Remembrance Sunday 2009

As it has for over 50 years, Michelmersh Silver Band took part in the 2009 Remembrance Day service in Romsey Memorial Park on Sunday morning. The band played a march as the Civic Party arrived in the Memorial Park and accompanied the large gathering of ex-service men, women and townspeople in the hymn singing. As poppy wreaths were laid on the War Memorial, the tune ‘Deep Harmony’ was played.

In the evening the band returned to its spiritual home of St Mary’s Church, Michelmersh to lead the Remembrance Service there. The Reverend Bruce Kington had produced a special Order of Service booklet to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the 1918 Armistice, and had included a special thank you to the band in this. The Last Post and Reveille were sounded by Michelmersh-born cornetist, Michael Topp for an unbroken 39th year running!

Armistice Day Concert
ROMSEY REMEMBERS

On Tuesday 11th November our concert in aid of the Royal British Legion 2008 Poppy appeal was held in the United Reform Church, Romsey. Following on the success of last year’s concert, we decided this year to focus on the memories of local people who had lived through the Second World War and call the concert ‘ROMSEY REMEMBERS’. An appeal for such memories made in the local press by Band Secretary Claire Topp, produced poetry, recordings, written and verbal memories from residents of Romsey and the surrounding villages.

Compere James Montgomery opened the concert by reading Dennis Bryant’s ‘Merlin’s Magic’ - a poem in praise of the famous Merlin engine that powered aircraft such as the Spitfire and the Lancaster bomber, the latter having taken part in the famous dam-busting bombing raids on the Ruhr dams in Germany. As the poem ended, the Band, under the baton of Roland Wright, struck up with The Dam Busters March by Eric Coates to get the concert underway. Celebrating the camaraderie and spirit of wartime Britain, the first part of the concert featured the dance band music of Glen Miller’s Miller Magic and Cy Oliver’s Opus One, the sing-along medleys Poppy Day (arr. Ellingworth) and Bless ‘Em All (arr. Fraser) and F.W.Meacham’s American Patrol, the audience of over 200 people singing and tapping their feet enthusiastically throughout!  In a change of mood, Hymn to the Fallen (from Saving Private Ryan) reminded audience and band alike of the realities of war for our servicemen. Interspersed with readings of the memories of local bombings, evacuation, and serving in the Land Army, the finale of the first half, Gregson’s Laudate Dominum, was dedicated to the civilian men, women and children who did their bit at home.   

After the interval, The British Legion March was played as the Legion Standard was marched in. Principal euphonium player, Darren Walton, himself a serving Royal Marine played the haunting Benedictus from Karl Jenkins’ ‘The Armed Man (A Mass for Peace)’. The revelation that Darren is shortly to take up a posting to active service in Afghanistan brought a round of loud applause in support from the packed church audience. Goff Richards’ arrangement of I’ll Walk With God was followed by a reading from the memoirs of old soldier Frank Moody to set the scene for the singing of the hymns Eternal Father Strong to Save and I Vow to The My Country. A poem written on the death of a comrade by a soldier serving in Iraq in 2007 lead in to the playing of Sunset by cornet trio Katie Smith, Michael Topp and Chris Warren.

The Act of Remembrance and two minutes silence was then observed, punctuated with the Last Post and Reveille sounded from the raised pulpit by Michael Topp. The Rev. Terry Hinks lead the audience in a short prayer and blessing before the singing of the National Anthem and a reprise of The British Legion March as the Standard was marched out, bringing the concert to a close.

Proceeds of the concert, expected to be in the region of £900, are to be shared equally between the band and the Poppy Appeal.