AIR FORCE BAND

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 31, 5 August 1936, Page 8

AIR FORCE BAND

UNIFORMS AT LAST

SUSTAINED ENTHUSIASM

As an example of sustained enthu-1 siasm the refusal of members of the New Zealand Air Force Band to be/ disheartened by what must be a.record in delay is outstanding. Just ordinary enthusiasm would long ago have faded away, but this brand keeps right on being enthusiastic, and the band; of which the public has. heard nothing for a long time now, will make its first full-dress appearance—as soon as the uniforms are available. ■

That has been the hold-up for many months now, but this time the bandsmen know .that they are on the way, for measurements have been taken and the orders have been'placed by the Defence Department. ■'■'*'

The proposal that an Air Force Band should be established as one mentis of giving the public an interest in its Air Force and that it should.be; formed upon full military lines (brass, and woodwind) was made early in 1934 by Mr. B. T. Sheil, who returned-from a visit to Australia much impressed with: the success of the Royal' Australian' Air Force Band, as a part of the: Air ' Force and as a highly-popular rmusical combination. The late Sir Charles Kingsford Smith heartily commended the- scheme and made a substantial donation towards the, band fund, which, it was hoped, would reach. £400. A few enthusiasts gathered round and in one way and another, a fund was established, well short of the goal, but still, a substantial start.: In July of last year, when the; band was given .formal recognition, the fund stood at £155, enough to enable -the band to get actually under wayi About

that time, too, Mr. Sheil announced

that: Australian ex-servicemen had agreed to present a replica of the rhace of the Australian Air Force Band.

PRACTICES OVER A YEAR.

A bandriiaster; Mr. G. A, Booth, was j appointed, bandsmen were'selected, the first practices were held, and everything looked well enough: delays set in, first about drums from military stocks, then about uniforms, particularly and continuously about "■uniforms.-" But the weekly practices continued, and "have been held steadily for- the- past twelve months, always with the probability of uniforms ;one week nearer at each practice.

I A few months ago they appeared a certainty, but advice of alterations,.in the design of the British Royal Air Force uniform, upon which they are patterned, put off measurement again. However, now the uniforms are definitely on the way and as there do riot | appear to be further, insuperable' difficulties ■ ahead, assuming that the formalities of swearing the bandsmen in as members of the defence forces are complied with, the new band should make its dress appearance at the end of this month. ; In addition to score practice under Mr. Booth, the band has been given weekly drill practice by Drum-Major Duncan,- of the Port Nicholson Silver Band. The strength is thirty-five arid j the instrumentation, similar to that of regular. British Army bands, consists of flute, piccolo, oboe, clarinets, saxophones, bassoons, horns, cornets, basses, and drums. At present, a; number of the bandsmen use. their own instruments and others are. not what is aifried at for ; a ; full standard; of ■ performance, so that the first aim of the., band will be to raise sufficient funds for, the purchase of ;£i c6riiplete: set of first-class instruments: a long job, perhaps, but these bandsmen are-well used to delay and will not be'discouraged. "