A Band Photograph

by ‘Marcher’

The original photographe sent to the Blue Band

The ‘Letters’ page of the Winter 2009 ‘Blue Band Magazine’ included a Band picture, originally in the possession of the son of Musician T H Morris, donated by Mr N R Lewis. It showed what appeared to be simply a Royal Marines Band from the Royal Naval School of Music marching across a playing field. However, closer examination gave a few clues about what was going on and when the picture was taken.

1. The caps worn by the Bandmaster, the Drum Major and the musicians have a very light band.
   
2. The trouser welts/stripes are also lighter.
3. The drummer immediately behind the Drum Major also wears a cap and trousers with a light band and trouser welt.
4. If normal RNSM practice is being followed then the Drum Major will be a Bandmaster.
5. Tunics appear to be ‘Number 3’s’.
6. The other drummers wear standard uniform with cap badge, not the lyre, but are not carrying bugles.
7. The cymbal player in the left file also wears standard uniform and ‘Globe and Laurel’ cap badge
8. The bandmaster, who is marching in the correct position for a bandmaster/Director of Music on the flank of the first rank of musician’s, can be identified as Lt Samuel Fairfield of the RNSM.

It is also interesting to note the drummer’s cross-belt mounted music stands and the bassoon in a marching band.

So what can be deduced from these points?

The pale cap bands are part of the new uniform that was introduced in 1921 as the ‘Garter Blue Band Service Ceremonial Uniform’. In 1919 there existed a wish to sever Royal Naval School of Music connections with the Royal Marines and, at a meeting of the RNSM Welfare Committee in that year all members were unanimous in support for this severance. The introduction of a new uniform was seen as a good way of showing this severance and, since the Royal Marines seemed completely indifferent to this action, the Clothing Committee recommended the change.1 All of this coincided with the Royal Naval School of Music being ordered to provide a band to accompany a Royal Tour to the Far East during 1921-22 in the battle-cruiser HMS Renown. This was seen as the ideal opportunity to wear a new uniform for the first time. The changes to the uniform were simple but pronounced, the immediately obvious change being the replacement of the scarlet band around the cap with a pale blue one. A pale blue collar was fitted to the ceremonial tunic and the trousers were given a pale blue welt. A girdle with pale blue edging was issued.

The drummer behind the Drum Major will be a musician percussionist whilst the Drum Major is Bandmaster Hamilton. The other drummers in the picture, including the young man on cymbals, are Divisional Buglers wearing regulation uniform. These may, or may not, have been the Buglers who were drafted to Renown for the Royal Tour.

RM Band from HMS Renown at Eastney prior to the Far East Tour

Eastney’s playing fields, not unexpectedly, is the location of this band photograph and another photograph, possibly taken on the same day, shows the full band of thirty-six in a similar place, as indicated by the house in the background. Lt Fairfield and Bandmaster Hamilton can again be identified. HMS Renown took the Prince of Wales from Portsmouth, leaving on the 26th October 1921, on a cruise to India, Japan and the Pacific Islands – returning to Portsmouth on the 22nd June 1922 having sailed a distance of 29,957 miles. The photograph of the Band in Japan shows the new uniform tunic, trousers and girdle to good effect.

The Royal Marines Band of HMS Renown in Japan

So, what happened to the ‘Garter Blue Band Service Ceremonial Uniform’? On the Band’s return the Superintendant of the RNSM inspected the uniform and in a report to the Colonel Commandant of the RMA stated that the dye had been of a very poor quality with the result that variable fading had resulted in four different shades of pale blue on each uniform. At that time only Mr Fairfield and one musician wanted to return to the uniform with scarlet facings, the rest of the band preferring the pale blue. A report from the Adjutant General Royal Marines stated that, by mid-July 1922, “Feeling had quite changed and the Band Service is anxious to retain its connection with the Corps and fears that the new uniform may be regarded as a mark of severance”. He also made the point that four hundred of the eight hundred uniforms in stock had been issued and some officers had equipped themselves with new uniforms. In addition the RNSM had over a thousand items of uniform with the pale blue facings ready for issue. Within a few days the First Sea Lord and the First Lord of the Admiralty had agreed that the RNSM should revert to scarlet facings and that the King had given his approval. This left the tailors with the huge task of replacing all of the facings. Also the recently purchased Drum Major’ sash with blue cloth also had to be altered. A Royal Marines Routine Order was issued on the 21st August 1922 stating that uniform facings would be scarlet and that all pale-blue faced uniforms should be returned at the earliest opportunity. It also stated that a return would be made to buff leather waist-belts for ceremonial use.

So this photograph probably shows a Royal Marines Band practising at Eastney during the summer or early autumn of 1921, in preparation for the Royal Tour, with the new uniform issued in part. A Musician Morris is on the muster for ‘The Renown Band’ so probably features in all three photographs.

This particular Royal Duty followed two previous tours on board HMS Renown, but not by a Royal Naval School of Music Band. In 1917 the Plymouth Divisional Band, under Percy O’Donnell, carried out a concert tour of the Western Front. They won great acclaim from officers and men, particularly for the impromptu performances that the Band provided anywhere and at any time. The following year the Band returned to France for a further extensive tour of the front-line areas. As a result of its high standard of playing the Band was selected to be resident band at the first post-war Royal Tournament and then, as a tribute to its dedication to duty during the war years, it was invited to accompany the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) on a post World War I morale-raising tour to Canada in HMS Renown. They returned four months later and the Prince was so impressed with the Band that he asked them to accompany him to Australia, once again in HMS Renown. The two successful tours, and in particular the Band’s part in them, were acknowledged by the presentation, in 1920, of the Prince of Wales plumes to be worn as part of the cap-badge.

HMS Renown, with the Royal Standard Flyting, on the Royal Tour 1927

In 1927 the Royal Naval School of Music once again provided a Royal Marines Band for Royal Duty on board HMS Renown – but more about that in the next issue of ‘The Blue Band Magazine’

Article © John Ambler. Images © Trustees of the Royal Marines Museum.

(Footnotes)
1 ‘Proposed Alterations to RM Band Clothing’ ADM1/8629/131 – The National Archives, Kew.

Added to site 11 August 2010 from Spring 2010 Blue Band Magazine