Band Beats Retreat In Latimer Square

Press, Volume C, Issue 29681, 27 November 1961, Page 16

Band Beats Retreat In Latimer Square

The drab khakis and olives of everyday Army wear were put in the shade yesterday by the spectacle of the Band of the Canterbury Regiment marching and countermarching in Latimer square in its new scarlet, blue and white dress uniform. The occasion was the timehonoured Army ceremony of Beating Retreat, an annual ceremonial occasion for the Canterbury Regiment's Band since 1959.

Several hundred persons turned out to watch as the band marched from King Edward Barracks through Cashel street, Oxford terrace and Worcester street to Latimer square. Colour cameras were aimed from all directions.

One woman even walked around in front of the formally seated official party and persuaded them to smile as she clicked the shut-

ter. Only the military policemen looked embarassed when she stood between the official party and the approaching band. clicking happily away with her camera.

The band marched, wheeled, doubled baek through its own ranks, and delighted the crowd with military marches like “Colonel Bogey" and traditional tunes like • ‘Greensleeves.” The ceremony of Beating Retreat—a traditional warning to soldiers to get inside a defended area before the gates are clcaed—ended with the flag being lowered and then a march-past in which Brigadier T. B. Morten, territorial representative on the Army Board, took the salute.

Among the guests was Captain R. S. McCleary of Tirnaru. a former officer of the Queen's Own Royal West Kents, allied regiment of the Canterbury Regiment. Colonel B. H. Palmer, commanding officer of the Canterbury Regiment, accompanied Brigadier Morten on his inspection of the band, while the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr G. Manning), the commander of the Southern Military District (Brigadier A. H. Andrews), the commandant of Bumham Military Camp (LieutenantColonel R. E. Johnston) and the regimental artist and historian (Mr F. Carpenter) looked on.