NEWSLETTER 2014
Band & Bugles
2013 Reunion Report
The 2013 reunion was held, as previous years, at The Winchester Club, Winchester on Saturday 12th October.
The secretary – Dave Timms - made a conscientious effort to arrive at the club before members of the Waterloo Band and reunion members - but to no avail. Members from both parties where inside and outside the club awaiting his arrival.
Making his way into the club, the secretary eventually set himself up with a table near the entrance, opened the books and started to sign-in members and guests - all this before he had had a drink (to try and stave off the tremendous head ache he picked up from the previous evening).
The Waterloo Band provided the bulk of musicians, music stand and music, and the annual ‘blow’ got going at approximately 12:45 with Peter Connibear (ex-Depot Bandmaster) taking up the baton. A good selection of music was played this year, which included – Amparita Roca and High On A Hill, plus a few well known Band & Bugle marches. The secretary, keen to participate, ‘had a go’ on the drums and made a right old mess of the march being played. He had no idea what it was or how it went. It even had a 2 x bar drum solo in the middle – at which he decided to take a break. He promises to do better next time - IF permitted..!!
Some new faces again turning up for the first time - both from the Bands and the Bugles – but notably was the first reunion for LES HODGSON, who was percussionist with 2 RGJ Band in the late 60’s and 70’s. Les had been living in Gibraltar since leaving the Army in the late 70’s and only returned to the UK in the summer of 2012, when he was finally tracked down and issued with the ‘Order To Attend’.
The annual ‘blow’ over, it was then time to draw the raffle. This year there seemed to be an endless supply of prizes, some donated – a big thank you to those that contributed - and the rest sourced by Tony Dowd - who organizes the event.
Raffle completed and it was time for lunch. This gave the members an opportunity to soak-up the 3 or 4 hours worth of John Smiths already consumed.
Following lunch the secretary normally gives the ‘Annual Sermon’ (a few prepared words), BUT…. a ‘no-name’ person came and borrowed a piece of paper from him earlier in the day, inadvertently borrowing the coveted ‘Words of Wisdom’. All was going so well up to that point. So the ‘Annual Sermon’ never happened, but if it had taken place the secretary would have taken the opportunity to thank a load of people for various efforts and contributions…. etc. etc.
Our next reunion will be on Saturday 11th October 2014 - make a note on the fridge
David Timms
Secretary
IN ATTENDANCE
1 RGJ – Ox & Bucks
BENTON, Len BOWEN, John BRIGGS, Malcolm BROCKMAN, John
BUCKLAND, John CALLAGHAN, Dave CHESTER, Dave CHRISTIE, Sam
CLIFFORD, Chris COWAN, John DOWD, Tony DOWNTON, Roger
ELLIOTT, Steve GREY, Don GREY, Fred HORNE, Doug
MITCHELL, John MOREY, John PEET, Dave SLINN, Ray
SUMNER, Mike THOMPSON, Jack TIMMS, Dave WEARING, Dave
WINDEATT, Jon
TOTAL = 25
2 RGJ - KRRC
BUMSTEAD, Tony BURCH, Dave CANNON, Dave CLARKE, James
CRAVEN, Brian EAST, George GARDNER, Mick GILES, Keith
GOODWIN, Gary HINDE, Ian HODGSON, Les KASALOVICK, Filip (Kas)
MARSH, Chris MARSH, Tim MARSHALL, Leigh McMAHON, Jimmy
MUNNICK, Peter MURPHY, Michael PLATT, Jeff SALMON, Laurence
SCARBOROUGH, Dave THROWER, John
TOTAL = 22
3 RGJ – RB’s
BAILEY, Terry CALDWELL, Gorge CULL, Tim DUNNE, Bill
FARRALL, Paul FREEMANTLE, Kevin GLEDHILL, Bill HAMER, Ian
HELM, Bob HOOKINGS, Henry JACKSON, John LEEMING, Jack
RODGERS, Fred SANGER, Mike SHAW, Ian SIMS, Bryan
STOREY, Albert STRANGE, Roy SWANN,Ken TRESADERN, Michael
TYLER, John VIGGERS, Brynley WEST, Ken
TOTAL = 23
DEPOT & WATERLOO BAND
ALDRIDGE, Nigel BETTS, Roger CONNIBEAR, Peter EDWARDS, Jackie
GIBBS, Charles HOWARD, James MANN, Jackie ROBERTS, Martin
SALSBURY, Racheal STIMPSON, Matthew STURDY, Kein
TOTAL = 11
GRAND TOTAL OF ATTENDEES = 81 (Not including Wives/Partners/Guests/etc)
APOLOGIES
1 RGJ – Ox & Bucks 2 RGJ – KRRC3 RGJ – RB’s
AINGE, Tony AHMET, Mitch AMBROSE, Steve
BALL, John BROWN, John ARNEY, Paul
BARKER, Jim (Dogsie) CLARKE, Glen ATHERTON, Malcolm
BLAKELEY, Dave COOK, Ken BAINBRIDGE, Tony
BROWNE,Steve COOK, Keith BISHOP, Anthony
CALCUTT, Colin DONALDSON, Don CHADWICK, John
CHAPMAN, Steve DOREY, Les DIKOMITE, Mike
CHATTERTON, Brian DULSON, Gregory DOUGHTY, Edward
CROSS, Dave DUNCAN, Roy ELLISON, Terry
DAY, Bob DUNCAN, Ken GOUDIE, Tom
EDWARDS, Paul FLEMING, James HARDING, Ian
ETON, Mick FORMAN, Nick (George) HAZEL, Dave
EVANS, Ernie HICKS, Robert JULL, Grahame
FARNDELL, Brian KENT, Mick NEWMAN, Nick
FLOWER, Ivor LEEMING, Neil PASSEL, Peter
FORTY, George LISTER, Peter ROBERTS, Larry
GAMBLIN, Ken LYONS, Seamus SHAW, Bryan
HALL, Charlie MARTIN, Kevin SHEIL, Peter
HENDRA, Colin MASON, Philip SHORE, Fred
HOSKING, Peter MORGAN, John SMAIJE, Chris
KAVANAGH, Steve NOBLE, Pete SMITH, Dean
LAWRENCE, Paul PILGRIM, Alan THORNE, Darryl
LITTLE, David SIMMS, Rod TRESADERN, Stuart
LONG, Bill SMITH, Steve TRESADERN, Peter
LYNCH, Ian SMITH, John WALLIS, Alan
MEEK, Clifford SPICER, Tom
MONKS, Chris 25
MOULT, Brian 26
NELSON, Paul
PEARCE, Jim
PENTITH, John
POOLE, Steve
PRIME, Martin
ROACH, Les
ROBINSON, Terry (Robbo) OTHERS
SALSBURY, Graham
SELLEY, Chris BOARDMAN, Gary
SHEIL, Darryl McCANN, Terry
SHORTHOSE, Alan McELLIGOTT, Ian
SLACK, Andy ROGER-DAVIES, John
STUTT, Bernard SWIFT, Roger
SUGGETT, Gary
WALSH, Pat 5
WILLIAMS, Bob
WILLIAMS, Roger
WOLFENDALE, Colin
46 TOTAL APOLOGIES = 102
ROGER AND SANDRA DOWNTON’S 3,000 MILE
CAMPERVAN TOUR OF GERMANY
In June 2013, following Germany’s worst floods in 100 years, acres of fields were flooded by the River Aller - and the campsite at Winsen was closed i.e. flooded. The next site was open, and we just got in before the gate closed at 10pm. German campsites are marvelous - clean and orderly, and the toilet blocks have all the mod cons.
It was 29°C on 7thth and 8 June when we explored CELLE where Roger was stationed about 43 years ago towards the end of the sixties.
First stop was the old Trenchard Barracks - very nostalgic for Roger. The place has been locked up for a year but is still in tact. We took lots of photos and Roger excitedly pointed out A Company block on the left-hand side where his room was.
On the top floor, A Company built a bar in the loft area from bamboo and wood to give it a Caribbean theme. To set it off and give it authenticity, above the bar was a large wicker basket birdcage containing several brightly coloured budgies.
The
opening night was a great success. Roger’s rock band “The Flunky” played with
Roger Lead Guitar, Gordon Belcher Rhythm Guitar, Howard ? Drums and Paul
Matthews Vocals, as cheap booze flowed and fags and smoke created that familiar
atmosphere of the time. Unfortunately on inspection the next morning, the
budgies were found at the bottom of the cage expired - due to passive smoking.
God knows what it did to everybody else!
Opposite A Company was the block that contained the band accommodation where Roger was during his time with the band. He recalled that prior to a gig, whilst they were waiting on the square to board a coach that was still maneuvering, somebody slid his trombone case behind the back wheel and someone shouted, “Is that your trombone?” as the coached backed over it, to the amusement of all present.
At the end of the road was the Sissi Grill. Roger said originally there was a quick snack (snell imbiss) wagon there. A couple with a son about 9 years’ old used to run it, and it was popular with the troops.
Anyway, Roger curiously went into the new place and I followed. I thought the restaurant looked like an adult playpen in an array of coloured small wooden chairs with lots of model chickens.
Whilst ordering his Bratwurst, Roger struck up a conversation, in pigeon German, with the man behind the counter. Yes, it was the very same 9 year old boy, now well grown-up and running the café in place of his parents who had subsequently died.
Then it was on to the War Cemetery near the River Aller. It backed on to the M.T. part of the barracks where Roger could see the A.P.C. garages where an unmentionable incident happened i.e. some private cars were stored which unfortunately got squashed under the tracks of an out of control 432. Oops - I wonder how that happened!
Celle, like many old towns in Germany, is very well maintained, with 16th century tall terraced pretty houses with shops and outdoor cafes on the ground floor. We walked around the streets and into the 14th century St Mary’s with its artworks. It was Friday and entry to the Museum and Castle was free.
The Museum had loads of old artifacts and utensils, plus a big old kitchen, and we visited some of the staterooms in the large austere 13th century Castle.
Then it was back to the pedestrianized streets with rows of outdoor cafes. We settled for an ice cream sundae, chosen from the menu, which had pages of exotic mouth-watering ice cream concoctions.
At 5pm, close to the Rathaus high on the front of an old building, the glockenspiel played, the box opened, and little statues paraded round in a circle.
And finally, the hunt for Alten Cellar Feld where Roger had a new house as married quarters. It’s now very built up and he didn’t recognize his old home.
The next day we visited Belsen Cemetery and Documentation Centre, plus the Railway Ramp and Wagon.
Next, Roger managed to locate Silbersee - a lake he used to drive to from the camp. (Liaisons with fraulines I daresay!) It’s now a commercial campsite - and the trees are taller!
The evening was spent back in Celle at the Trad Jazz Street Festival. Wow, the Germans certainly have fun. The event started promptly at 6pm. Two bands played on bandstands and about four other bands marched around the streets, intermittently stopping to play outside various bars.
The Rue d’Anvers ‘Foreign Legion’ band were hilarious - their conductor strutted about in a kilt, white spats and pith helmet, whilst the May Day band flirted with girls and encouraged them to limbo-dance under two playing trombones!
Leaving Celle, the rest of our tour included:
Hannover’s Herrenhausen Garten
Potsdam’s Sanssoucci and Cecilienhof Palace, Berlin’s many sites, including Hitler’s Bunker, then Dresden’s Frauchenkirche
Gorlitz on the Polish border
Colditz Castle, Bayreuth, Nuremberg and Munich, plus lots of apple strudel.
In Nuremberg, we just happened to stumble across the Zeppelin Field, found an open gate and amazingly, with pomp, spectacle and ceremony, we simply walked along across the massive Rally Ground where 200,000 Nazi soldiers marched in the 1930’s!
Then on to the Grand Stand where we stood on the very spot where Hitler delivered his speeches!
In Munich I happily drank a whole stein of delicious dunkle beer in the Hofbrauhaus, whilst the Bavarian band played and people reveled - a fantastic end to our trip.
Sandra Downton – “Prost”
P.S. Roger was inspired to buy a trombone, and he’s practicing as I write.
A
TAIL by MICK SUMNER
Ex-Oxford & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
At this time (circa 196O/61), I was a Student Bandmaster and principal percussionist at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall.
The trumpeters had an engagement at Canterbury Cathedral on the occasion of the enthronement of the Archbishop of Canterbury. We left K.H. fairly early in the morning, dressed in “civvies” and carrying our instruments and No 1 dress, stopping for breakfast at a transport cafe as was usual.
The fourteen trumpeters and myself with the Director of Music Lt Colonel David McBain arrived at the cathedral in plenty of time for a rehearsal with the choir and organist. We were met by a man who stopped the coach and asked the Colonel if he could see his pass.
“I haven’t got one” said the colonel.
“Well”, said the man “I can’t let you in”.
“Do you know who we are?” asked the Colonel.
“No, I do not” said the man.
The Colonel replied “I am Lt Colonel McBain, Director of Music of the Royal Military School of Music and senior DOM of the British Army and these are the Kneller Hall Trumpeters”.
“That’s as may be”, said the man, “but without a pass you can’t come in”.
“Is that your final word?” asked the Colonel.
“Yes it is”, said this self important person.
“Right”, said the Colonel, “back on the coach lads we might as well go back to K.H and by the way” he says to this man, “may I have your name?”
“What for” he says.
“Because tomorrow when I receive a letter from Her Majesty as to why the Kneller Hall trumpeters were absent, I will be able to inform her name of the person who refused us entry - Take his name Sgt Major”, which he did.
We climbed back on the coach and the DOM said to the driver, “drive on slowly”
We had gone about fifty yards or so when, we noticed the little shit running after us waving and shouting stop stop.
The driver asked, “Shall I stop?”
“No” said the Colonel, “make him run a bit more”.
We eventually stopped and the colonel said to him, “May I help you?”
The man said, “I have had second thoughts, and I will let you in even without a pass”.
“Are you quite sure?” enquired the colonel,
“Yes” said the man.
So we were shown into this cloakroom where we left our uniforms and went and did the rehearsal. When we came back to change, it was like walking into Aladdin’s Cave. There were dozens of clerical hats and headgear from all over the world. So of course we had to try them on.
At that moment, who should walk in but the DOM. I hope you are not thinking of wearing them later as they won’t match your uniforms.
All in all a very memorable occasion.