Page 43 - Bugle Spring 2024

CONCERT BY THE WATERLOO BAND & BUGLES ON REGENT’S PARK BANDSTAND
Regent’s Park Bandstand
sounded Last Post and the names of those musicians who were tragically killed were read out. The Bugle Platoon sounded Reveille and the band then continued to finish the piece of music – finally.
It was a very moving moment but everyone at the event thought it was the right thing to do and we will continue to play Oliver! at our concerts in future as a mark of respect to:
20th July 1982 was a very dark day indeed for Army Music. At 1255hrs a bomb, which had possibly been planted weeks before, exploded under the bandstand in Regent’s Park whilst the band of the 1st Battalion Royal Green Jackets, under the direction of Bandmaster Dave Little, were performing a selection of music from the film Oliver!, killing seven of the musicians and injuring many more.
In 2023 the Waterloo Band & Bugles of The Rifles performed a memorial concert on 23rd July on the same bandstand supported by The Rifles Association Buglers and Musicians from the Salamanca Band of 6 RIFLES.
The audience numbered around 200
serving and retired Riflemen and their families, and following a short memorial service, the band launched into a 2-hour concert.
Until recently The Rifles and antecedent bands had not performed the selection of music from Oliver! since that day in 1982. However, by not playing that piece, it removed the ability to talk about the dreadful events and more importantly to remember their music colleagues who were killed and injured – many of whom are still suffering today.
After consultation with some of the remaining 1 RGJ musicians, the band performed Oliver! in Regent’s Park for the first time since 1982, pausing at the end of Oom-Pah-Pah. The Bugle Platoon then
the band performed Oliver!
in Regent’s Park for the first time since 1982
WO2 Graham Barker Cpl John McKnight Bdsm Keith Powell Bdsm George Mesure
Major Loz Sale, DOM
Sjt Robert Livingstone Bdsm John Heritage Bdsm Laurence Smith
7 RIFLES
RIFLES The Bugle 43