MUSIC AT 6 A.M.

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 102, 24 January 1940, Page 8

MUSIC AT 6 A.M.

Band Does Serious Work At Trenthani BRIGHTER SOLDIERING Every morning now at 6 o’clock the strains of martial music can be heard in the Central District Mobilization Camp, Trenthani, helping to • make lighter work of the job of early rising for nearly 2000 soldiers, some of whom up till a few weeks ago thought of 6 a.m. more as a time to get home after an occasional late night than an hour for rising. Then for two hours in the morning and an hour and a half in the afternoon the band practises in a spacious band-room, and throughout the camp can be heard bright tunes that make a happy interlude in military routine.

The camp band is 21 strong, the men being recruited specially as bandsmen. They have been drawn mostly from Wellington and Palmerston North, and include some gold medallists and A grade players. The 'band operates as a brass band, whereas a correct military band has both brass and reed instruments. Whether' the camp band will become strictly military depends on support and the securing of reed instruments.

The bandsmen are at present wearing the ordinary issue uniform, but there are hopes that before long there will be a distinctive uniform as is the case with many bands attached to army units, more particularly overseas.

Bandsmen’s Day.

Life for the camp bandsmen is no sinecure; in hours they put in more time than the ordinary soldier. To get ready to sound reveille, which is at 6 a.m., the bandsmen must be up at least 15 minutes before this, and their duties generally do not finish till 6.45 p.m. This is the daily routine: 5.45 a.m., parade for reveille; 6 a.m., sound reveille and play march down main camp road; 6.30 a.m. to 7 a.m., clean-up; 7 a.m. to 8.30, breakfast; 8.30 to 9 a.m., physical drill and band drill; 10 a.m. till, noon, band practice; noon to 1.30 p.m., dinner; 1.30 p.m. to 3 p.m., band practice; 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., band drill; 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., clean up for retreat; 5 p.m., tea; 6 p.m., fall in for retreat. For the buglers, first post, 9.45 p.m.; last post, 10.15 p.m.; lights out, 10,30 p.m.

The camp band is conducted by Lieutenant C. Pike, who has previously conducted bands that have won a Commonwealth of Australia championship (Tooworaba City Band, Queensland), A grade New Zealand championship and B grade (Palmerston North Garrison Band). Before taking up this appointment Lieutenant Pike was conductor of the Palmerston North Municipal Band. Other bands he has conducted are the Toowomba Band, 25th Battalion of the A.I.F. (Queensland), Burwood and district (Sydney), 56th Battalion, Belmore, (Sydney). When he returned to New Zealand Lieutenant Pike was reappointed conductor of the Palmerston North Garrison Band which later became the Municipal Band nnd he held this appointment for nine years. He lias as band sergeant W. P. Smith, late of Wellington Tramways Band, and for drum major, S. Thomson, a former pipe baud drum major in Palmerston North. A few days after it was assembled and when it had only a. strength of 19, the camp band played at the official opening of the (provincial Centennial memorial at Petone on Anniveisaiy Day It was brought to strength for the occasion by a few players from the Artillery and Tramway Bands, Wellington. , The camp band will be permanently attached to the camp for the duration of the war. Second Echelon Band. A band is now being formed in the camp for the second echelon and its members will be attached to the Medical Corps and be trained as stretchei bearers. Thus, for some time, at least, the camp will have two bands. The soldiers like having a band m the camp; they state that when they are feeling a bit tired on the job, the music of a good brass band bucks them up.