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Where are they now?
Graham Hitchens
It came as something of a surprise when a fax was
delivered to my office at 42 Cdo RM, which read, 'For attention
of the Chaplain. Are you the same Graham Hitchins that used to be
in the Band Service in 1970? If so, please contact Capt Andy Henderson,
SO(M). I was sure I had returned my pot and cello when I transferred
from the Band to General Service in 1980. There was certainly nothing
of the like on my conscience when I was ordained in 1994. Neither
would I have dared rejoined as a Royal Navy chaplain at the beginning
of this year if such skeletons were lurking in the wardrobe.
Therefore it seemed safe enough to renew old acquaintances and call
Andy. My mistake. The idea that anyone would be interested in a
'Where are they now?' article from me seemed unlikely, but, as he
was desperate to fill the page…
That first walk from Deal railway station to the Depot RM, on 2nd
September 1969, doesn't really seem all that long ago. (On the other
hand, even our Adjutant from then, Capt Stevenson, has had time
to become a General and then retire.) The practice rooms were overseen
by people like Mick Fielding, with his legendary chair-leg method
of getting us to learn scales (later stopped by the Geneva Convention!).
However, the system turned out musicians, not bandsmen. Quite remarkable,
considering the simple criteria for joining was that the lads could
not be tone deaf and should have a reasonable set of teeth.
After training, I put my chit in for any of the three or four Portsmouth
bands. So it was that I was sent to Scotland, where FOSNI band had
just moved from RNAS Condor to HMS Cochrane, under the young (I
suppose he must have been then) Lt Graham Hoskins as DoM.
FOSNI Band (at the time, little more than a ship's band) was notable
for having produced a full fencing team for the Corps 1972 championships
(under Drum Major Dave Buchanan), and also for snatching from under
the noses of the 'big' bands the Cat IV of 1973: a week's cruise
on the QEII in the Mediterranean.
After a couple of years I returned to Deal, where Paul Neville was
continuing Sir Vivien Dunn's emphasis on orchestral playing - my
favourite. Despite bitter winter morning parades, ridiculous summer
one-night stands on the opposite side of the country - and mixed
feelings about going to Glasgow to man green goddesses for the first
firemen's strike in the winter of 1977/78 - there were some great
experiences: opening the Penta Hotel, Geneva, our orchestral debut
at the Royal Festival Hall, recording at Abbey Road, being floated
up the Thames on barges at night to mime the Royal Fireworks music
(anything for a bit of extra pay!), a particularly memorable orchestral
concert in Canterbury Cathedral and 'The Dream of Gerontius' in
the Depot church. It was about then that we did the first Albert
Hall concert that would later develop into the Mountbatten Festival
of Music.
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| Reverend Graham Hitchens
RN |
The Staff Band also had an odd sporting achievement at the time:
a prize-winning waterpolo team consisting mainly of the orchestral
principals (but NOT George Simpson): Frank Bennet (2nd violin),
Bill Callow (viola), me (cello), Woody Woods (string bass), Jon
Yates (trumpet), Capt Bert Farlow (DoM) (the other two being Tim
Smye-Rumsby, and the team captain, Charlie Laws - who just happened
to be Navy coach!).
Another draft to FOSNI and then Portsmouth (last and at last!),
brought me to a point where I needed to be doing something else.
So I did - sort of: off to Lympstone for commando training. Afterwards,
having spent some time on one of the training teams, I joined the
clerks branch. Inevitably clerical drafts were unavoidable: DRORM
(twice), HQTRSF, Eastney Barracks, Poole as orderly room Sgt, but
also some different jobs like the old display company, R Company,
6 ASRM, HMS Intrepid, HQ & Sig Sqn (twice - first time for the
Falklands).
Nonetheless, all the time I was forever bumping into old friends
from the Band Service - they get everywhere. So it was entirely
appropriate that when I worked in DCGRM, one of my major tasks was
fixing the programme for the RMBS. It was probably the only time,
before the RMBS took it over, that the job had someone who understood
what it meant to send a band on a one-night stand from one side
of the country to the other, and why a piano trio couldn't provide
mess beatings before a dinner!
I was reaching my time for pension and had been preparing for ordination
in the Church of England. Beyond all doubt, Graham Hitchins as a
vicar is living proof that God definitely has a sense of humour.
But then, musicianship, spirituality, commando service, faith: it's
quite a compatible and effective mixture. Besides, Jesus didn't
have an average career structure, either.
The story isn't over yet (and never is, if you take God seriously):
after 9 years of parish ministry in Hampshire and Devon, an extraordinary
series of events led me back to the Corps as a chaplain. I think
BRNC must have had as much a shock seeing me in training at the
age of 49, as it was for me to be there! However, it was quite a
lift at my passing out parade to see the familiar face of Martin
Sharp in the band - I had been his twin brother David's boy Section
Commander when they joined up.
From Dartmouth I joined 42 Cdo in the field in Iraq. When we returned
to B echelon I found that there, with Cdo Logs, were more bandies
(thank goodness we didn't need their skills as a decontamination
unit). Again, they get everywhere. And I'm glad they do. Always
a reminder of the excellence for which the Corps strives, always
a reminder of the great gift of music that so enriches life, always
a reminder of my youth - and for that I am now particularly grateful.
I have recently been honoured to be asked by Colonel Chris Davis
to preach at the forthcoming Centenary Memorial Service, so I hope
to see as many friends - both old and new - at this Service on the
day. I promise you it won't be too painful… but then again
you might want to bring a bag rat for the sermon!
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