Au revoir Captain Andrew Henderson MBA LRAM RM
Retiring Editor: Blue Band Magazine

"If you’re going to join a Military Band Service, then why not join the best? said Mr Northcott the school careers master, reaching into the filing cabinet behind him and gently laying the glossy recruiting pamphlet in front of the young man. On the cover, a full colour image of a Royal Marines Bugler in Ceremonial Dress, sticks across face at the ready. “Yes” thought the young man – "this looks good."

Some months later in September 1970, RMB 4322 Junior Musician Henderson AD had settled into training at the RMSM Deal to learn the Clarinet and further his studies on Violin.

One of 40 - only BdCSgt Dave Bromley remains - Andy remembers Training as a time of Parades, Practice, PT and pretty much everything else that young boys used to get up to: furtive pints in the Kings Head by the Pier, the Churchill Club on a Saturday night, ODs Orch with Taff Webber on a Sunday morning, profs lessons with Lotty Collins (he could reminisce his way through the entire period if you got him going on a good day), the ever smiling and totally encouraging Lew Becker (there are still a few Becker bowing arms around if you look closely), Dee Lindars going down the deck in 61 Block with the Duty NCO’s dog – and what a shine it made too, Leo Arnold and an early progress test, two Cassel Prize finals, promotion to Section Commander and later House Captain, secondments to Staff Orchestra with Col Paul Neville and some fantastic symphonic orchestral work, marching to supper one evening in the company of Junior Musician Brian Allen and tentatively exchanging views that they both wanted to become Directors of Music; and then out into the big wide world to C-IN-C Western Fleet at Chatham.

A wide variety of engagements followed all over the world and in particular, being the C-IN-C’s Band, regular visits to the maritime NATO countries. A further apprenticeship on violin was served sitting next to Bob Gill learning the bread and butter repertoire and playing on pretty much every orchestral gig for five years, plus a busy round of County Shows, Colours, Divisions and more parades various. In fact in those days Fleet Band used to lead every year at the RBL Festival of Remembrance and Cenotaph and by now Musician Henderson, whose birthday is on the 9 November, had celebrated most anniversaries of his early twenties at one major National Act of Remembrance or another.

Despite the busy schedule Andy also found time to regularly represent Medway Command at football and United Services Chatham at rugby, while as a member of the ‘Chatham Band Undefeated’ cricket side (who never lost a game!) he enjoyed a reputation as a very safe pair of hands in the slips and a very happy tail wagging away at number ten. Even contacts made during those sporting days have remained as good friends. Indeed, a friendship forged on the football field stood him in good stead as a newly promoted Corporal.

The first gig he ever took as a JNCO was leading a quintet at Admiralty House in Whitehall. On arrival he was told by the WO Caterer “your beer’s in the changing room Bandy”. “Wow”, thought Andy, “they’ve really looked after us here”. On completion of the Dinner the quintet walked out with 17 cans each! Naively, they had taken the beer for the whole support staff - Chefs, Stewards, everyone. To make matters worse, on the way home the coach broke down and they ended up arriving back in HMS Pembroke at 0330. Next day Andy was ‘requested’ to report to the WO Caterer who put him in front of the Supply Officer - who just happened to play alongside Andy for Medway Command. After a brief explanation everything was calmed down and Andy was ‘invited’ to reimburse the Catering School to the value of three and half crates of Beer - an expensive first gig!
Another first must be the occasion when Andy did a complete Beat Retreat without an instrument. Totally out of character he forgot his clarinet on a Silver Jubilee BR in Malta. Ever one for a creative solution he mimed the whole gig - with hands together holding the top crook of an Eb Sax and a march card between his fingers.

The DOM at the time may not have noticed… but Drum Major Dave Dawson certainly did!
Further promotion beckoned and as one of the top two students on his M1s a draft to the Dreary Rooms followed immediately. In those days the Bandmasters’ course was steeped in Madrigals and Lovelock and although pertinent at the time was nowhere near as comprehensive and wide-ranging as the outstanding syllabus available today - and understandably so, for it is only by stretching and growing, both as individuals and as an organisation, that progress of any sort can be made.

A draft to FOSNI followed the Bandmasters’ Class and LRAM and then it was over to Neptune for a spell as VBI before a return to FOSNI. As a staunch member of the ex FOSNI society he totally supports the view that no one wanted to go there, but then absolutely no one ever wanted to leave either! Andy managed almost five years then it was back to Deal.

As Sergeant Major Training Company Andy realised he was getting older when, annotating the R141s of some of his charges, he realised he had joined up before they were even born! He feels a glimmer of pride however, in that three of the young men in Training Company from that period have gone on to become fellow Directors of Music - well done Messrs Curtis, Burcham and Long.

At this time Brian Allen, having already achieved a very good Pass for Commission at the Admiralty Interview Board, fell victim to a massive brain haemorrhage and was medically discharged robbing the Band Service of a potentially superb Director of Music and Andy of a long time colleague. They remain great friends to this day.

The year after Commissioning in 1991, Andy and Anne became an instant foursome by adopting Liam and Amanda; they are particularly proud of their family and are delighted to have been able to move around the country together on all of Andy’s appointments. Andy is also very appreciative of their support and all they have done and remembers with great affection the time Amanda and Liam presented bouquets to HMthe Queen.

Further experience gained as Assistant Chief Training Officer and Assistant to PDM was followed by a family move to Lympstone in 1994 to enable Andy to take over as the Director of Music at the Commando Training Centre. Without doubt this was the happiest and most professionally rewarding five years of his entire career.

Leading a Band of 50 as it was then, all over the world, in a range of fantastic engagements with some of the finest SNCOs and musicians in the Band Service was a complete joy, as was playing to capacity audiences in Exmouth Pavilion year after year. He was particularly honoured to be chosen as the Director of Music for the National VJ Ceremonies in 1995 at Cardiff Castle. This proved a challenging role, not only in directing a tri Service massed band of some 200 musicians with massed Welsh Choirs and HRH the Prince of Wales as VIP, but also given the whole ceremony was visited by live national BBC television at three predetermined time slots throughout the evening. Andy’s idea to use discreet green and red lights to allow the Producer and him to better control crucial timings worked perfectly and the entire production was lauded by the BBC for its superb timekeeping. And CTCRM Band was roundly celebrated by the two Army Directors of Music for their “absolutely superb musicianship and bearing”. A good day all round!

Having taken a personal decision to put family first, Andy joined the staff of HQBSRM as SO(M) and Editor of the Blue Band Magazine under Colonel Richard Waterer. Notwithstanding the satisfaction of significant enhancements achieved with his first class support staff in the Supply and CML areas, Andy’s stewardship of the Blue Band Magazine has undoubtedly been the most rewarding non-musical post he has held. The opportunity to engage, meet and talk with ex-serving members has been by turns fascinating and humbling. After hearing their stories of Band Service life at sea during the wars, and at the risk of seeming trite, he firmly believes that all post 1950s generations, as Harold Macmillan said, "have never had it so good". He finds it inspirational that men with memories of very hard times can still laugh at life. Mind you, they have given him a laugh as well with some of the typos and misprints in letters. He has been called Captain Anderson, Captain Hillingdon and Captain Hendersine, Dear Editor, Dear Shipmate and on one occasion Dear Chum, while at the foot of a letter he had Best Regrads and his personal favourite, hidden away in the body of the text, earnestly beseeching him to partake of the writer’s hospitality, he was amused to read “I would be honoured if you would be my guset!”

As SO(M) the post also gave him the opportunity to test out many of the concepts, models and theories he was to come across while progressing a Masters Degree in Business with the Open University. Having recently graduated, Andy now looks forward to putting those four continuous years of work to even better effect.

But what of the future? Retirement is a bit of a misnomer and Andy is looking forward immensely to the exciting challenge of new openings. One thing is certain though; henderson.clan will certainly miss the variety, excitement and privilege that come from being a member and family of the Royal Marines Band Service.  As Mr Northcott said, "If you’re going to join a Military Band Service, then why not join the best?" As far as Andy is concerned, he did, and has had 34 wonderful years in the process.