| Communication in Harmony FRIENDS of the Royal Signals Band Now Spring has arrived, it's time to welcome you, our 'Friends' to 2006. Since our last edition, we have had major changes to the Royal Signals Band. As from 23rd January, we have been under the direction of Captain Guy Booth, formerly Bandmaster of the Band of the Corps of Royal Engineers, we welcome him and his family to Blandford. So that must mean that Major Paul Murrell has now retired, well almost - the end of May sees the end of thirty three years service in the Army - he is now enjoying setting up his new home in Lincolnshire with his wife Jan, putting all those finishing touches to their new property. Apparently, he has become a 'dab hand' with the paint brush, and at plumbing!! For those of you who have not been updated since 2004, we also have a new Bandmaster. In August 2005 we said farewell to Paul Wilman, who has been commissioned into the newly formed Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, and welcomed WO1 Neil Skipper as our bandmaster. Neil has come directly from Kneller Hall, and for the .first time ever, we have both a newly appointed Bandmaster and Director of Music.
To add to the management team, we have WO2 Band Sergeant Major, Barry Whitlock. Having been assistant Band Sergeant Major in the Royal Lancers Band, he worked alongside Miles Nipper, and on Miles' retirement in August 2005, Barry took the 'Helm'. We welcome him and his wife Angie plus sons Brandon and Mitchell to Blandford.
So far, this year has started with its normal dosage of Mess Dinners and Pass off Parades, but we have and will be working with youngsters in the area to maintain their enthusiasm for music. We spent a long Sunday in February working with various groups from around Dorset, at Canford School, to give a concert with their involvement, to promote awareness of their musical ensembles. Leading up to Easter we were involved with the Dorset Music Service and their Easter residential at Bryanston School. The week long programme of workshops and rehearsals will culminate on Good Friday evening, with a concert in the Coade Hall.
February had its memories of three days spent at the Defence NBC Centre, or the CBRN Centre to give it its correct modern day terminology. This was the band's training course for our new wartime role of Chemical Decontamination. This involved setting up and running a Chemical Decontamination Area. Remember the snow? We will!! The edge of Salisbury Plain is a wonderful place to be in the winter. A real 'eye opener' for us was the standard of accommodation. The Army of the future will be very lucky to have accommodation - known as 'Z Type' - where everyone has a single room with en-suite shower room. Hopefully, all camps will be able to offer these single, en-suite rooms to their Soldiers, and of course, Sailors and Airmen, in the not too distant future.
Our Colonel In Chief, HRH The Princess Royal visited Blandford in March to open a new weapons testing facility. As a band we usually get involved, and this time was no exception. The obligatory Fanfare upon her arrival and lunchtime music was as normal. Some of the Key personalities who have changed during the past year or so were given the honour. The Director ofMusic, Bandmaster, Band Sergeant Major and Drum Major, along with the latest Sergeant promotion, John Bilby, Musician Libby Briars who has joined us from The Army Air Corps Band and Musician Daryl Neville who has enlisted from the Canadian Reserves.
We have performed in Wimborne and Blandford during March and played for the White Helmets opening show in April. Mayday Bank Holiday Monday will see us again in Blandford with a trip to Northern Ireland to close the main R Signals unit there. Also, for the first time in many years, we played for the Royal Navy. As they say farewell to an Air Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton. A new feature this year is a week at Kneller Hall. Most bands are participating for conducting rehearsals and the summer concerts. We have two visits in May along with the annual concert in Poole for various charities.
This year also sees another first. The whole band on a weeks adventure training. We are travelling to St David's on the very western point in Pembrokeshire, to enjoy some different activities before participating in a families weekend for 14 Signal Regiment.
To cap the summer, we have a trip to Prague, late August to early September. Not a lot of information on this one, but apparently, very busy!!
The year winds down with a few Pass off Parades, concerts in Torquay, Brecon, Trowbridge, Bridgend and Weston Super Mare. We look forward to seeing some of you at our concerts this year, so until the next issue, 'Farewell.'
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