The Bands Of The Royal Marines

The previous page was: "Royal Marine Light Infantry"

These have derived from the fifes and drums of the Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot in 1964. Gradually larger bands evolved and a school of music was established in 1903 to train Royal Marines musicians for service afloat.

It is well known that military bands have been playing an important role in military life for hundreds of years. The first recorded was in 1554 but nobody actually knows when military music started.

In 1950 the Band Service as we know it today was established. The Royal Marines Band Service provides bands for the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines. The role of the Royal Marines School of Music is to audition and train instrumentalists for the bands and provide further academic training for potential Bandmasters and Directors of Music.

Training to become a member of the Royal Marines Band Service is long and exacting, volunteers must first pass an audition to assess their musical potential and an interview to suitability for military training. Successful candidates can enlist from the age of sixteen. The training starts with fifteen weeks of military training, which includes weapons training. This is followed by two and a half years of musical training, with periodic military training.

Great versatility is demanded of these young players who are required to play two and sometimes three musical instruments, to perform in orchestras, concert bands, dance bands and also many other musical combinations to suit the occasion. Each week during training students will have at least two forty minute periods on each instrument with their tutors and are then sent to practice.

Tutors are either civilian or military, with the civilian tutors being selected from leading European musical institutions or orchestras, the military all being experienced members of the Band Service.

Royal Marine Light Infantry

In Drakes Day Drummers Would Sound

The drum was the normal method for giving signals in the barracks and on ships, then it moved to the battlefields.

In Drakes day drummers would sound the changing of the watches. That gives us a clue that military bands existed long before this. In the field the drum would sound the fall in for musters or calls to action.

The divisional bands of the Royal Marines were first formed in 1767 from there on the bands grew. Their requirements also expanded with the new Ceremonial Duties and Pageantry demands.

Bands Of Great Musicians

The average person who has heard the Royal Marines Band is probably unaware of the fact that during World war II, one of the tasks of the Corps was to provide all the bands for H.M. Ships and Naval Shore Establishments.

They were trained at the Royal Naval School of Music, which was staffed and run by the Royal Marines, these musicians wear the same uniform as the rest of the Corps and receive their musical education in the service.

Of Their Deeds Little Has Been Written

As a comparitively small Corps which is an integral part of the Navy, the Royal Marines have been largely neglected in our national literature.

However, in his essay on English Admirals Stevenson, mentions the four Marines who were left on a barren island after the wreck of the "Wager" because there was no room for them in the boat and who, as the others pulled away, they gave cheers and cried, "God bless the King."

Those musicians of the ships' bands were as versatile, modest and gallant a people as you could wish to meet anywhere.

They began young. Most of them learnt at least two or three instruments because each band is required on occasion to play as a parade band, a military concert band, and an orchestra or a dance band.

Courageously They Raised Morale

More than once in the Second World War the ships' bands kept-up the morale of all present, by playing in the midst of the greatest danger. Here are some of those instances.

During the Air raids on Malta a merchant ship with a precious cargo of fuel and oil was hit by a bomb and, having settled in shallow water in the harbour, was being relentlessly dive- bombed by Stukas while soldiers and ratings strove desperately to unload her.

To encourage the unloading party the band of that famous cruiser "H.M.S. Penelope" came alongside in a lighter to give the men a program of "music-while-you-work". Again and again the Stukas dived as the band coolly played selections from "Snow White".

Once the working-party faltered when a German bomber swept lower than usual. At once the band struck up, "Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho, its off to work we go."

The resolution of these Marine musicians did the trick. The unloading was successfully completed in two days during which the band played unceasingly from nine to four.

Another Fine Instance Of Courage

The second example is taken from "H.M.S. Cleopatra" which was torpedoed during the German invasion of Sicily. The band was trapped below decks, and eleven out of sixteen musicians were killed or injured.

Under heavy escort the ship limped back into Malta. She was about to enter the harbour, when the five uninjured members of the band fell in and played lively tunes until the ship was moored.

A late friend of mine, Reg Lockwood, who served all through the Second World War; and was on three-ships that were sunk by torpedoes; and who had served in both the Maltese and Russian convoys, before transferring to submarines.

Said,"Sometimes in the quieter evenings of the Malta convoys, some of the escort ships would pull in close to the flagship and they listened to the music of the Royal Marines Band. It was wonderful."

Great Men And Great Musicians

Those men of the ships' bands were good musicians. In one afternoon they have been known to perform a Brahms symphony, parade marches, church music, selections from films and hot jazz.

But the great thing about them is they are fighting musicians and as such they are unique. Trained in first aid, musicians acted as stretcher-bearers with shore parties.

But their main job during the war was to man the transmitting stations in ships, where the intricate gunnery fire-control problems are worked out.

In calculating the vital answers required in the gun-turrets, the musicians had to work at lightening speed, and, the transmitting stations were in the bowels of the ship, where if she was badly hit, the chances of escape were very slender.

225 Killed In Action

During the war the maximum number of bands afloat was 63, and this gives a total of approximately 900 N.C.O.s and men. The casualties, not including deaths by accidents and natural causes, amounted to 225 killed or died of their wounds.

This number, some twenty-five per cent. of the musicians is, possibly the highest percentage of casualties in any service during that war. Very properly the musicians received their share of decorations and mentions in despatches.

The Method Of Instruction Is Thorough

The best tutors in British Musical Colleges produces the finest military bands in the world. The School has classrooms of various sizes, rehearsal studios, a multi channel audio recording suite and video equipment.

Instruction is given in the theory of music, singing and general musical knowledge, whilst students also attend orchestral concerts in London, as well as ballet and opera performances, to broaden their individual knowledge of music.

The military role of the Band Service is a fundermental component of the Royal Navy's operational capability afloat and ashore with 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines.

Musicians provide casualty handlers, medical orderlies, decontamination teams, ambulance drivers, helicopter marshalling, force protection and enemy prisoner of war handling. Royal Marine Band Service has performed this role during the Faulklands, Gulf war 1991, Kosovo, Iraq and more recently on Operation HERRICK in Afghanistan in 2009.

Mixture Of Stirring Music

At home or abroad a ship or ashore the Marines Band Service has delighted millions with their mixture of stirring music.

Their distinctive white pith helmets, their immaculate uniforms and their gleaming instruments make them easily recognisable.

The ceremony had its origins in the practicalities of warfare, when the drum, used for all signals on the battlefield, beat the signal to Retreat as light faded.

Beating The Retreat

This custom was also used to warn outlying troops to return to their billets before the gate were shut for the night. Later, fifers playing tunes were added and sometimes bands.

The ceremony has been embellished over the years until we arrive at today's setting, which takes the form of a musical pageant.

The ceremony in the Royal Marines rose to importance in the 1930s when the Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean, Admiral Sir William Fisher, chose it as an impressive spectacle to be performed when his fleet visited foreign ports.

Corps Of Drums

Bands were added to the Corps of Drums, and the ceremony culminated with the playing of "Sunset".

The Massed Bands have been Beating Retreat on Horse Guards Parade since 1960 to commemorate the birthday of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Captain General Royal Marines

The RM Band Service web site is brilliant. It will give you all of the facts including everyday words used by jack tar and the bootnecks along some excellent high resolution photographs. If you like Royal Marines bands music.

When the commandos go into action the bandsmen and women's job is stretcher bearer. However when there is emergency action with no warning then they do not go into the action.

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Royal Marines Band Service

The Royal Marines Band Service provides ceremonial excellence on the parade ground. There is nothing like the sight and sound of the Royal Marines Massed Bands Marching to their music.

Some say the sound makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end and the sight is very pleasing to the eye.

The 12 Officers and 311 other ranks are divided amongst five bands which are 53 strong and are based at Portsmouth (HMS Nelson and HMS Collingwood), Plymouth (HMS Rayleigh), CTCRM and Scotland (HMS Caledonia).

The Headquarters of the Royal Marines Band Service (HQBS) is at HMS Excellent. TEL: 023 9254 7403.

The correct titles of the Royal Marines Bands are given below with their direct line telephone numbers.

Requests for the service of the Royal Marines Band Service should be directed to the Royal Marine Band Service Engagements Co-ordinator at HQBS Royal Marines. Tel No. 02392 547552

Band of HM Royal Marines Portsmouth, Tel No. 023 9287 6943

Band of HM Royal Marines Collingwood, Tel no. 023 9272 7799

Band of HM Royal Marines Plymouth, Tel No. 01752 811 297

Band of HM Royal Marines Scotland, Tel No. 01383 425418

Band of HM Royal Marines Commando Training Centre Royal Marines Tel No. 01392 414050

The Blue Band Magazine

The Blue Band Magazine and Chevron Recordings produce each of the Royal Marines Bands official CDs including the annual Mountbatten Festival of Music.

CDs can be ordered via the website or by writing to the Secretay at the address given below.

The Blue Band Magazine is of special interest to past members or general followers of the Royal Marines Band Service.

Subscription rates including P&P are: £9 UK, £10.50 (surface mail) Europe, £14 (airmail) the rest of the world.

To subscribe to the magazine or order any of the Royal Marine recordings please write to: The Secretary, The Blue Band, HQBSRM, Eastney Block, HMS Nelson, Queen Street, Portsmouth, PO1 3HH. or Tel: 023 2972 6173

Royal Marines Regimental Music

QUICK MARCH: "A Life on the Ocean Wave", composed by Henry Russell in 1886, with words by Epps Sargent. A part of the song "The sea" is included as the trio. Officially authorised as the Regimental Quick March in 1882, the original arrangement was by J. A. Kappey, then the Bandmaster of the Chatham Division.

The version in use today dates from 1944 and is Major F. J. Ricketts, the Director of Music of the Plymouth Division, better known as Kenneth Alford.

SLOW MARCH: "The Preobrajensky March" presented to the Corps in 1964 by the late Earl Mountbatten of Burma, whose uncle, the Grand Duke Sergius, at one time commanded the Russian Preobrajensky Guards.

Lord Mountbatten was appointed a Colonel Commandant of the Royal Marines in 1965. The arrangement was made by Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Dunn.

SALUTE: The first eight bars of "The Preobranjensky March" is played in quick time as a salute for Royal Marines General Officers.

COMMANDO MARCH: In addition to the Regimental Quick March, Commando units may use "Sarie Marais", an old South African trekking song much used by the Boer Kommandos. During World War II it was often sung on the march by the Commandos and was particularly popular with the officers of the Union of South Africa Defence Force seconded to the Royal Marines.

Captain Vivian Dunn had made an arrangement of it for military band in 1937, and it was officially adopted by the Corps in 1952.

INSPECTION MUSIC: "The Globe and Laurel". This march was the regimental slow march until 1964. It is an arrangement of the tune "Early One Morning" by Lieutenant F. V. Dunn and was composed in 1935 for ceremonial use when the Royal Marines first carried out Public Duties in London.

Much of the Regimental Music of the Royal Marines has been composed by Vivian Dunn who, in 1931, had the unique distiction of being appointed Director of Music of Portsmouth Division, direct from civilian life.

In 1953 he became the first Principle Director of Music of the Royal Marines and retired in 1968 as Lieutenant Colonel Sir Vivian Dunn KCVO OBE FRAM. He died in 1995.

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