Marines on the Green

There is a bandstand near where I live, in fact well within earshot.  Throughout the summer months there are concerts (free) every Sundays and occasional other days.  This Sunday we had a special concert from the Band of the Royal Marines Portsmouth.

The day started early, with the setting up.

Each individual microphone was tested - "forty three, tuba", "forty four, euphonium" - while they battled with the sound of the very strong wind.

Even with 4 hours to go, people were taking position, well equipped with chairs, tables and picnics, even umbrellas.  The umbrellas though, were for protection against the sun rather than the rain.

All the instruments arrived on the back of a lorry, all right, inside a lorry.  The bandsmen and women unpacked them and put them into position.

 Several groups of musicians rehearsed, including these five with their hand signals.

The crowds assembled and sat back to enjoy the concert.

The band played....

... the drummers drummed (and I saw the reason for the hand signals)...

... and the princesses did whatever princesses do.

It was a beautiful day and approximately 10,000 people attended.

You might be surprised at the number of people who were there, when the local population is only about 30,000.  The reason is that the Royal Marines established a depot in Deal in 1861 and in 1890 included 17 musicians at there.  They have been Freemen of Deal since 1945 which gives them a right to march through the town with fixed bayonets, drums beating and colours flying.

In 1950, the Royal Marines School of Music moved from Portsmouth to Deal.  In 1989 a bomb exploded in the recreation centre of the School of Music and 11 bandsmen died, the majority in their teens.  The bandstand was erected as a memorial to those who died, who "only ever wanted to play music".