HMS Belfast

Yesterday we played for the remembrance service on HMS Belfast.   This is a wonderful experience, and puts a lot of what we do into perspective.   The HMS Belfast is part of the Imperial War Museum. a second world war battle Cruiser, and the home of the main naval remembrance service in London.   This particular remembrance service has been going since about 1983, and the Croydon Band has played at nearly every one of them.

Initially it was a simple question of there being no service band avaiable, but the veterans wanted to have their service, at that time one of the veterans was a member of our band so he volunteered us.   Since then we have been privileged to be part of this event every year.

A few years ago the service went into a bit of a decline, less sea scouts and of course less veterans who served on Her around each year.   However over the last few years it has really picked up again.   Yesterday there were around 200 - 300 people on the quarter deck, including senior officers from at least four different Navies.   I am glad to see an increase in awareness of the sacrifice of servicemen, I just hope that by remembering we do not gloriefy war, but rather make sure we avoid it.