All OK, Spoke to a very nice guy in the BB office and he sorted the ticket problem, so all being well will have a stroll in the Portsmouth Dockyard seeking HMS King Alfred on the day in question. Anyone who needs help can contact me at Kepples Hotel close to Pompey Station from about 5pm onwards....Cheers Michael............................

I intend to phone the Blue Band Editor tomorow for info about the reunion tickets and venue as the present Band Service have made no effort to publish information. I have booked my hotel and did intend to go, but if no info appears over the next 48 hours they can stuff it! Michael.

Folks, I've just tried and failed to print my tickets for the Oct. reunion after doing as instructed on the Eventbrite web site!!??

Why life can't be straightforward anymore instead of having to go through a 1,000 hoops to do something that used to be so simple and straightforward. Their help desk is as useful as a chocolate frog too!!

I have spent over an hour on the site after having paid for both mine and Dave Stockham's tickets, but for the life of me, I cannot understand why it refuses to print the tickets as instructed??

Tell me what I'm doing wrong please!? Thanks, and be quick as I might die of excess stress in between!! Cheers!

PS Love the memories of the Blanco dripping.

Mine was the Lord Mayor's Show (I think 1960 !?) It p***ed down throughout the whole event and oddly only stopped when the gig concluded!! We'd just got issued with the new Blue Serge Capes I remember, and they soon looked like we'd all been attacked by a thousand seagulls in no time at all! Needless to say that prompted the authorities to dispense with blancoed anything from there on! - I think we all took time out to deblanco/scrub helmets, belts and pouches very soon after that and had great pleasure in replacing them with the pussers issue plastic paint!! (Len Lewry will tell you exact paint code number!!)

Morning all,

Re the chatter about uniform, I was in the boys band in 1959 when we did the same Trafalgar Square gig with the same disastrous results. Blanco all down the backs of tunics. As for painting the helmets, the band of the Hermes, Dan O'Connell B/M were based in Ghajn Tuffieha Malta, I may have the wrong spelling, while the ship was in dry dock. This would have been 1962 if I remember correctly. The Fleet Royal Marine Officer (FROMO) decided to inspect the band. We duly paraded in full tropical kit and the inspection started. FROMO got to the second rank where Terry Lampert was on Bass Drum. He took one look at him and stalked off the parade and was heard to mutter " One of them has even PAINTED his helmet.

Terry would have got away with if if only he had not used GLOSS paint. He stood out like a homing beacon at an airfield.!!! Happy memories.

Take care all, Mike

I think you are probably right about the blanco covered uniforms and the Boys Band, but I also recall Winston Churchill's funeral where we stood in the rain by the Thames waiting for the Coffin to be placed in a barge and taken down river !!!!! most of us wore whites and I think the uniforms had to be burned on our return to Deal.. what year was that ? 1965 Michael.

Hi Gerry

In answer to your questions. I believe blanco stopped in about 1963/64 following a disastrous Trafalgar Day Celebration in Trafalgar Square by the J Wing Band. It poured with rain and there were pictures in the national press of the backs of band boys with blanco running down their tunics. If my memory serves me right all the tunics had to be replaced.

With regard to brass buttons. I joined in 1962 and was issued with a button stick. Most of our buttons were staybright but I seem to remember having to clean those on my greatcoat. We also had to clean the small collardog and '30 bob' lyres worn on the right arm.

I'm sure others will have different memories but this is how I remember it. Hope it helps.

David (Trog) Tremaine

[Editor] Yes David, I joined late 1965 and was issued the button stick and same great coat experience.

Hi everyone.

I was asked by a friend recently, about the uniform bandsmen wore back in the 50's and I said much the same as now, except in those far off days we had to blanco various items and polish buttons with the aid of a of a 'button stick'. Does anybody remember when these chores were phased out?

Best wishes Gerry (just had my 90th. birthday). Not many of us left of us now.

[Editor] Very many happy returns Gerry.

Not much happening on this great site at the moment, perhaps you are all on your summer holidays in southern Spain or at the games in France ! I have booked some accomodation close to the dockyard so far, but have not finally decided whether it's worth going to the Reunion at this unknown new venue !! Will I know anyone ? what have we got to pay ? I usually meet up with Bob Rawson, but he was only in church last year, so better check with one of his girls to see if all is OK. There must be some of you out there who will be interested in what's going on in the RM Band Service so get your fingers out and make an effort..... If anyone has more info then get it on this site.....Might see you in the Dockyard ...Michael !

Farewell David Hough. I knew Dave very well as he was in and around the Deal Staff Band when I was the B/M. We appeared on a TV radio quiz program with Rod Farell and I'm sure there is a picture of that somewhere on this site. Dave and I also did lots of gigs together around the Deal area, I actually taught him to drive on some awful mini motorcycle along Deal seafront all those years ago. After the RM Band service we did keep in contact for a while as he was involved with a Band Service somewhere in the Middle East, I think it was the Oman Navy Band !!! hope that's right? if not I'm sure someone will recall the correct outfit. Anyway if there are any of you out there who have more info about him then get your finger out and put it in print. We will all meet in the countermarch. Michael.

So sad to read of the passing of Dave Hough, like Barry I was also in Eagle House at the same time then time moved on and we were all sent to different places. Dave and I met up again in 1961 at Deal in the Staff Band, he was a good football player. Once again time moved on and we went our separate ways. I have many happy memories of him, also he was my son's Godfather / RIP Dave you will be missed by many, my most sincere condolences to his family and all who had the pleasure to know and serve with him.

DAVID HOUGH RIP