Page 54 - Bugle Issue 20 Autumn 2022

BAND & BUGLES
Prior to Sounding Retreat the Band and Bugles appeared live on the BBC’s One Show to help promote the event. With outstanding performances being put in by everyone, including the newly minted Director of Music, Major Sean O’Neill, who had only arrived weeks before having previously overseen the Brigade of Gurkha Band.
Ably led by Senior Bugle Major Daniel Lewis the buglers led the way impressing not only the show’s hosts, Alex Jones and Ronan Keating, but also a large gathering of the general public.
Farewell to The Director of Music and Annual Colonel
On the 16th March The Band and Bugles
of The Rifles had their annual Colonel Commandant’s Inspection at Worthy Down Barracks, outside Winchester. This event takes place to show Sounding Retreat (SR) and seek approval to take our display on the road.
The occasion also allowed us to say farewell to The Director of Music, Major Jason Griffiths, who has moved to The Band of The Royal Anglian Regiment.
This year the inspecting officer was the Assistant Colonel Commandant, Major General Copinger-Symes CBE, supported by Lieutenant Colonel Mills MBE, Lt Col Michael Smith
BA (Mus) LRSM RCAM and the Regimental Secretary Lt Col (Ret’d) Balls OBE.
The theme for SR was the “evolution of The Rifles”, telling a story of the antecedent regiment’s histories through the various Regimental marches beginning in North America in the mid-18th century to the present day. Sounding Retreat pays homage
54 RIFLES The Bugle
THE BAND
AND BUGLES OF
THE RIFLES BBC ONE SHOW