Band of HM Royal Marines Plymouth

Director of Music: Capt Richard Harvey MMus BMus(Hons) LRSM AMusTCL RM

Bandmaster: WO1 Graham Holamn BMus(Hons) LRSM CT ABRSM RM
Drum Major: Sgt Bug P Gordon RM

Engagements

Greetings once again from Cornwall and a belated happy New Year to you all from Plymouth Band. With a much needed Christmas leave period over the Band managed to shoehorn themselves back into their lovat trousers and were welcomed back to work with a week long recording session for the Obrasso music catalogue company. Under the direction of our Principal Director of Music, Lt Col Nick Grace RM, the Band recorded an eclectic array of concert band repertoire such as 633 Squadron, We Have All the Time in the World, a Grease medley and a personal favourite - Stratford.

Shortly after the recording the Band resumed the Roebuck concert series, the small yet “accommodating” theatre on HMS Raleigh that the Band perform in every month. Burns Night provided the theme for January’s engagement featuring such Celtic classics as Highland Cathedral, Pentland Hills, the popular march Scottish Emblem and The Tartan Tuba; a Bass solo played by Plymouth Band’s very own “Wee Jason Mac O'Brien”. The concert in February showcased more solo talent from the Band including CSgt Rich Fenwick performing a striking rendition of Maria on trumpet and Musn Tom Griffin providing a clarinet solo in the swing number Sing Sing Sing. Musn Johnny “Laser Lips” Rushton pushed the audience’s eardrums to their limits with the James Bond theme You Only Live Twice, featured in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and I got to twang my G-String… and the other five as I played electric guitar on the same piece.

On a more prestigious note Plymouth Band were proud to be an integral part of the Supersession of the Commandant General Royal Marines (CGRM) in mid-February. The Band travelled to the Commando Training Centre at Lympstone to perform as an orchestra as Major General Andy Salmon CMG OBE was dined out and as a Parade Band the following day to welcome our new CGRM, Major General Buster Howes OBE. This wouldn’t be the first or last time Plymouth would provide a Parade Band at CTC as the King's Squad Pass Out has become a regular engagement on the schedule, making the infamous Grey Friday quite a common and frantic affair. Oh well, that’s life in a blue suit.

Plymouth Band on Parade

The Big Band got its first annual outing in early March and were let loose at the Globe Theatre situated in Stonehouse Barracks in Plymouth. The first half of the concert was dedicated to foot tapping, pant swinging, finger clicking Jazz and swing classics. The Corps of Drums even managed to make an appearance during W C Handy’s St. Louis Blues. Musn Linsey Carnegie got to flex her vocal cords by singing That Old Black Magic and Georgia and Big Band leader Sgt Colin Hudson crooned away on his Trombone to Thelonious Monk’s Round Midnight… hmmm… nice!

The second half of the concert was back in a more traditional mode and, yes, you’ve guessed it… more solos! Musn Chris Brisley was in the spotlight this time playing We Have All the Time in the World shortly followed by Musn Darren Walton who performed Grandfather's Clock.

It seems clear to the eye that engagements this term have rarely seen the Band leave the county let alone the south west of England. Imagine their surprise then when they were subjected to a ten hour coach journey all the way to Newcastle to perform a march through the city in honour of Admiral Collingwood. Have the management gone mad? Well, not yet. It was a simple case of covering an engagement. Plymouth Band drew the short straw this year while the rest of the Band Service was entertaining the crowds at the annual Mountbatten Festival of Music. So don’t feel downtrodden if you missed it this year, we did too. Anyway, there’s bound to be a CD of it available soon.

Targets to Your Front…

January brought with it the annual military training package, which to a bandy means rummaging through a locker and re-introducing themselves to an olive green camouflage uniform and a badly shaped beret that would make the likes of Frank Spencer blush.

Plymouth Band on the ranges

The first two days of the week-long evolution proved to be quite painless as we were re-introduced to the standard issue SA-80 rifle on HMS Raleigh’s 25 metre range. It was here that we revised the necessary skills, drills, marksmanship principles, firing positions and most importantly which end of the weapon goes BANG!
From Wednesday onwards the Band embarked on a short coach trip to Tregantle Fort, a firing range that overlooks the inspirational yet unsheltered vista that is Whitsand Bay for the Annual Personal Weapons Test (APWT). The serial was conducted and successfully completed in an astonishing two days without usurping the annual ammunition allowance. The rest of the week was taken up with mandatory lectures involving conduct during capture and a navigational exercise… apparently.

Musn Holly Allendar tries to attach the magazine to her flask

A debt of gratitude must be passed on to CSgt Tony Phillimore and his training team for their… well… er…training, guidance, support, sense of humour and above all, patience.

Onward and Upward

For the avid readers among you, you will recall that in the previous issue we had several ranks on their M1’s course. Well you’ll be delighted to be informed they were all successful and have been duly promoted to Sergeant, so BZ all round to Sgt Kevin Harvey, Sgt Duncan Newman and Sgt Jules Cook who has decided to go one step further and has been selected to attend the Bandmasters' Course in May; best of luck Jules. Furthermore, we have some newly promoted Corporals among us here at HMS Raleigh; Cpl Andy Harvey and Cpl Jase O’Brien have both made the grade. Well done gentlemen. As if that wasn’t enough we have some young thrusters due on the next Senior/Junior Command course(s) in June, these being Cpl Matt Michell and Musns Sarah Hope, Charlotte Stus and Tom Griffin. Best of luck to you all and remember: no plan ever survives first contact!

Out with the old…

Drafts have reared their ugly heads again and we’ve had to let various characters move on to pastures new. The Corps of Drums are losing their illustrious leader CSgt Bug Paul “Scouse” Annett who will join Portsmouth Band in March and they have also said farewell to the newly promoted Cpl Bug Stew Vyse to Collingwood Band back in February. However, always on the hunt for a bargain they have managed a good 2 for 1 deal and ended up with Bug Stu “Barty” Bartlett from Lympstone and Bug Nathan Crossley from training who seem to be settling in very nicely.

As mentioned previously we’ve managed to acquire Musn Johnny Ruston from Portsmouth Band and he’s now happily blowing the ceiling tiles of the roof in the band room with his trumpet.

It is with deepest regret that Plymouth Band have to say a tear- jerking farewell to Musn Andy “The Spaniard” Spain who has provided nothing but morale, entertainment, the odd headache and hilarity to us all down here in Torpoint. He’s not a bad saxophone and viola player either and as he moves on or rather up, to Scotland Band shortly after Easter leave, we wish him the best of luck.

And Finally

Just a few parish notices before I sign off for Easter leave. First and foremost is the presentation in February of the Long Service and Good Conduct (LSGC) clasp awarded to WO1 Bandmaster Graham Holman RM. The clasp, which will be fitted to the accompanying medal, represents 30 years of exemplary behaviour and discipline. A superb effort sir, you must tell us the secret to your success!

Congratulations to the newly promoted Cpl Jason O’Brien and his wife Emily on the birth of their second child Alice Elizabeth who arrived sometime back in January. Both mother and baby are well.

Well done to Musn Darren Walton who proposed to his fiancée, Jo, in late December; they are tying the knot over the Easter period. Good effort fella, I eagerly await the Champagne and Pasty reception!

One final “chuck up” must go to the Band social committee for organising the belated Christmas do in February (no, seriously). Those who were able to attend were delighted with the establishment, food, drink and entertainment. I thought inviting the local fire department was a little over the top though. Anyway, thanks for a good evening.

That’s it from me readers, until next time…

Musn Andy Platt

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Plymouth Corps of Drums

Happy New Year to you all from Plymouth Corps of Drums! We have now all returned from a well-earned Christmas break after performing countless festive concerts all over the country.

Ever willing to be the centre of attention, the Corps of Drums thrust themselves into the Christmas Concert season with particular zeal. One highlight was without doubt the Plymouth Pavilions concert, which was packed to the rafters, and a perfect opportunity for the Corps of Drums to dress up! Cue the pink tights, tu-tus and the Band playing the Can Can! Another highlight was Cpl Bugler Vyse’s increasingly confident performance as the Phantom of the Opera!

Plymouth Corps du ballet

We started the New Year with a surprisingly sunny Military Training package. The week of shooting and map reading is vital to keep us fresh and in touch with our secondary role as a military part of the Royal Marines. The shoot went really well and saw good shooting from most of the Corps of Drums. Well, apart from CSgt, ‘Snipes’ Annett who thought he was auditioning for a new Spec-savers advert!

Plymouth Corps of Drum reharse in the bandroom

The Corps of Drums have also had their fair share of Mess Beatings. One of particular note was performed for the Royal Marines Band Service West Country Red Jackets Dinner. For this, we were joined by three members of the Lympstone Corps of Drums. The Mess Beatings took weeks of rehearsing and planning and involved new movements and the drum static from the 2009 MFM written by Bugler Dave Birt. The performance went down extremely well and the night was enjoyed by all.

Finally, this term we have welcomed a new member to the Corps of Drums from the School of Music, Bugler ‘Skyscraper’ Crossley. We have also said farewell to Cpl

Bugler Stew Vyse who will be sorely missed and we hope he enjoys his new draft down in sunny Collingwood.

Bug Trowbridge

Last updated 5 Augustl 2010