Our long serving Secretary, Robert Morgan, will once again be playing the Last Post and Reveille at this weekend’s Remembrance Service at Lydbrook Cenotaph. This will be Robert’s 57th consecutive year of doing so, but it will be one with a difference; he will be using a 1914 bugle loaned to him by the sister of local man, George Medcroft.

 

Photo Courtesy of The Forrester.

 

George used the bugle whilst serving with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders during World War One.  At the time of his enlistment, George lived on The Pludds, and he returned there to become a miner at the end of the War.  

 

The loan of the instrument for the Remembrance Service came about when a colleague of the band, who is writing a book about the band and its history, wrote to George’s daughter, Jean Bowkett of Cinderford.  Mrs Bowkett replied and Robert duly went to visit her.  During the visit Robert played the Last Post on the bugle, leaving Jean understandably quite emotional.  She offered Robert the use of the bugle for Sunday’s Service, which will add a particular poignancy given the significance of the 100 year anniversary of the end the War.

 

This act of remembrance will be one of a number for us during what will be a busy weekend; we will be performing at Trinity College in Cambridge as part of their Remembrance concert on Saturday (the first known brass band to perform at the College), before joining our training band on Sunday morning for the Armistice service starting with a parade from the Church at approx 10:20 hrs.