"The Soldiers' Chorus"

by Marcher

Royal Marine Artillery Band prepare for Church Parade Eastney Barracks c.1913

The earliest recollection of this piece of music being used as a Royal Marines march past would seem to emanate from a Mr Arrot who joined the Royal Marine Artillery in 1824 and became one of its Bandmasters. He recalled it being played at the beginning of Queen Victoria's reign, which commenced in 1838, it being a particular favourite of the Prince Consort. (This must be slightly suspect since Gounod did not write it until 1859!) Each Division had its own march past until, in 1883, "A Life on the Ocean Wave" was adopted as the march past of the Royal Marine Artillery and the Royal Marine Light Infantry Divisions.

"The Soldiers' Chorus" continued to be used, either in its own right as a march or as part of a selection of music from the opera whence it came - Gounod's "Faust", long after it ceased to be the march past of the Royal Marine Artillery. In 1964, Godfrey's arrangement was used on the '300 Glorious Years' record that marked the Corps Tercentenary. It was also used quite frequently at Trooping and Presentation of Colours Ceremonies until about 1965, usually for the March On but occasionally as Inspection Music. These ceremonies included the Final Parade of the Colours when Chatham Division was disbanded in 1950. On that occasion it was used for the troop in Quick Time.

In 1978 Gordon Langford's arrangement was included on a recording, "Famous Concert Marches", by the Naval Home Command Band. Since then the famous old march, so important to the musical history of the Corps, seems to have been largely ignored by both Royal Marines and other bands, apart from a VE-Day tribute recording in 1995 by the Band of the Royal Irish Regiment.

Then, in 1999, whilst reviewing files, the Corps Historian chanced upon a letter written on the 11th July 1994 by the Commandant General Royal Marines to the Master Gunner Royal Artillery. In this letter Lieutenant General Sir Robert Ross presented, on behalf of the Royal Marines, the Royal Marine Artillery March "The Soldiers' Chorus" to the Royal Regiment of Artillery. He suggested that, in recognition of their long association with the Royal Marines, the march might be principally used by 29 Commando Regiment RA on appropriate occasions. '29' had been formed from 29 Commando Light Regiment RA in 1961 and was first known as 29th Field Regiment Royal Artillery. It saw action in Borneo in 1962 then served in Malaya, Singapore, Brunei, Sarawak, Cyprus, Aden, Norway and Northern Ireland. All ranks are Commando trained and the men of the Forward Observation Battery are all trained parachutists and divers. The Regiment deployed to the Falklands in 1982 and was used extensively in the operations that resulted in the liberation of the islands. Indeed one of the officers involved in the initial discussions regarding the presentation of the march, Lieutenant Colonel Chris Romberg RA, had, as a Captain, been an artillery observer during the campaign.

And so, twelve days later, on the 23rd July 1994 at the Royal Citadel Plymouth the latest chapter in the association of this march with Royal Marine and Royal Artillery gunners took place. Prior to the final performance of 'Music of the Night' which featured, amongst others performers, the Bands of Royal Marines Plymouth and the Royal Artillery (Major T S Davis FTCL ARCM psm), the Royal Marines Director of Music Captain W J P Rider LRAM ATCL RM formally presented, on behalf of the Commandant General Royal Marines, a copy of the score to the Royal Artillery. The framed score and original letter from the Commandant General Royal Marines to the Master Gunner Royal Artillery now hang above the bar in the Officers' Mess in The Royal Citadel. The march is frequently played at Mess functions and will once again be played as one of the official marches-past during the famous firework finale to this year's 'Music of the Night'.

With thanks to Major Alastair Donald RM (Royal Marines Historical Society Chairman), Major Barrie Mills (present Director of Music Band ol Her Majesty's Royal Marines Plymouth), Captain Jim Rider and many others who helped to piece the latter part of this story together.

The email below was received by the Blue Band in February 2003:

Dear Editor,

I was amazed, amused and indeed honoured to find myself on your website in the Soldiers' Chorus page. Congratulations on your research.

If I may add a couple of notes:

The march was accepted on behalf of the Master Gunner by Maj Gen Ian Durie, then the Director Royal Artillery (and himself a former CO of 29 Cdo Regt).
Since the Falklands, 29 has of course, like the rest of 3 Cdo Bde, seen action in Kurdistan (Northern Iraq), Bosnia, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
For historical accuracy and perhaps immodestly, I would add that I was more than "one of the officers involved in the initial discussions regarding the presentation of the march". I was CO of the Regt at the time and I put the proposal for the presentation to Gen Ross, to which he kindly agreed. The final performance of MOTN, which as I recall was also Capt Jim Rider's last official appearance before retirement, seemed the ideal opportunity to mark this historic occasion.

Best wishes
Col Chris Romberg
DA Amman