Page 86 - Mercian Eagle 2014

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The Band of
The Mercian Regiment
It’s right in the middle of yet another busy summer season for the members of the Band of the Mercian Regiment. Having just finished annual camp at Cosford there’s a little time to sit and reflect on what they’ve been up to over the last few months.
centre of the arena (or in this case hall!)
by the Buglers, Corps of Drums, WW1 Volunteers and Standard Bearers from the British Legion. The audience were invited to sing along as the choir treated them to a Vera Lynn selection, before the Sunset ceremony began. It was a fantastic event enjoyed by all!
Later that month the Band were out supporting yet another charity fundraiser, but this time in aid of our very own Mercian Benevolent Fund at the Mercian Charity Shoot. The Band had the task of entertaining the participants during their lunch, with a ten-piece group playing a
mixture of popular and more traditional music, before the charity auction began.
Soon after came a wave of change for the
Bandies, with the appointment of a new Bandmaster, WO1 Anthony Hodgetts. Military music is certainly nothing new
to the Bandmaster, who was recruited
into the Prince of Wales’s Division, the Staffordshire Regiment as a Junior Soldier in 1971 aged 161⁄2. He completed tours of Northern Ireland, Germany, Canada and various other European countries before completing his Bandmaster’s Course in 1983. Posted to the 1st Bn The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) in 1984, he visited Germany, many European countries
Back in May saw the Band perform a concert and Beating Retreat at the Stoke Military Tattoo, King’s Hall, Stoke on Trent, which has become an annual event in the calendar. Along with many events this year, the Tattoo followed the theme of the World War 1 Centenary, with much of the music reflecting this.
The Band (supported by cadets from
the Derbyshire ACF
Band) was joined by
the Salisbury Plain
Military Wives Choir who
enthralled the audience
with their singing.
Performances from the
Corps of Drums and
Bugles of the Staffordshire and Shropshire Army Cadet Forces offered an exciting visual spectacle, whilst WW1 Volunteers from the Staffordshire Regiment Museum dressed up to add an air of authenticity to the proceedings. The event, which is in its third year, is organised in aid of ABF, The Soldier’s Charity, in Staffordshire, and is
very well supported. As tradition dictates, it concluded with a Beating Retreat performed by the Band. The intricate marching display went down a treat, and culminated in a finale where the Band were joined in the
WO1 Anthony Hodgetts – massed bands Shard End – 03 AUG 14
Mercian Band – Shrewsbury Flower Show – 08 Aug 14
and the Gulf War before returning to Kneller Hall as Company Commander in 1992.
Civilian life began with work for Norman’s Music Instrument Sales, undertaking peripatetic work, directing the West Mercia Police Band and playing in the Fusiliers Band (TA) in Coventry, before moving to the Royal Guard of Oman as Brass Instructor. There followed 11 years with the Royal Army of Oman at the final rank of Lt Col.
The Bandmaster now lives in Warwick with his wife, Gillian, and has two grandchildren. His time is taken up working at Harris School, Rugby, as the Isolation Room Supervisor, and conducting the West Mercia Police Brass Band. The Band are very pleased to welcome him as their new Bandmaster!
The beginning of July, and only just into his new appointment, saw the Bandmaster thrown in at the deep end when he took the Band to take part in the annual pilgrimage to the Mercian Memorial at Crich. The
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The intricate marching display went down a treat...