Monday 24th Feb
A new week and a new type of physical training for the band. This time it was the turn of the girls of the band to take over. The order of the day was aerobics, and the sight of thirty grown men prancing around to music must have been hilarious to the watching aircrews. Everyone enjoyed themselves though and seemed keen to repeat the experience. After we had all recovered from the morning's exercise we were instructed in basic life support skills and patient control and restraint. The highlight of the day was the arrival on the flight deck of two American Pave Hawk helicopters. They came to see the facility and also to brief us on their stretcher drills. The Pave Hawk is the US rescue helicopter and is based on the more common Black Hawk, which was featured in the film, Black Hawk Down.

Tuesday 25th Feb

Day five of defence watches and back to CSgt Dave Sharp's circuits in the hanger. After the circuits there was very little in the training programme for the band, which allowed us all to catch up on personal admin and some private practice. After a request from Capt Henderson back in Portsmouth we all got together to put forward feelings about the trip and also coming on this straight from Op Fresco for an article that he is writing. Also in the afternoon the ship tested its flight deck fire hoses, which were an impressive sight.

Wednesday 26th Feb

Today started with a very demanding circuit from Musn James Parkinson. With Commando Claps (or should it be Collapse!!) being the highlight for everyone. The rest of the day was left to personal practice again as the Boss left the ship with Sgt Gordon Carter to organise a concert for the company of HMS Ark Royal. The dance band took full opportunity of this and spent most of the day hidden away practicing for any gig that may come their way. The best part of the day came with the pipe for mail to be collected and the morale of the ship lifted with the prospect of news from home.

Thursday 27th Feb

Today was the Drum Major's birthday and as a special present to him we started beat retreat rehearsals. As a treat to the rest of the band physical training was cancelled, which gave us all a welcome break. As the defence watches still take their toll we had to practice two fire exercises, one for each watch. This involved removing casualties from the complex to a safe location. In the afternoon I had my first attempt at cannulation, which involves inserting a needle into a vein, through which fluids can be passed. My thanks go to a very brave Musn Paul Donnovan who was kind enough to let me practice on him. The Boss and Gordon after returning from the Ark Royal left today for another recce. This time they would be away for longer, leaving CSgts Dave Sharp and Dave Taylor in the driving seat.

Friday 28th Feb

With the boss still away we were hoping for a quiet day. However Dave Sharp had other ideas and we were all sent away to do our own private physical training. After we had recovered from PT the dance band once again decided that they would rig up in the band's storeroom so that they could put the finishing touches to the sets that they were working on. In the afternoon we were joined once again by the two USAF Pave Hawks. This time for a casualty simulation exercise. They brought two casualties on board, which were taken into the complex and dealt with by the Doctors and Nurses inside. In the debrief afterwards the Americans said how impressed they were with the efficiency and speed of the band and PCRF staff. As they left, a British Hercules joined them in the sky and refuelled the helicopters as they performed a flypast.

Saturday 1st March

This morning physical training was one of the hardest yet. It started with the longest warm up known to man and at the end there were mat sprints. For those lucky enough never to have come across mat sprints, this involves dragging a big heavy mat around a circuit. We repeated the exercise four times. Much to the disappointment of Musn Graham Hayes who put all his effort into the second run thinking that we were only going around the course twice. After we had managed to get our breath back from PT the Drum Major informed us that he had managed to get the use of the flight deck for an hour to do some more beat retreat rehearsals By the end of the hour he had turned a group of musicians, for some of whom this had been the first time in six months marching, into a parade band ready to perform a beat retreat. After lunch the gear had to be packed for the following day's transfer to the Ark Royal. This was done with some urgency so that we could get anearly night's sleep as it was going to be an early start in the morning.

Sunday 2nd March

After an early breakfast the band mustered in the hanger ready for the transfer to the Ark Royal. As we got the gear onto the flight deck we were informed that the Sea King that was taking us had mechanical problems and that we would have to wait. After an hour the problem was repaired and the first of the transfers to the Ark Royal took place. After the fourth trip they realised that there was an easier option and they flew the last of the gear over on a Chinook. After we had eaten lunch on the Ark Royal we started to set the stage for the evening concert. There was one slight problem in that the Boss and Gordon still hadn't arrived back from their recce, and Gordon was the only one who knew how to set up the sound system. A few of us got around it and managed to get most of it working after a couple of hours, praying that Gordon would turn up and help us. At 1900hrs when the Boss and Gordon still hadn't arrived Dave Sharp started to put plan B into action. This involved him conducting and some minor adjustments to the programme. Fortunately half an hour later the Boss, Gordon and Bugler John Lee walked into the hanger and the concert went back to plan A. The warm up act for the band was a rock band fronted by the Captain of the Ark Royal. They performed for an hour playing songs from the charts to get the audience going. We were joined on stage by the VBI of Ark Royal CSgt Eddie Neighbour and an ex bass player, now MA Dan Young. Both of whom enjoyed the night thoroughly. The audience were in top form and demanded several encores including Land of Hope and Glory and Sailing. Once the audience had finally departed at around midnight we were able to pack down our gear, and for the lucky ones get to sleep in the hanger.

Andy Wighton