THE BAND
[Sidenote: The Band. 1914-18.]
In the first year of the war it does not appear to have occurred to
any one that the Battalions at the front would wish to have a band,
but when the Guards Division was formed in 1915 the lack of music was
much felt, and it was decided that the regimental bands of the five
Guards Regiments should be sent out in turn. The Grenadier Guards Band
was naturally sent out for the first tour of duty at the front, and
was therefore fortunate enough to earn the distinction of being the
only band that received the 1914-1915 Star. It embarked on October 22,
with Captain A. Williams in command, and proceeded to France. While
in mid-Channel, the ship on which it crossed over collided with a
four-masted Norwegian vessel, and sank her. A thorough search was made
in the darkness for any survivors, and eventually nine of the Norwegian
crew were picked up. The British ship itself was badly damaged, and
for some hours there was great uncertainty whether it would ever reach
port, but it eventually arrived at Havre some six hours overdue.
On arrival the band at once proceeded to Harfleur, which it reached
in time to play the National Anthem, when the King, on one of his
periodical visits, inspected the Guards depot. Later it moved up to
Sailly-la-Bourse, and was warmly welcomed by all ranks of the Guards
Division. Captain Williams at once set to work to organise concerts,
and to make arrangements to play at each Battalion Headquarters. Two
and even three performances were given daily, and visits were paid to
the troops in rest billets and in the clearing stations. The people of
Paris, anxious to take advantage of the presence of this famous band in
France, invited Captain Williams to give a concert at the Hippodrome in
aid of the French Red Cross. This proved to be a remarkably successful
performance, and a sum of no less than £650 was raised. In January 1916
the band was relieved by the Coldstream band, and returned to London.
A second tour of duty in France was undertaken in 1917, when the Guards
Division was on the Somme, and three months were spent at Mericourt
l'Abbé.
A third visit to the front took place in August 1918, just at the time
when the German last effort had spent itself, and the Allied Armies
were making a general advance. On the night of August 21, when the
Guards Division was commencing its advance, the Germans bombed the
whole area in which it was throughout the entire night. Among the many
casualties were three Grenadier bandsmen, and although none of their
wounds proved fatal, the solo clarinettist, a very fine musician, lost
his arm, and thereby his livelihood.
In July 1918 the band attended the French Fêtes in Paris, and remained
there for the celebration of the Belgian Independence. This function
took place in the grounds at Versailles, and was attended by the
principal bands of Great Britain, France, America, and Belgium. On
another occasion in August 1918 the band played in the Tuileries
Gardens in Paris in aid of the American Red Cross Society.