest!

Nelson Band, as always, try to have a varied programme of engagements and this term is no exception. After the summer break it was into Home Club and Wardroom evenings.

All good fun to play especially when space is short at the venue – HMS Excellent Wardroom comes to mind. Our VBI has made a decision not to exceed three major gigs a month; will have to check how we are doing on that one. I know for a fact we have five in December… the joy of Christmas time. Bah humbug!

As ever there are more requests for the Band than we can fulfil (and still keep it fun for Band members). We have played for many Mess dinners and functions in HMS Nelson, HMS Excellent and at the Sailors Home Club for Gunnery Instructors, Submariners, and Wrens.

Yours truly was slightly coerced into travelling up north to help out Neptune Band (see their article for more details). Thanks for the bottles of red wine Martin; drinking while playing is a must! (Greenfairy can’t believe I’ve only just found that out!)

So for this term we have had the pleasure of performing two concerts, the first one being for the RBL at All Saints Church, Milford on Sea. Of course this needed a recce, so Neil and myself went down to investigate, as well as looking at the venue, stage area, power sockets the normal things; we discovered 2 pubs which had to be sampled. The day of the concert soon came and with an intermittent heating system, the tuning for the afternoon rehearsal was fun. With over 180 in the audience, they all sang along to Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory with gusto. I think their volume beat the newly installed organ!

Our second concert was up in Essex at Hadleigh Temple with the Salvation Army. On arrival we were given a warm welcome and after an hour of rehearsal, we had a break and were fed chocolate cake and all. After that we were joined by their brass band to run through the joint pieces. More food was then on offer at their off-site facility.

Both bands performed well, with our Corps of Drums performing an excellent display. The concert/Service of Remembrance was one of the best they had done, and we were proud to be part of it. The coach was ready for us and we left the venue around 10.30pm – Another long day for us Nelsonites, even longer for those who went out for a curry afterwards at around 1.30am!

HMS Collingwood Band made a plea for help during the Remembrance time, and as is the spirit, Nelsonites went over and swelled the numbers. Some even managed to play the right notes! Also one of our trumpet players kindly went up to Northwood Band and assisted them – pick up at Fleet Services wasn’t it? Another Wardroom gig was next, with a good old singsong, which finally brings me on to every VBI’s nightmare – Christmas.

The red and green Christmas books have now made an appearance, to everyone’s joy. The old favourites, including Sleigh Ride and Troika have been brought out too, well it’s good to keep the Band on its toes –Neigh! With King Alfred, HMS Victory, and Fairfield School carol services looming, there is no time to rest!

Some sad news to end this article: in January, our VBI, Neil, will be leaving us for what will probably be his last appointment in the RMBS as he returns to Portsmouth Band. Neil has brought a new meaning of humour to Nelson Band, late night curries and a well-stocked beer fridge.

Neil has to be particularly praised and congratulated on being the first VBI to take a band across the pond to the USA. Band members who went all agree that a most enjoyable time was had out there. Oh btw, names for America 08 please to your VBIs ASAP!

Many of us will be sad to see him leave and we all wish him well with his old chums across the way. We offer a warm welcome to BdCSgt Doug Scott, who we hope will enjoy his time in Nelson and continue the good work of his predecessors.

Our congratulations also to the new Bugler Crossley who has left us to move across the road, joining the September 07 intake of RMSoM. We’re all very proud of you! I believe that there are four trainees in this year’s intake that have been members of Volunteer Bands: it must be something we feed them!

May I take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Christmas and a relaxing, peaceful New Year.

Windy

Last updated May 2008