Royal Marines Band

[Iknewcharliedance]

Thought in the 60s and possibly the 70s we had a band before every game,not sure if it was the Marines.

From memory those bands were mainly local brass bands from Cornwall, don't know why but I vividly remember the Indian Queens Silver Band playing several times at HP!

 

[Zac N]

I've got a vague recollection of the RM Band playing on the pitch before the FA Cup quarter final against Derby in '84. By the way, there was a RM Band based at HMS Raleigh back in the 70s/80s - was that separate to the one based at Stonehouse (or was there one at HMS Drake)? I vaguely remember the whole shebang having some sort of reference to 'FOP - Flag Officer Plymouth' or something like that, but as a civvie I don't really understand it all. Any experts out there who can enlighten me on this?

By the way, it was quite something to see someone referring to 'the modern era' thus dismissing quite a lot of my memories like the English League 12 Irish League 0 match. Blimey - I feel veeeerrry old all of a sudden. :sad:

Slim you are correct. By an odd coincidence this morning I was discussing Saturday's event with a colleague who is a still serving RM Warrant Officer. Although not a football fan he proudly informed me that he was in the RM band (obviously a lot younger then!) that performed at HP V derby in 1984. They were based at Stonehouse and as Flag Officer Plymouth(FOP) was the then title given to the senior Naval Officer in the area, it is highly probable they were 'his' band.

 

[Quintrell Green]

As I once played hockey with some bandsmen from the RM Band Plymouth, I was aware they trained originally at the RM School of Music at Deal, Kent where there was always obviously a Band. I do know that following Defence Budget reductions down the years that there was some rationalisation of Service Bands and how many are now left is unknown to me. Whether the RM School of Music still exists, I have no knowledge, but it would make sense to come under the roof of the Army College of Music that once was at Nether Hall in Twickenham, London. Certainly, I can recall seeing the RM Band play and march at Home Park, but at present, I cannot link it to a specific game. I will think on.