Description
Object description
British bandmaster served with Royal Marine Light Infantry, 1904-1918. Present aboard HMS Hercules at Battle of Jutland, 31/5/1916. Also his wife Marjorie
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of career as musician/bandmaster with Royal Marine Light Infantry, 1904-1914: recruitment and training as band boy with Royal Naval School of Music, Eastney Barracks, Portsmouth, 1904-1905; prior training as pianist and musical background; service as band boy with Prince of Wales orchestra aboard HMS Renown during Royal Tour of India and Burma, 1905-1906; problem with finger injury and consequent change from fiddle/clarinet to double bass; value of natural ability as musician; review of postings, 1906-1913; contacts with First Lord of Admiralty Winston Churchill during service aboard Admiralty yacht Enchantress, 1913; sporting activities. Recollections of service as bandmaster aboard HMS Hercules, ca 1914-1916: question of bandmaster ranks; duties in transmission room during Battle of Jutland, 31/5/1916, including sight of sinking HMS Invincible and success of battle turn of High Seas Fleet; sharing messdeck with marine sergeants.
REEL 2 Continues: status, duties in transmission room and nature of routine duties as bandmaster; dual role playing in ship's band and officers' mess orchestra; use of personal piano in cabin; custom of 'bandmaster's glass' in officers' mess; quality of band musicians and instructors; morning practice sessions; musical selections and collection of printed music. Various aspects of career as musician with Royal Marine Light Infantry, ca 1904-1918: composition of orchestra during period as bandmaster aboard HMS Benbow, ca 1917; football activities at Portsmouth; opinion of ships' captains and their treatment of defaulters; question of presentation of light operas.
REEL 3 Continues: background prior to joining Royal Marines; service on convoy duty with HMS Berwick; sinking of HMS Invincible, 31/6/1916; service aboard HMS Royal Oak, ca 1918; opinion of HMS Agincourt; surrender of German Fleet, 11/1918; story of sailor shooting German POW aboard ship; private band engagements and question of payments; winning football cup during brief service aboard HMS Barham; discussion of various photographs; story of losing drumstick as band boy aboard HMS Renown, 1906; discussion of various photographs.