Page 56 - Bugle No. 17 Spring 2021

BAND & BUGLES
SALAMANCA BAND & BUGLES ROUNDUP
What a year 2020 has been! The global pandemic has had a huge impact on so many aspects of our everyday lives: our ability to travel, to gather in groups and even to enjoy live music. All these restric- tions have meant that Army Reserve bands have had to find new and novel ways to rehearse and perform. The lockdown measures sadly reduced our ability to physically parade and forced our recruiting, training and musical engagements activities online. Members of the band ably rose to the challenge
and recordings were quickly made for the Queen’s Birthday, Services of Remembrance and several Christmas events. Our Vera Lynne ‘virtual’ tribute was viewed over 100,000 times on Twitter and Facebook!
Setting the standard. The Bugle Major speaks to the
COVID HEROES IN THE BAND
Whilst the Band’s musical pursuits were severely limited during 2020, it didn’t mean that our members weren’t busy. Several people continued throughout lockdown in their demanding jobs, making vital contribu- tions to the relief effort.
LCpl Neil Parsley (who incidentally has been a member of the Salamanca Band
for 45 years!) manages the Public Health Coordination Teams at mid-Devon District Council. During the pandemic he has been very busy triaging and prioritising all Public Health enquiries, ensuring officers attend the highest priority incidents, liaising with Public Health England, the NHS and other emergency services, supporting the COVID Track and Trace operation and setting up local vaccination centres.
CSjt Sandy Haskings (also a long serving Band member of 34 years) is a Volunteer Services Coordinator for Marie Curie, the charity that supports people and their families living with terminal illness. In response to the pandemic she has helped form the Somerset Bereavement Support Service, caring for people who have lost loved ones during this difficult time.
Other Band members, realising the effect that the pandemic was having on our commu- nities, admirably ‘stepped up’ to help and support where they could.
Sjt Nick Hockley decided to change careers and has recently qualified as an Emergency Care Assistant with the South West Ambulance Service Trust. He now works
56 RIFLES The Bugle
full time as an Emergency Ambulance Crew member on the front line.
Sjt Gavin Moxworthy has joined a partnership of small businesses in Devon and Cornwall delivering food parcels to those in need during the
pandemic. He also
has links with
the Veterans
Support
Network to
aid former or
currently serving
military personnel.
Force Commander in Wayne’s Keep Cemetery
Other Band members, realising the effect that the pandemic was having on our communities, admirably ‘stepped up’ to help and support where they could
We continue to think of our Bugle Major, CSjt Andy Gait,
who is currently deployed in Cyprus as part of the Op TOSCA 33 Battlegroup. We expect he enjoyed a slightly warmer Christmas than the rest of us at home in the UK! Capt Lee Clayson, the Salamanca Band’s Director of Music has also been mobilised into the role of ROG Adjutant and will be planning the homecoming parade for all of the Riflemen from 6 RIFLES in May.
We hope that the recovery effort from COVID-19 will allow a fitting welcome back and we look forward to their return in April.
Sound the advance! The Bugle Major sounds
a fanfare as one of the OPFOR commanders
arrives for a key leader engagement
WO1 (BM) Estelle Adams
MUSICAL ACTIVITIES
OTHER NEWS