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Final thoughts from DoM RFA ARGUS
Casualty handling was a major part of our role on ARGUS where we received 67 casualties during hostilities of various nationalities. Sights, sounds and smells will remain with us all for a long time. None more so than a very dark, wet and windy night on the flight deck with lightening all around when two Chinook helicopters landed with 18 casualties. Weeks of effective training proved their worth as all casualties were transferred to the PCRF quickly and safely. On a daily basis I got nothing but praise and appreciation from the medical staff for the way members of the Band had assisted in the various departments throughout the facility. Other duties included eight members of the Band manning the Medical Communications Network with the coalition forces 24 hours a day while the remainder of the Band assisted with mine-watch duties on the bridge. The Buglers worked the clinical waste incinerator at all times of the day and night, a thankless job, but essential. All these duties clearly demonstrate the necessity of having the Band on ARGUS when deployed operationally with the PCRF. We gave our final musical contribution to ARGUS on Sunday 13th April Beating Retreat on the flight deck to all those we had served with for the previous 3 months. The performance was spectacular, the setting mystical and the appreciation wholehearted. It has been a privilege to work with professional medical staff from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force where we have forged new friendships. We wish them all well on their return to work in the various hospitals around the country. On behalf on the Band I would like to thank all those people who have sent messages of good will and encouragement throughout our deployment on ARGUS. Personally I like to thank the families and friends for their support to their loved ones in the Band. Families at home deserve a great deal of credit for keeping the home running, looking after the children single-handed and sending copious emails, letters and parcels for good measure. Finally, it has been a pleasure and a privilege to command 38 exceptional men and women of the Royal Marines Band Service. Their outstanding performances both musically and military have been powerful, emotional and effective. The way they have carried out all their duties and with a great deal of compassion has been impressive. I hope you have enjoyed our weekly updates during this deployment and operational period providing an insight into what life was like for the Band on ARGUS. Best wishes to you all. Capt Nick Grace RM |
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The
Royal Marines Band that has been deployed on RFA ARGUS since January has now
returned to the UK. After much deserved leave all the Band ranks will return
to their respective Bands in the UK by the middle of May. The Band was brought
together at the beginning of January to provide musical support and assist with
the casualty handling for the PCRF on ARGUS. There was a great deal of new skills
to learn, physical fitness to be improved, team spirit to be built and preparing
for the unknown. These have all been achieved in an exemplary manner by every
member of the Band over the past 3 months. Highlights for the Band have been
the morale boosting 'Showcase Concerts' performed on HMS OCEAN, ARK ROYAL, RFA
ROSALIE and ARGUS. These have been well documented on this web site and Musn
Sam Hairsine's description in the most recent Blue Band Magazine is most revealing.
There is no greater example of the effectiveness and value of military music
in today's armed forces, particularly afloat preparing for war.