Too true for God's Sake we cannot be that short of cash that the Fleet's Flagship cannot have an RM Band, rather than the volunteer band who were doing their best but, which is a major but. We are turning the RN into a joke.
Almost a dusk till dawn moment when lets kill the etc etc...Gathered my thoughts anyway and wrote up top mate. They need to practice that was shockingly bad.
Marvellous to see our friends on Parade with us at Sunset. The Captain will be sending the band to the galley. 48 hours of peeling potatoes followed by 5 days in the rehearsal room with the Ship's cat until it stops climbing the walls. 😂
@@MetaView7 I read even the army bands are being cut down to the minimum number of musicians and the army school of music at Kneller Hall was sold years ago.
More to the point…. Why are there NO Royal Marines? Those young folks with the Royal Navy Honour Guard are US Marines…. Corporals and Sergeants….. I spent 10 years in the US Marines and they stand out against the sea of sailor white……
Cant believe that !! How things have changed, and not for the better im afraid Invincible days beat retreat was a Royal Marine affair and brought tears to your eyes, This did too ! , strangely for a completely different reason Anyone remember Sooty , Sweep and Sue ? They had a band !
Just a volunteer band. They tried hard and I have heard far worse. You have to take what you can get and none of band members are professional musicians unlike those in a RM or other forces band. Ridiculous that a RM band is not onboard, however. Global Britain needs to show the world its best, for goodness sake!
If any RFAs or other supply vessels are heading to the Eastern Med please find room for a small det from RM Band Service. It's not long since we saw the last passing out parade from Band School, and I'm sure at least some of the newly-qualified Musns would welcome the chance to get some sea time. No criticism of the shipboard volunteers, who obviously did their best - but nothing can compare with the full Sunset with RM Band. I first saw it on board HMS Bulwark in 1970 - and I'm sure that every time we watch Sunset it brings tears to the eyes of everyone with a family member in the service.
One time when I was an Army Cadet, we were on a naval base and playing football and just having a laugh, then these guys started playing the Bugle at sunset, and we had no idea of the significance, we were Artillery and weren’t familiar with Naval protocol or traditions. Man, did we get screamed and shouted at, lol 🤝 🍻
Wonder who the guard presented arms to! Does not seem to be the ensign as it has already been lowered and guard was not facing it. Very strange and incomprehensible ceremony indeed!
A fitting ending to that would have been the guard marching onto one of the aircraft lifts and slowly disappearing below deck level - especially if someone had thrown a hat onto the officer's sword!
The flagmen were early. Probably briefed to lower as the music played, but nor briefed which piece of music. It should have been lowered when Sunset was played when the guard salutes.
They are not the ship's Royal Marine Band. Most likely they are member's of the Royal Navy Volunteer Band Association who usually are amateur musicians with membership open to both military and civilian musicians.
One would expect them to join the ship at some point, more so for the big port visits coming up , all part of the pitch to buy British , to include the cocktail parties for dignitaries etc
Most likely they are member's of the Royal Navy Volunteer Band Association who usually are amateur musicians with membership open to both military and civilian musicians.
" TO BE REMEMBERED ALWAYS AND IN MEMORY OF , " HER MAJESTY , " " QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND " " APRIL 21 , 1926 " - " SEPTEMBER 08 , 2022 " " 2023 " --- THANK YOU ---
May I comment please. It sounds to me like the written music was for a much larger group, not for that small an ensemble. If the written music were for that size a group it would have been written differently. Not all musicians are arrangers. When I was in high school our band director was a gifted and experienced arranger. I understand all parts of the UK's military are having cut backs. You heard the result there.
In dress regulations it dosen't seem to say anything about wearing it outside of the tunic, nor inside though, however the provided photos show the belt worn underneath.
sunset never used to be like this , normally it was the duty AB (with a bosuns call ) a few ROs to lower the flag and the OOD , and that was in every port
Happy July 4th to the Marine Corps detachment on board, and to our US friends and family wherever you may be. I hope the ship’s galleys manage something suitable in celebration.
Well, that ain't the navy I joined in 73. When I passed out at Raleigh, we had a Royal Marine band playing Liberty Bell. We all laughed. Nobody cringed.
Starts off with a bingo caller giving the commands. Then decends into the orchestra playing in carry on up the Khyber. Accept it was after they had been blown up.
I think that they should have used the 'Bosun's Call or a Bugel' and avoided such an embarrassment. I agree with the comment about having a Royal Marine band or at least a Marine bugler onboard for the deployment. Opportunity missed.
Hello Ray, thanks for the input. Er, yes, we learn history here ,as well, and my own personal view is that the nascent nation of America , which at the time was overtaxed and under represented, probably was justified in dispensing with a pretty despotic King. If I lived in America at that time, I would likely have felt the same way as the revolutionaries. Anyway,many years have passed and I think we should all move on from our historic differences, which is why I wish you all a happy Independence Day.
Sadly we can,t afford a R.M band or a full bluejacket band even light fleet carriers used to carry R.M. band and RM detachment.Seems the Navy is operating on a shoestring budget.
Whatever happend to a carrier with its Royal Marine band and guard?. That was deplorable in a foreign port...and officers in shirt sleeves and men in tropicals?! Geezus..... 🙄🙄 (ex RN)
What on earth has happened to RN musicianship? Don't get me wrong I would play just as badly but this is nothing like past efforts. Take a look at RAS on HMS Eagle in the 1960s, it's on RU-vid.
USMC 64 -- 68. I just want to say to my Two Fellow Marines wearing the garrison cover ( the piss cover ) take that ridiculous cover off and wear the barracks cover. It brings out the neat appearance of the uniform and it looks more dignified. Semper Fi and God Bless.
Is it standard dress for a female USMC NCO to not wear a headcovering on parade? The lass on the left front rank of the Detachment seemed to not have one? Having said that I noticed this is the second occasion on this deployment 4 US Marine NCOs have taken end positions with an RN detachment under the command of an RN Officer. What good sight it is too.
We were tied up to HMS Tamar (the UK Military Headquarters complex). I was OOD and the CDO was with me on the bridge to ensure Sunset was executed on time. The CO, XO and Navigator, all of whom were going to be at the reception together coordinated our watches with the Ships Chronometer, and the Navigator and Senior Chief Quartermaster both determined the exact time of Sunset. We executed EXACTLY on time. The Brits executed exactly one minute later. Approximately 4 minutes later, the XO steamed on board and started to dress me down. I turned to the CDO and announced the Command has lost faith in my ability to properly stand my Watch. I saluted and requested permission to strike below. The CDO refused and started yelling at the XO. He was getting out and didn't care. He pointed out in sailorly language that I and he had performed EXACTLY as we were ordered and that he was going to request a Court-of-Inquiry or Court-Martial to clear of us any charges. Things calmed down when more of our officers came back aboard after the reception and pointed out we had executed right on time by their watches and pointed out that maybe the Brits were off.
the senior ship sets the time and signals to the other ships that timing via signal flags. five minutes to the prep flag is dipped and re hoisted one minute to the prep flag is dipped at sunset the prep flag is lowered. all ships of a less seniority follow the senior ship
