Description
Object description
British marine band boy served with Royal Marine School of Music at Eastney, GB, 1904-1906; musician served with Royal Marines aboard HMS Triumph in GB coastal waters, 1906-1907; bandmaster served at Royal Marine School of Music, Eastney, GB and aboard HMS Conqueror in GB coastal waters, 1912-1926
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of training as band boy aboard training ship, HMS Exmouth and with Royal Marine School of Music, Eastney, GB, 1904-1906: reasons for joining band; band training and examination; sings naval song; band duties; drafting to Royal Marine School of Music at Eastney Barracks; posting as band corporal to Devonport Barracks and funeral duties.
REEL 2 Continues: story of studying for position of bandmaster, 1912. Recollections of period as band boy with Royal Marine School of Music at Eastney, GB, 1904-1906: period of transition from naval to marine bands; theoretical and practical music instruction.
REEL 3 Continues: bandsman training; bathing parade; ration allowance; contrast in disciplinary standards between naval and marine bands; question of antagonism between naval and marine musicians; story illustrating duties of his bandmaster in barracks; administration of discipline.
REEL 4 Continues: story relating to disciplinary duties as company sergeant-major in charge of Boys Company at Eastney Barracks, 1921-1926. Aspects of period as Royal Marine musician aboard HMS Triumph, 1906-1907: drafting to ship; band members; pay for marine and non-marine musicians; attitude of naval bandsmen to marine discipline; duties on board ship.
REEL 5 Continues: sings naval song. Recollections of period as bandmaster aboard HMS Conqueror, 1912-1918: captain's choice of music to march men into morning prayers; band practice and repertoire; music for church services and conferring with captain; playing for officers' guest night; story of captain's dislike of ragtime music being played.
REEL 6 Continues: playing at dinner for ship's company; orders from captain not to play popular songs; keeping musical repertoire up to date; playing at officers' dances; story of playing at investiture of Prince of Wales, 1911; memories of the Dreadnought Hoax, 1910.
REEL 7 Continues: playing during coaling; purchasing new music; bandmaster's status and position aboard ship; role of Royal Marine sergeant-major in checking marine chronometers; recites poem about strict Royal Marine sergeant-major.
REEL 8 Continues: wartime role decoding in wireless office; receiving signal on outbreak of First World War, 8/1914; description of ranging during Battle of Jutland, 1916; hearing of start of initial engagements of Battle of Jutland; bandmaster's pay and privileges at sea and in barracks. Aspects of period as bandmaster on detachment at Aldershot Barracks, GB, 1921: parade duties.
REEL 9 Continues: use of Royal Navy personnel in preventing army reservists from causing trouble at Aldershot. Retirement from Royal Marines, 1926.