Au revoir WO2 Tommy Lawton

Bugle Major

(Written jointly by Marcher and John Ambler)

When Tommy Lawton leaves the Royal Marines Band Service it will lose a man whose record of service is second to none.

Born on the 5th May 1958 and following a childhood full of sport and adventure in the countryside around Halifax, Tommy, on the 18th August 1974, signed up for 10 years and 261 days in the Royal Marines Band Service as a clarinet player. Three months later he realised that the Buglers were having a better social life and so became Junior Bugler Lawton.

His first draft was to the Staff Band at Deal where he soon found himself on board the minesweeper, HMS Curzon, looking for gun-runners in the Irish Sea – a bit of a shock as he thought he was volunteering for a trip to China or the United States! However, things improved in 1976 when he was part of the British massed bands playing, for the first time, at the Canadian National Exhibition.

Buglers Blythe, Seddon, Naylor, O'Connell and Connolly

A draft to Scotland to join the band of Flag Officer Scotland & Northern Ireland came next. After his first Royal Tournament came a three-month sea-draft on HMS Hermes. After this trip to Bermuda and the United States he was commended for the manner in which he carried out his ceremonial duties and also for the way in which he joined in RM Detachment activities including Military Training, landing craft crewman, assault supply team and sport. During his time with FOSNI Band, they made more than twenty trips to Northern Ireland to entertain troops and civilians. He subsequently received his General Service Medal for Northern Ireland. Before his next draft in 1983, Tommy married Sharon, was involved in covering the Firemen’s strike, passed his Junior Command Course and daughter Emma arrived.

Shortly after his return to Deal, Tommy was promoted Cpl Bug and his first report included the comment “Cpl Bug Lawton is an excellent Junior NCO in whom I have the greatest confidence. I can see Corps Bugle Major qualities in him”. In the same year he returned to Scotland for his first, and only, Edinburgh Tattoo.

In 1985 the bands of the Royal Marines School of Music and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders toured the United States. The tour covered 16,000 miles and seventy-three performances in sixty-eight major cities, including a performance at Madison Square Gardens, with only four free days during the three-month period. The Corps of Drums excelled themselves under his leadership and were commended for their displays, bearing and turnout.

In 1986 second daughter, Joanna, was born. The principal event for the RMSM Band was the four weeks of London Duties at Buckingham Palace and St James Palace. The following year Tommy was promoted Sgt Bug then, in 1988, he became CSgt Bug.

During 1988 he and Alan Piner were sent to Rio de Janeiro for the RBL Remembrance Service. Instead of spending the planned week there they stayed for two weeks. Whilst Tommy and Alan were enjoying the beaches, beer and heat of Rio the rest of the band, not to mention wife Sharon and family, were enduring below freezing temperatures, eight inches of snow and, in Sharon’s case, the central heating packing up! Of course the communication and socialising skills that Tommy learnt in Rio were essential to Tommy’s later appointments as Bugle Major, Head of Branch and Mess Vice-President!

In January 1989 he was drafted to C-in-C Nav Home Band at Eastney and was appointed Bugle Major. He has now held a Bugle Major’s appointment for almost twenty years – probably the longest period such an appointment has been held. This draft coincided with a request from the Emsworth Marching Band for assistance – a request that he responded to and a cause that he has continued to support until very recently.
Although the 1990 Royal Tournament, the 100th, was Tommy’s sixth it was the first where he did not play. The theme was ‘Salute to the Sea Soldier’ and featured the RM Kings Squad who needed a musical backing track. Tommy suggested Caernarvon Castle and that the Corps of Drums should be part of the display, which was agreed. Cpl Ryder, one of the Drill Leaders, later wrote in Globe & Laurel:

‘How do you get Royal Marines to march to that tune? Fortunately, after a few days the Squad got the hang of it and soon we had a drill display in the making. That was until the Corps of Drums arrived and put their oar in, [telling us] "You’ve got to get the Squad to do a movement on every left foot. They will have to about or turn outwards on a double beat of the Bass Drum – which is given on the left foot". After re-writing the Drill Manual we proceeded to re-teach the Kings Squad what amounted to Band Drill with weapons – funnily enough, it seemed a lot easier.’

Third daughter Rebecca was born in 1990, a year before Tommy became involved in the closure of Eastney Barracks and the transfer of the Portsmouth Band to HMS Nelson. He was also involved in the Beat Retreat on Horse Guards Parade for which he wrote the bugle fanfare Salute to Swordfish.

The next draft, as Bugle Major RMSM, meant a family move back to Deal where roots were put down. It was during this draft that the PDM, Lt Col Waterer, formed a team of senior and experienced specialists – PDM’s Planning Team. This team was responsible for all of the prestigious ceremonial events, including many Tri-Service events. Tommy Lawton was a natural inclusion because of his many years' experience of major ceremonial. 1995 saw a whole series of events marking the 50th Anniversary of the end of World War II. This was also the period when severe family illness, culminating in a kidney transplant, brought increased pressure to bear on both Tommy and Sharon. An Officer wrote ‘Despite family medical problems which have stretched his time to the limit, he has never ceased to perform his duties to the high standards that he has always displayed. He is a credit to the Corps, an inspiration to work with and a trustworthy and able adviser, for which I thank him’

Keep your tounge in Tommy

In 1996 the RMSM was relocated to HMS Nelson and Portsmouth Band took over the duties of the RMSM Staff Band. Slightly in advance of this Tommy was drafted to the Portsmouth Band as Bugle Major. He wrote the bugle fanfare Kerkira for the Massed Bands Beat Retreat on Horse Guards’ Parade and was selected to serve a second Open Engagement. This led to him attending the Advanced Command Course, being appointed Corps Bugle Major and then being promoted WO2 during 1997. He was, by now, the Band Service Security SNCO, taking responsibility for all security issues. He established good relationships with police agencies around the country and was responsible for training all personnel dealing with security issues. As a highly respected and valued member of the Management Team he was playing a full part in the wider aspects of HQBSRM planning for massed bands and major ceremonial events, his wide experience of tri-service matters and awareness of the detailed requirements of major engagements being of special benefit.

Improvements to the training of Buglers were featuring highly at this time and Tommy not only supported Bugle Major Platts in this ground-breaking work but also promoted the need for Buglers to attend, and take part in, the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) in the United States. It was in 1998 that Tommy, knowing that he still had eight years to serve, elected not to progress his promotion to WO1 until others had the opportunity of filling the position of WO1 Buglers Branch Advisor. He therefore continued to fill the duties of the Advisor at the lower rank. In September 1999 he handed over the responsibility of Branch Advisor and once again became Bugle Major, Portsmouth Band, but retaining his official appointment as the Corps Bugle Major. The PDM, Lt Col Richard Waterer wrote ‘WO2 Bug Lawton has served in this HQ for just over a year as the Corps Bugle Major and Branch Advisor. Throughout his term he has been of enormous support to me, producing highly imaginative choreography for all of the Massed Bands displays in what has been a very busy year. Administratively, he has worked hard on various Band Service issues, most notably clothing and progress has been achieved. He has carried out his Sergeant Major’s duties efficiently and has contributed much as a member of an effective HQ team. Most importantly, he has been robust and steadfast in standing up for the Buglers Branch ensuring their case is heard. I am very grateful for all that Mr Lawton has done. I wish him well as he returns to the Portsmouth Band and look forward to working with him in his continuing role as CBM’

As Corps Bugle Major he conducted the Massed Corps of Drums at the Beat Retreat and was responsible for the Buglers' Branch in the final Royal Tournament. The Tournament was replaced by the ‘Royal Military Tattoo 2000’, an event that utilised the full complement of skills and experience of the RMBS Management Team. During this year Tommy accepted an invitation to become Vice-President of the HMS Nelson WO, SR and SNCOs’ Mess, a post that, by the date of his retirement, he will have held for more than eight years – longer than any previous President or Vice-President.

Since 2001 Tommy has continued to feature in all of the major events such as the Colours Ceremony on Plymouth Hoe in 2001 and the Buckingham Palace Beat Retreat in 2003. During the 2002 Fire-fighters strike he was appointed second-in-command of the Portsmouth Temporary Fire Stations and was heavily involved not only in the affairs of his own station, but those of the county as well. During the demobilisation stage his drive, initiative and foresight were invaluable in achieving a smooth and satisfactory conclusion to this operation.

In 2003, with five years' service to go, he felt that the time was right for him to apply for the rank of WO1 and the appointment of Buglers' Branch Advisor. Despite outstanding reports from his Reporting Officers this was not to be. Although disappointed, he dealt with the situation professionally and graciously and continued his duties as Bugle Major for major ceremonial occasions. It was said of him that ‘His continued diligence and professionalism has been impressive, but not surprising given the type of man he is’.

Since then he has devised and produced the recording ‘Fox’s Marines’ which showcases the Bugler Branch, worked with Supply Officer (Music) on matters relating to supply and suitability of clothing and in 2007, conducted the Buglers at the Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph for the eighth time. Having previously been one of the Buglers at the Cenotaph on six occasions, this is another statistic that is unlikely to be passed.

In March 2008 Tommy played, for the last time, with the Emsworth Band. Amongst the gifts that he received was the score to a new march composed by a man who was a young trumpeter in the band when Tommy came to Emsworth in 1989. That young man is now a WO1 Bandmaster with a British Army Band. The march, called The Bugle Major is dedicated to Tommy and provides an apt way of recognising the enormous impact that Tommy has had on the Emsworth Band. There is no doubt that everyone in the Royal Marines Band Service will have similar feelings on the day that Tommy leaves.