Apprentice Wing Band

[Drummer boy]

Let see how many of you guys where members of the band.

I was Drum Major in 1967 ex 307th Bryan Hoare

Jimmy Dixon was my Lead Drummer.

[YorkyBoy]

Hi Bryan,

I was made up to Sgt Trumpeter in 1966, 304th Entry, Clk Sec. Had a fantastic time, our Drum Major was the Sgt Craft App Cook – I’ve never seen sleeves with so many stripes on!  Our Trumpet Major, was Neil Williams, who was a Clk Sec in our ‘F’ Flight and lived in the top floor of Gibson Block. I believe our Lead Sgt Lead Drummer was a Supplier, whose name escapes me at the moment.

[Alan Bell]

The AAA Apprentice Band was largely made up of members of the 29th Entry when I was a member in 1957. Our drum major was George Masson. I was a side drummer on front row with Jack Norris Paddy Gilbert and Ben Croucher. We got very handy with clicking the sticks across the line and it was good fun and if you liked marching, then being in the band was just great as well as avoiding some of the more close inspections on morning parades. Always remember the late Jack Norris, an accomplished drummer in his own right, once breaking into Skin Deep just after march off. As you can imagine chaos reigned for a few minutes!

I  stood in for the bass drummer from time to time and got to like setting the pace. Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom!  Di Dah Dah!

Happy Memories!

[YorkyBoy]

I remember one incident when being in the Band was a distinct disadvantage…. we went to Crickowell for our weeks expedition training 1966, in the Brecons, and stayed in lovely comfortable camp beds in quite large tents.  We had problems waking up in the mornings, with no early morning wake up broadcasts from the wonderful Radio Hereford!

Our Sgt DI, the wonderful Sgt Jack Murray, grabbed me, as I finished my breakfast, early in the week;

“Get your locker keys young Day….you’re going back to camp with me!”

I tried to stop smiling on the drive back, I don’t know who I’d upset, but being sent back to base would have its advantages I thought!  However, that quickly changed when I opened my locker back in Gibson Block.

“Grab your Trumpet, lock up and get back in the car.”

Guess who had to blow Reveille and Last Post, every day whilst we were there? I can’t tell you what orifices my fellow apprentices threatened to stuff the mouth piece in, or how I even survived the week’s experience!

Happy Days

 

• This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by YorkyBoy.

[daverowe]

My fond memory of the apprentice school band was on the departure of the school from Hereford to travel to Bircham Newton in 1959.  We marched out of Hereford to the  Credenhill Railway Station. The band led the parade, the drum major was Frank Thoringnton (33rd). After turning left outside the main gate we passed a saluting base, attended by local civil  members of the great and the good, who were no doubt delighted to see the back of the ‘ brats’.  Up to that point the band was playing  its traditional marching repertoire, once passed the saluting base it broke into its rendition of St  Louis Blues  ( made popular  at the time by  a  USAF  band).

Perhaps the rendition was not up o Glenn Miller standards but it caused huge amusement to us as we struggled to keep pace with this  rendition. It no doubt caused irritation to the accompanying DI’s which was always good  for a laugh.

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