U.S. Pacific Fleet Band To March In City

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31053, 7 May 1966, Page 23

U.S. Pacific Fleet Band To March In City

The Band of the Com-mander-ii.-Chief of the United States Navy Pacific Fleet will march through the streets of Christchurch during the lunch hour on Tuesday. It is coming to New Zealand to take part in commemorations, to be held at Wellington and Auckland, to mark the Battle of the Coral Sea. The band, which numbers 35, will arrive at Christchurch Airport on Monday aboard a United States Navy DC6 from Australia. Another DC6 will bring the Deputy-Chief of Naval Operations (ViceAdmiral P. H. Ramsey) and an official party. In the evening the band will play at a reception for the American visitors to be held at H.M.N.Z.S. Pegasus. The reception is being given jointly by the local branches of the North American Club and the English-Speaking Union.

Address By Mayor

At 12.30 p.m. on Tuesday the band will form up in Victoria square and will march along Oxford terrace and up Manchester street to the City Council offices, where the Mayor (Mr G. Manning) will address the bandsmen. The band will then move off down Worcester street and into Cathedral square, along Colombo street, down Cashel street and along Cambridge terrace to the Provincial Council Chambers, where it will give on the lawn outside a 40-minute musical concert. At 3 p.m. it will go to the

Princess Margaret Hospital, where it will play for 40 minutes. It will then be taken over the Port Hills to Governor’s Bay, where another concert will be given in the grounds of the Cholmondeley Home.

The band will leave by air for Wellington early next morning.

It will be the first United States Navy Band to play in Christchurch for many years. The purpose of the band is to provide musical support for official functions of the Com-mander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet. These range from receptions for visiting dignatories (such as President Johnson when he visited Hawaii for talks on Vietnam in January), military ceremonies to entertainment for shows and dance music at parties. It is both a concert and a marching band. In addition it includes three “combos” for dancing or two “society” bands. All its members are trained, experienced musicians before they enter the Navy, and all have attended the U.S. Navy School of Music in Virginia. The band is much travelled. It is now making its third visit to Australia, has made two tours of the western Pacific and provided shows for military men in the Far East.

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