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Derek Usher
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A
Reunion recollection for 2013
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A great reunion once again. Thoroughly enjoyed as usual, but with the downside that there never seems to be enough evening to get round to talk in depth with everyone! Enjoyed reading Jem's report tonight. Well done Jem. I always get the feeling that if those that never manage to get to our reunions, would most likely do so every year if they got to attend just one Cathedral Service! The wonderful orchestra and choir together with the fanfare teams never cease to lift me. The whole experience (& you need not be religious to enjoy it), is just such an unforgettable experience just being there. - Even my un-musical wife is thoroughly hooked after her second visit this year! - For instance, Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana" always does it for me, and the soprano who led at the Cathedral this year was just awesome. (Anyone know who she was!?) As the music crescendoed so the hairs stood proudly on the back of my neck, at the same time as I was wiping one or two tears away from my face - and hers too! That really was soo uplifting! I won't go on, as those who go to the service will know exactly what it means to us all. Even the reading of names of some of our fallen former RMB's brings it all home to me and you cannot fail to be moved, whilst at the same time feel so very proud to have served in the same elite service that they did. Anyway, soon after that weekend, I had the privilege to embark on an epic tour of Northern India and am only just back. (I don't feel too guilty being retired and spending my kids inheritance!!) It's a thought that on seeing the recent news, that I may even have helped contribute to their rocket launch expenses too!! My point is that having had a good read tonight of the recent guestbook entries, I have naturally picked up on Adrian's clever Pathe News spot of the RM Depot HRH Prince Phil's visit in 1957. Thanks once again Adrian!
Thanks for the stories that this has created to make the guestbook appear a little more interesting along side the inevitable news of the passing of old comrades that we of course will always hold dear. Keep the stories coming. I'm off to look for more now! There has to be footage of the Massed Bands at Horseguards in 1964 (300 Glorious Years)? I was there and it was my ####! honeymoon. They refused to give me time off either. - God! I really must have been such a very important cog back then!!? - Scarily, next year is the 350 years celebrations. Where did that time go!? Adieu
for now.
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Apart
from laughing at poor old Geoff Avis's shove out of the way by Ghandi,
I've run the film 2 or 3 times to see a flash of the J/Wing orchestra
and tried very hard to spot old chums there, but it's hard with such
a faded film. But oh the memories for me, because for some reason,
I was selected to meet the Duke that day in a tutor session with old
Prof' Dudley. (Probably because I was "skin!!"). - Just
ask Baz Radford, Merv' Durrant or those who knew me back then for
confirmation, or see the pics' I'm sending when I met HRH on that
memorable day!! - (It was either Pete Scott or myself that vied for
being the most "skin" in 1957 - 60 I think!). Anyway, all
I know is that my Mum and Dad were very proud and used the pic' to
put in my old local paper back in Bude Cornwall, where I hailed from.
It even made headline news - on page 3 I think!!