Publication:Sea Talk Spring 2006/RAN Band: SE Asian and SW Pacific deployment

Story and pics by ABPH Brenton Freind

Five members from the Melbourne Detachment and six members from the Sydney Detachment of the Royal Australian Navy Band embarked in HMAS Tobruk for her South East Asian and South West Pacific Deployment for 2006, visiting Indonesia, Singapore and New Caledonia.

The first challenge for the band apart from joining the ship's damage control organisation to participate in a unit readiness evaluation was to provide sound equipment, vocals and instrumental support for Operation PERINGATAN (Bahasa for 'Memorial'). This operation was the memorial dedication service on the first anniversary of the crash of Shark 02 Seaking helicopter at the small village of Tuindrao, Nias Island, Indonesia.

After Nias, the RAN Band was given the chance to perform in Singapore at the Terror Club in the Sembawang. The band played poolside at the Terror Club to an enthusiastic audience made up from the Ships Company of HMAS Tobruk, USNS Yukon, USNS San Jose and also by the local community of defence families who frequent the club.

In between port visits, the band spent their time rehearsing their rock groups, jazz groups and brass groups in the hot and echoing environment of the tank deck or otherwise, on the ship's vehicle deck in the salty winds practicing their formation marching and the 'Beat to Quarters' skills using their side drums.

	Marcus Salone sounds the Last Post during the Shark 02 Seaking Memorial Service held at Tuindrao, Nias Island, Indonesia.
	LSMSN Jason Beach gets a local to join in on the bass drum as the RAN Band moves through the shoppers at the night markets in Noumea.

In New Caledonia, HMAS Tobruk participated in a joint and combined amphibious exercise CROIX DU SUD that had a scenario of natural disaster requiring the evacuation of people from the island. While the ship was at sea the band were landed to conduct Australian and Defence Force reputation activities. While stretching their sea legs ashore they provided the local population of Noumea and the surrounding areas with a display of the wide range of musical talent for which the band are so well known.

The Navy Band's first performance was during the Thursday night markets in the Place de la Marne in the heart of Noumea. They started with the sounding of a bugle, leading in to a drum ruffle from the drum corps, and then swinging into their rock group performance. Before too long, the shoppers started to follow the band, dancing through the stalls to the sounds of well know Aussie numbers from Men at Work and Midnight Oil.

Over the next eight days, the band was taken to outlying towns such as Bourail and La Foa. Here, once again, one of the venues was the local markets. It was explained that it is the nature of the local Kanaks to be reserved in showing their appreciation but soon, to everyone's surprise, there was applause after each song.

Other activities the band conducted on board at sea were rock concerts during a replenishment with HMAS Arunta and the celebration of the ship's 25th Birthday.

Summing up the band's time at sea, Leading Seaman Musician Jason Beach said: "Going to sea was a good chance for the band to integrate with the rest of the Fleet, to gain a greater appreciation in damage control exercises and to experience working in challenging conditions."

THE SAD AND THE JOYFUL: ABMSN Marcus Salone (opposite) sounds the Last Post during the Shark 02 Seaking Memorial Service held at Tuindrao, Nias Island, Indonesia.

LSMSN Jason Beach (above) gets a local to join in on the bass drum as the RAN Band moves through the shoppers at the night markets in Noumea.

Navy musicians from left, LS Jason Beach (left) and ABs Tom Bastians, Troy Ottens and Adam Arnold, perform HMAS TOBRUK's breakaway song (Fat Bottom Girls, by Queen) after conducting a light jackstay with HMAS Arunta, seen steaming away.

Navy musicians from left, LS Jason Beach (left) and ABs Tom Bastians, Troy Ottens and Adam Arnold, perform HMAS TOBRUK's breakaway song (Fat Bottom Girls, by Queen) after conducting a light jackstay with HMAS Arunta, seen steaming away.