Wishing all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Paul

To Mike Hutton (one of my treasured mentors), Eric and all the old and bold out there who have served in THE band service and are serving at the moment, be assured that you’re not being ignored or forgotten. The music that we have produced and are still producing makes people happy and is good for all our wellbeing.

It’s a shame that other social media platforms seem to have taken away the familial essence of our unique platform here, set up for us by Dickie.

May the winter festivities be a wonderful experience for all and the New Year to be fruitful.

David

Hi All

Happy Christmas and a Healthy New Year to you all.

Yours aye

Bill.

Well done Eric, there seems to be a lack of interest from the old & bold this year....perhaps they are all away on their foreign holidays or maybe gone to see Santa on HMS Iceberg. Anyway. whoever you are out there. Eric & I hope you all have a festive time and enjoy life while you still have it....Christmas Crackers HUTTON.........

Nothing happenning in the ex bandies world it would seem.

Or is it becuase the Ausi Government put a block on Facebook and other like mediams.

I however I came on to wish all Ex, and serving members the very best of the Festive Season and lets hope that 2025 will be good to you all.

Looking forward to the Boxing Day Test.

Cheers from a Hot Victoria,only 35c today but expect 40c plus on the week end.

Eric.

Hi Dickie,

The funeral of Jeff Young will be at the Garden of England Crematorium, Bobbing, Sittingbourne.

Time, 1100 December 20th. ME9 8GZ.
Yours, Mike

Here we are near the end of yet another year and have lost some great individuals from our wonderful Band Service. It's always a sad time near Christmas when the loss of a loved one has happened. I'm sure that all of you will have sad feelings at this time when one of our mates of perhaps many years has died. Now in my 90s, I frequently look back through these pages and recall all the guys that I served with that are no longer with us, and recall all the wonderful times the Royal Marines Band Service gave to us all....OK.. I know we all probably had a few gripes and groans about this draft, or that gig, or that B/M, or that Director of Music ( and I served with the longest of those with FVD !) but we just got on with the job and look what is still going strong ......'The Royal Marines Band Service' !!!!!

OK... they don't have any ships to serve on, but they can still play a few good tunes, and are certainly better looking with all the lovely girls now part of the RMB.

Stay well, all of you out there, have a very restful and enjoyable Christmas. See you in the Countermarch...................Michael.

Dear friends,

I have just heard from Jeff Young's wife that he sadly crossed the bar in Maidstone hospital at 2130 yesterday.
I have no further info at this moment.

RIP Shipmate.

I was sad to see that Jim Syder has crossed the Bar, He was a young Bugle Sergeant in Lympstone and a most inoffensive young chap as I recall.

So many of us are near our end of life, but to read of someone much younger than I makes me wonder why I am still around.......

Yours aye

Bill.

PS. That picture of my wife and I with the PDM makes me look like Mr. Pastry! Thanks to my guest photographer!

I went over to Deal yesterday to meet up with my oldest friend, Hugh Heatherwick. During our conversation he told me that Eddie Claxton (euph and 'cello) had died more than a year ago...apparently in his sleep. His passing has not been recorded on any RMB sites. Eddie was 86 and will be known to a few who read these posts.