The Band of the Royal Air Force College

Director of Music: Flight Lieutenant Chris Weldon LRSM ALCM RAF
Bandmaster: Warrant Officer Gary Stevens BA LRSM Dip Mus (Open)
Band Sergeant: Flight Sergeant Barry Hunt LLCM ALCM
Drum Major: Chief Technician Steve Maher FTCL LTCL MILM GCGI

History

During the First World War Cranwell was the base of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) Training Establishment, HMS Daedalus. A strong musical tradition was quickly established on the station and the first recorded concert by a volunteer orchestra took place in November 1917, conducted by Petty Officer B J Hales. In 1918 the RNAS became part of the newly formed Royal Air Force with flying training continuing at Cranwell, along with the activities of a volunteer brass band and an orchestra. On 5th February 1920 Cranwell was formally accepted into the Royal Air Force, a day which is celebrated annually as Founder’s Day. The Band of the Royal Air Force College, one of the first two permanent RAF staff or professional bands, was established two months later. The first Bandmaster was Warrant Officer A E Halford, who had been Bandmaster of the First Battalion of the King's Regiment. It would appear that at the time of his transfer he upset the Colonel of his old Regiment by persuading several of the Regimental Bandsmen to join him at Cranwell. Drafting a number of musicians from RAF Uxbridge, who were certified ‘free from infection and fit to travel’, quickly averted this problem, the Colonel was placated and the The Band of the Royal Air Force College began it’s life with twenty five musicians.

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The Band was initially formed to support College functions, which included weekly dining-in-nights, daily parades and Sunday Church Parades, a custom that continued until the late sixties. The combination of early morning parades and late dining-in nights afforded little opportunity to perform away from the RAF College, the only break from this routine being the summer months when the Band would tour seaside resorts to perform public concerts. During such a tour in 1923 the Band travelled to Wales and became the first military Band to broadcast on BBC Cardiff. Over the next few years, through a number of similar broadcasts from other regional radio stations, the Band became well known to a much wider audience. Warrant Officer Halford retired in 1932 claiming to be the only person ever to have conducted a military band in an airship! During this early part of the Band’s history, affairs of State figured prominently with the coronation of King George VI being the most notable event.

On declaration of World War II the Band was playing on Plymouth Hoe under the direction of the legendary Wing Commander George Sims, composer of the 'College March' and the man responsible for the changes which led to RAF Music Services becoming the force it is today. The war changed the entire role of the Band, which, although still committed to the RAF College, was also tasked with providing entertainment for all the RAF bases in Northern England. This was interspersed with lengthy detachments to London, where they were required for morale boosting marches through recently bombed areas. A six month tour with the British Expeditionary Force in France was planned but had to be cancelled when the advance of German forces forced the evacuation of musicians from The Central Band of the Royal Air Force, deployed as the first BEF Band, who escaped via Boulogne shortly before its capture.

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The Band continued to perform throughout the post war years taking part in the Funeral of King George VI and the subsequent Coronation of our present Queen. In 1950 it was decided that the Band should be the first to have a Corps of Drums and the RAF College provided £300 for the purchase of instruments. Five extra musicians were employed taking the Band from twenty-five to thirty members. However as the Band’s official establishment did not allow for a Corps of Drums the new musicians were all wind players who, as so often in the armed forces, were expected to double as drummers whenever the occasion called for it. Unsurprisingly this arrangement was never really successful but continued for twenty years until a formal request to establish a Corps of Drums for every RAF Band was turned down by the MOD. During the 1960’s the Band gradually performed an increasing number of engagements away from the RAF College with regular appearances in the Royal Tournament and The Edinburgh Tattoo joining the usual summer concerts. In 1973 the administration and control of all Royal Air Force Bands passed to the Ministry of Defence and the RAF College lost its direct control of the Band which bares its name. RAF Music Services was subsequently reduced to five bands with the closing of the many Bands posted to places such as Cyprus and Singapore, necessitating more frequent and prolonged excursions away from home. Overseas visits to Canada, Cyprus, Germany, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, USA, Falklands Islands, Poland, Hungary and Israel have featured in the Band's itinerary, presenting a greater challenge to the flexibility and adaptability of today's RAF musicians.

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The Band of the RAF College Today

The Band of the Royal Air Force College finished 2008 with the traditional Whittle Hall Christmas Concerts, which saw the sensational first performance by the Band’s answer to The Chordettes singing Mr Sandman, providing a refreshing change as well as illustrating the versatility of RAF Musicians.

2009 began in the time honoured fashion with the Band performing no less than thirteen School liaison concerts as far afield as Warwickshire and Middlesbrough throughout January and February. These visits are intended not only as a recruiting tool but also cast a favourable light on the RAF in general. The Band undertook Station guard duties in support of the Military Provost Guard Service during this early part of the year with ranks up to and including Sergeants taking a turn on the gates and patrolling the fence.

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In May the Band travelled to Germany to join the Chief of the Air Staff in representing Britain for the Sixtieth Anniversary of the end of the Berlin Airlift. The celebration took place at the now disused Tempelhof airport. Beginning with a remembrance service at the memorial, the day was brought to a close by the Band performing a drill display and sunset ceremony which was broadcast live on Germany national television. Whilst in Germany the Band took the opportunity to perform a display in Spandau town centre at the invitation of the Mayor. The Band was greeted with customary warmth and generosity by the German people and treated to lunch in the town hall.

The first concert of the year took place in the magnificent setting of Chester Cathedral were the Band performed at the invitation of the City of Chester Male Voice Choir. The performance was a great success with Corporal Jeanette Scott’s performance of Massenet’sMeditation from Thais being the highlight of a wonderful evening.

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This year, as every year, the band has been involved in many events which support service charities. An example of this is the ‘Largest Sunday Roast in the World’ record attempt in aid of the Help for Heroes Charity at the East of England Show Ground. This event was a double success in that it did indeed break the record and also raised thousands of pounds for the charity.

Other notable engagements in the summer included the Home Coming parade for the Queen’s Colour Squadron in Uxbridge and the leaving celebration of Chief of the Air Staff Sir Glenn Torpy at the RAF College. The former of these was a marvellous experience with the streets pack with cheering crowds as the Band led the troops who had performed brilliantly in an operational tour of Afghanistan.

The Edinburgh Military Tattoo dominated the Band’s summer schedule. The Band arrived late, due to other commitments, but joined their Music Services colleagues for the last two weeks of the three weeks of this truly international military spectacular.

The always busy Battle of Britain ‘season’ began immediately on the Band’s return from Edinburgh and included the Memorial Service and Parade at Lincoln Cathedral alongside many smaller events.

The autumn continues with the Band taking part in the annual Massed Bands tour in aid of the RAF Charitable trust taking in such prestigious venues as The Symphony Hall Birmingham and the Sage, Gateshead. Charity concerts in Long Eaton, Grantham and Leicester compliment annual remembrance events in the period before Christmas. Four concerts in five days at the Whittle Hall, RAF Cranwell and the Town Hall, Hull provided a fitting end to this busy and successful year which once again saw the Band travel the length and breadth of the British Isles and beyond.

Looking forward to 2010, the Band will lose it’s current Director of Music Flight Lieutenant Chris Weldon who is posted to Headquarters Music Services but welcomes the arrival of Flight Lieutenant Matthew Little early in the new year. The Band’s year will get off to a spectacular start with a two week trip to Sydney Australia at the end of January beginning another busy year.