Just eight years ago, if anyone saw a Sea Cadet band playing anywhere in London, it was likely to have been “borrowed” from elsewhere in the country. Aside from 2 or 3 units with small drum and bugle bands of around 10 or 12 cadets, it had become very much a minority activity in London for sea cadets and although there were a number of cadets around the London boroughs who were capable musicians, there was a lack of leadership and direction, and no co-ordinated effort to pull them all together. Not to mention a poor collection of old, unfit instruments which could hardly have been an incentive for cadets to get involved. Step forward Lt Cdr (SCC) Ian Turner RNR, the man who has really put the MASTER into Bandmaster!
Under the leadership of Ian, the London Area Sea Cadets Band has grown and flourished beyond all expectations in recent years. Despite the Covid hiatus, Ian has tirelessly sought funding and resources and his enthusiasm has proven to be infectious if the fact that numbers have grown and public performances have become commonplace is any indication. 2024 has seen a long awaited realisation of all of Ian’s ambitions and aspirations for the band, of particular note this year has been London’s first full band entry into the SCC national band competition for around 30 years – and they didn’t come last!
All of Ian’s gradually growing team of instructors deserve huge credit, as every band appearance is a massive logistical exercise with members coming from across London and Essex to rehearse before each performance. For most of the cadets, once a band rehearsal and performance is done, they return to sea cadet units who do no music at all, and are left to practice in their own time.
Despite this, they performed admirably when asked to step in at short notice at the Merchant Navy Commemorative Parade and Service at Trinity Gardens on 8 September 2024 in the presence of the 1st Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Ben Kay. The highly regarded Band of HM Royal Marines who had been booked for the event were forced to withdraw at the last minute and despite the added pressure of deputising for one of the best military bands in the world the hastily assembled and rehearsed sea cadet band drew a number of complimentary comments including from Admiral Sir Ben himself. A winning performance at the 2024 Lord Mayor’s Music Competition as best band was followed by forming a huge part of the Sea Cadets National Massed Band for Trafalgar Day in October – albeit in torrential rain!
The 2024 Lord Mayor’s Show saw them once again drawing compliments from both spectators and colleagues in other bands on the day, including members of the Royal Marines Band. No fewer than 31 were playing that day – just a few years ago, a band of 31 Sea Cadets playing at the Lord Mayor’s Show would have featured 30 cadets from outside of London, but not this year! Aside from a small handful borrowed from elsewhere due to last minute illnesses and accidents, they were nearly all London cadets.
So much has the band’s reputation improved that they are now in demand almost constantly. They have been able to form a string ensemble whose latest engagement has been to perform at the BEM Investiture at The Tower of London on 22 November for The Lord- Lieutenant of Greater London and the thirty BEM recipients, two OBE recipients and three MBE recipients who will be present. So successful was this performance that they have been asked by the Lord- Lieutenant to repeat it at the next investiture in March 2025. It represents a real feather in the cap of Lt Cdr Turner, his team of instructors and, of course, the cadets who make up the band. Suddenly, one of the most popular things to do for a Sea Cadet in London is learn an instrument and play in the band!
