User:Coldstreamer20/Band of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

The Band of the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers or REME band was a military band of the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers originally formed in 1943, though disbanded in 2019.

History

The Band of the Corps of Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers was formed in 1943, from Brigadier A. S. Buttershaw instructor Major R. Rowley to form a band at Arborfield Garrison, the new headquarters and corps training establishment of the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers. Brand new drums, fifes, and bugles were purchased, and soon Corporal Jacobs – who was acting drum major – band playing at parades. In January 1944, Warrant Officer 1 (Bandmaster) Bruce Salmon, Bandmaster of The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) was posted to Arborfield to held organise and train the REME band. Drawing some musicians within the new corps and tradesmen, they were only allowed one hour a day to practice. Even the bandmaster was temporary, as Bandmaster Salmon was sent back to the Buffs after just eight months.

Warrant Officer 1 Donald Seed, Bandmaster of the 2nd Battalion, The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) was appointed and the band saw its first performance at the Garrison Theatre in Arborfield in October 1944. Soon the band began broadcasting and performing at sports meetings, parades, and other military functions. In October 1945, Warrant Officer Robert Selley, Bandmaster of the 2nd Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment replaced WO 1 Seed, who returned to his band. In October 1946, Bandmaster Selley was replaced by Warrant Officer 1 Roy Hurst, Bandmaster of the Band of the 14th/20th King's Hussars. Under his direction, the band gave many concerts, a feature of which Bandmaster Hurst was on piano.

During all this time, the band's status was still unofficial, but on 23 September 1947 War Office Letter 27/GEN/2935 (AG 1A) directed by the Adjutant General, was issued and the band was authorised as an official staff band. The band's establishment was set at 41 personnel: Director of Music, Band Sergeant, 2 Corporals, 3 Lance-Corporals, 24 Musicians, and 10 Enlisted boys (drummers). The band became official on 1 October 1947, exactly five years after the formation of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

The first Director of Music was Captain Denis Plater MBE who had been transferred from the Royal Tank Regiment. He was a prolific arranger and composer of marches, and composed the new REME corps march which was a mix of the traditional march "Lillibullero" and the French song "Auprès de ma blonde". DOM Plater also composed the regimental march of The Light Infantry later on in the 1960s. Though Captain Plater later died in 1952, the march "The Light Infantry" would go on to be the regimental quick march of the namesake regiment. He also composed several other songs, such as the "March of the King's Men" (prize-winning entry at the Aldershot Coronation Tattoo), "Hark Forrard", "Ridgeway" (featured a the 1926 Wembley Exhibition), "Monty's Foxhounds", "Ethelois" (dedicated ot his wife Ethel Lois), "Fear Naught", "Tank Town", "Grand Reunion", and "Battle of the River Plate".

In 1949, the band provided music for the film "The Craftsman", and in the same year performed overseas tours to the Middle East, performing at El Ballah, Moascar, and Fayid in the Kingdom of Egypt. From Egypt, they sailed to British Malta, combining in Valletta with the Royal Artillery (Malta) Band to give a show at Saint George's Square.

Early in 1952, Captain Plater was taken ill and the band visited Gibraltar under the leadership of Band-Sergeant, Warrant Officer 2 (Band Sergeant Major) Wootton. On their return to England, Captain Plater once more assumed command, but was soon taken ill again and died at Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot on 24 May 1952. He was buried in Barkham Cemetery with full military honours, the Band and one hundred officers and men from the Corps marching behind the coffin. At the time of his death, he was composing a grand military march for the upcoming Coronation of Elizabeth II.

For the next few months, Bandmaster Wootton assumed command, and it was not until 17 September 1952 that Captain Oliver Brikin, previously Bandmaster of The King's Royal Rifle Corps, was posted in. At just 34 years of age, Captain Birkin was the youngest Director of Music ever to have been appointed. In 1956, during his tenure of office, the Band upgraded from a minor to a major staff band under the 1957 Defence White Paper which reorganised the bands into new organisations. Ill heath forced Captain Birkin into retirment in 1961, but in recognition for his service was awarded an MBE. On 28 April 1971, following the recent 1966 Defence White Paper, new band organisations were issued with the band becoming a 55-man major staff band. The band's strength now stood at a Director of Music, 2 warrant officers class 2 (one Bandmaster and one Band Sergeant Major), 2 staff-sergeants, 7 sergeants, 8 corporals, 8 lance-corporals, and 27 musicians.

In 1981, the strength of the band was further reduced following the 1981 Defence White Paper to just 34 musicians, but continued to receive 'outstanding' inspection reports. Later, in 1993 the Options for Change reform following the end of the Cold War saw the army's bands reduced dramatically and the formation of a central Corps of Army Music. The new corps oversaw all the army bands, including that of the REME. On 1 September 1994, the band left the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and joined the new Corps of Army Music. With the bands having been reduced from 69 to just 30, the number of bandsmen was also reduced by some 43%, with the band's strength further reduced from 34 musicians to just 29.

In October 1997, the band performed at a 50th Anniversary, which included eight former Band presidents, three past Colonel Commandants of the REME, four former Directors of Music, and many others. Later in the century, the band performed in the United States of America, Canada, Germany, Bosnia, Italy, Cyprus, Uzbekistan, Guatemala, Mexico, and France. In 2004, following the controvercial 2003 Defence White Paper, the bands were further reduced by 283 posts, with the band reducing further from 29 to 23 members.

In 2007, the band included the following ensembles: Marching Band, Concert Band, Brass Quintet, Woodwind Quintet, Saxophone Quintet, Pop Group, Dixie Band, German Band, and Fanfare Team. Since the band's formation, it was based at Rowcroft Barracks at Arborfield Garrison in Reading, Berkshire. In 2008, the band embarked for Canada, where it first deployed to British Army Training Unit Suffield in Alberta, Canada, but then went to Quebec to perform at the 400th Anniversary of Quebec City, and then the 10th Anniversary of the Quebec Festival of International Military Music and Tattoo. During this performance, 25 different bands preformed for around 20,000 audience members and a total attendance outside of 150,000 people.

In 2009, the band deployed to the Kingdom of Jordan to perform at the Annivsary of the Ascension to the throne of King Abdullah II. The band performed a the beating retreat, including an air show performed by the Red Arrows. During the beating retreat, the band performed alongside the Jordanian Corps of Army Music, and performed a piece "Unity" written by Director of Music Captain Darren Wolfendale especially for the occasion. The song was so well received that a printed copy was ordered by the King, and later presented by the youngest member of the band. Later in 2009, the band was flown to Moscow where they performed in the two-week Moscow Military Tattoo alongside the Pipes and Drums of the 102nd Battalion, REME.

In 2012, following the Army 2020 reforms, the 'Future of Army Music in the 2020 Era' reform was published. Under this program, the band was reduced to just 15 personnel and became a new 'Reduced Capability Band' or RCB. This lead the band being twinned with another 'full-size' band, that could be called up when needed. As one of the three new RCBs, the band was to be moved to a new location following the announcement, with Piave Lines, Catterick Garrison later selected. The band was further reduced a few weeks later to just eight personnel. The band was later twinned with the Band of the Royal Logistics Corps.

In 2019, a reorganisation of the Corps of Army Music saw the band finally dissolved when it was merged with the Band of the Royal Armoured Corps and Band of The King's Division to form the new British Army Band Catterick.

Regimental Music

Early in 1943, Major-General Albert Robert Valon had the idea of combining 'Lillibullero' (signature tune for BBC News during the war) with the Drawfs' Song from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, known as 'Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's home from work we go' as the Corps march, and Bandmaster Nel was given the job of making an acceptable arrangement. However, in 1950 under Captain Plater, new possibilities were to be found for a new corps march. He submitted several ideas including one which used "Lillibullero" as the first tune and a French tune, "Auprès de ma Blonde" as the trio. The second tune had no connection with the Corps, but it was considered a good marching tune as it was similar in style to "Lillibullero" and was not used by anyone else.

The Corps slow march is a version of that used by the Royal Artillery, dating back to 1843 and reputed to have been composed by the Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, known as the Duchess of Kent's March. The Corps used the original version, known as the "Grand March: Duchess of Kent", arranged by Michael Retford and published in the 1890s.

Uniform

The information below is copied from the full 'Army Dress Regulations' which were released by the Ministry of Defence in January 2011. The full dress uniform of the band in 2007 was as follows:

Director of Music and Bandmaster

1. Helmet. Universal pattern blue cloth, with gilt metal fittings, pointed front peak, with metal edging; back peak edged with patent leather; on either side a rose boss with attachment for curbchain chinstrap; spike in metal cross-piece mounting; the chin chain on patent leather backing lined with black velvet. A convex bar of gilt metal, ¼ in wide down the centre of the back and to the bottom of the back peak.

2. Helmet Plate. An 8 pointed star surmounted by a crown; on the star a laurel wreath; within the laurel wreath a garter inscribed “HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE”. Within the garter the REME badge mounted in centre; a silver scroll on the bottom of the wreath inscribed “Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers”.

3. Tunic. Blue cloth, with scarlet cloth collar, cuffs and piping. The collar not less than 2 inches and not more than 2½ inches high, cut square in front, fastened with two hooks and eyes and ornamented with ¾ inch gold Staff pattern lace alone the top and fronts, and gold cord at the bottom. A very narrow edging of scarlet cloth to show (2mm wide) outside the lace. Collar badges in gold/silver embroidery. The cuffs pointed, 2 inches deep at the back and 3 inches at the point, edged with round cord traced both sides with Russia braid, forming an Austrian knot extending to 9 inches from the bottom of the cuff. Eight large gilt buttons down the front. The skirt closed behind, with a three-pointed slash (edged with gold cord, traced inside and out with Russia braid) on each side; two buttons at the waist behind (with centres 3 inches apart) and three on each slash. Front and skirts (including their lower edges and the closed vent at the back) edged with scarlet cloth piping 3/16 inch wide. Gilt/brass belt-hook in waist-seam at each side. Twisted round gold shoulder-cords of Royal Engineers pattern (see Dress Regulations, Plate 27) lined with blue cloth, fastened at the top by a small button with screw attachment. Badges of rank in silver embroidery for officer, in gold embroidery on scarlet cloth, with Musician’s badge to match, for WO1.

4. Trousers. Blue cloth overalls (with foot-straps) with a scarlet stripe 17 /8 th inches wide down each seam.

5. Shoulder-Belt. Scarlet Morocco leather, 2 inches wide, trimmed with two stripes of ¾ inch gold Staff pattern lace, with scarlet leather to show between; gilt brass buckle, tip and slide as for Royal Artillery but with REME badge (in place of the Grenade) mounted on the tip. 6. Pouch

1. a. Director of Music. Red leather box with gilt suspension-loops. Flap faced with scarlet cloth and embroidered with the Crops badge in gold beneath a Queen’s Crown, surrounded by oak-leaf sprays bearing scrolls inscribed “ARTE ET MARTE”.
2. b. WO1. Black leather, with the REME Badge in gilt/brass.

7. Waist Belt. Scarlet Morocco leather, 1¾ inches wide, trimmed with two stripes of ½ inch gold Staff pattern lace, with scarlet leather to show between; matching sword-slings trimmed with two rows of ¼ inch naval lace, and fitted with gilt wire billet buckles. Circular gilt waist clasp, the outer circlet with raised bay-leaf motif, the centre mounted with REME badge, the belt-loops of rococo pattern.

8. Boots. George or Wellington. Swan-necked nickel-plated spurs (Director of Music only).

9. Sword and Scabbard. Infantry pattern with nickel-plated scabbard.

10. Sword Knot. Gold cord with gold acorn.

11. Gloves. White, wrist.

Band Sergeant Major

12. Helmet. Universal Pattern blue cloth, with gilt fittings, generally as for Officers (see para. 1 above) but with rounded front and back peaks, both edged with black plastic.

13 Helmet Plate. Universal Pattern gilt/brass crowned star plate bearing a circlet, surrounded by a laurel-wreath and inscribed with Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers; within the circlet, the REME Badge.

14. Tunic. Blue cloth, with scarlet cloth collar, cuffs and piping. The collar edged all round with gold cord, traced inside with Russia braid, with metal badges fixed with their officer pattern centres 2 inches from the ends of the collar; the cuffs pointed, edged with gold cord (without tracing) forming an Austrian knot extending to 8 inches from the bottom of the sleeve. Eight gilt buttons down the front. The skirts closed behind, with a three-pointed slash (piped with scarlet cloth and edged with narrow gold cord) on each side; two buttons at the waist behind (with centres 3 inches apart) and one at each point of the each slash. The front and skirts (including their lower edge and closed vent) edged with scarlet cloth 3/ 16 inch wide. A brass belt-hook in waist-seam on each side. Shoulder straps of scarlet cloth, edged, except at the base, with narrow gold cord and fastened with a medium button.

15. Badges of Rank and Appointment. Placed immediately above the top of the Austrian knot, a Musician’s badge below a O2’s rank-badge, and both badges in gold embroidery on scarlet backing.

16. Trousers. Full Dress pattern, of substantial blue cloth without pleats. A scarlet stripe17 /8 th inches wide down each side-seam.

17. Boots. Black, George.

18. Sword Belt. Heavy, solid, white matt plastic (to resemble buff leather) 1¾ inches wide. Circular gilt metal clasp, the male part bearing the Royal Crest (Lion on Crown), the female part a circlet inscribed “DIEU ET MON DROIT”. Sword-slings to be 1 inch wide and of the same material as the belt, with gilt metal billet studs and square buckles.

19. Sword and Scabbard. Sword Infantry Warrant Officer with nickel-plated scabbard

20. Sword Knot. White matt plastic strap and acorn.

21. Gloves. White, wrist.

22. Cross-Belt. Heavy solid white matt plastic (to resemble buff leather) 1 ¾ inches wide. All fittings gilded; Tip, slide, single prong buckle. White pouch on back embellished with REME badge (height 5cm) in metal

Bandsman

23. Helmet and Helmet Plate. As for WO2 (See Paras 12 and 13 above).

24. Tunic. As for WO2 (See Para 14 above) but without Russia tracing inside the cord edging of the collar. Skirt slashes edged with scarlet piping only.

25. Badges of Rank and Appointment. Worn on right upper arm, on scarlet backing, as follows:

• Staff Sergeant: Three chevrons of ½ inch gold Bias and Stand lace, below a Bandsman’s lyre badge in gold embroidery, with a gold-embroidered crown above.
• Sergeant: As for Staff Sergeant, but without the crown.
• Corporal: Two chevrons of ½ inch gold lace, below a Bandsman’s lyre badge in gold embroidery.
• Lance Corporal: As for Corporal, but with one chevron.
• Musician: As for Corporal, but without chevrons.

26. Good Conduct Badges (As appropriate). Half-inch gold lace, on scarlet backing, worn on left forearm, the lower edge ½ inch above the top of the Austrian knot.

27. Trousers, Boots and Gloves. As for WO2 (See Paras 16, 17 and 21 above). Fingerless mitts for woodwind.

28. Waistbelt. Heavy solid white matt plastic (to resemble buff leather) 1 ¾ inches wide. Circular gilt metal clasp (mazak locket) the male part bearing the Regimental crest REME. The female part outer circle inscribed “ARTE ET MARTE”.

29. Cross-belt. As described in Para 22 above.

Drum Major

30. Helmet and Helmet Plate. As for WO2 (See Paras 12 and 13 above).

31. Tunic. As for WO2 (See Para 24 above) with the addition of scarlet wings, edged with ½ inch gold lace and crossed diagonally with five bars of the same lace.

32. Trousers. As for WO2.

33. Badges of Rank and Appointment. Worn on scarlet backing as follows.

• Badge of Rank. No specific badge worn, unless Staff Sergeant or above.
• Badge of Appointment. A Drum in gold embroidery above an inverted four-bar chevron in gold lace, worn on right forearm.

34. Sword, Sword-Knot, Scabbard and Sword Belt. As for Band Sergeant Major (WO2).

35. Dress Cords. Infantry pattern as currently worn (Cross-Belt not worn).

36. Sash (Drum Majors). As currently worn.

All Ranks

37. Cape. Dark blue, to be worn when performing outdoors in inclement weather.

38. Medals. Medals are to be Court mounted.

Bandmasters

Below is a list of the Bandmasters and Directors of Music:

• 1943: Corporal Jacob
• 1944: Warrant Officer 1 (WO 1) Wilfred Bruce Salmon MBE LRAM ARCM psm
• 1944–1945: WO 1 Donald Seed ARCM
• 1945–1946: WO 1 Robert Eric Selley ARCM
• 1946–1947: WO 1 Roy Hurst ARCM
• 1947–1952: Lieutenant, later Major (Director of Msuic) Denis James Plater MBE LRAM ARCM
• 1952–1961: Lieutenant, later Captain (Director of Music) Oliver Birkin MBE LRAM ARCM psm
• 1961–1969: Lieutenant, later Major Francis Edward Hays LRAM ARCM psm
• 1969–1984: WO 1 David Snowden ARCM psm
• 1984–1986: Captain Peter Hannam MBE BEM psm
• 1986–1991: Captain Clifford James Ross ARCM psm
• 1991–1993: Captain Leonard Paul Tyler psm
• 1993–????: Captain Kevin Lamb BA FVCM BBCM psm
• 2007–????: Captain Darren Wolfendale (later Senior Director of Music, Household Division in Irish Guards [2017–2020])

References

• Turner, Gordon (1997) The History of British Military Bands, 3: Infantry & Irish: Including The King's Division, The Prince of Wales's Division, The Light Division, and The Disbanded Irish Regiments, Staplehurst, United Kingdom: Spellmont Publishers ISBN: 978-1873376287. OCLC: 39158802.
• Peregrine, Colonel R. B. (2017) Craftsmen of the Army: The Story of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, III: 1993–2015, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom: Pen & Sword Military ISBN: 978-1473899889.
• (January 2011) Army Dress Regulations (All Ranks) (Edition #12 (January 2011) ed.), Whitehall, London, United Kingdom: Ministry of Defence