Surrey Air Cadets Musical Hit at the RAF’s Jubilee Concert

Surrey Wing Band made its first public performance

Cadets from Surrey Wing Air Training Corps helped to entertain the crowds at the recent Royal Air Force musical salute to the Queen’s Jubilee.

The event at Loseley Park near Guildford was the first public performance of the recently formed Surrey Wing Band.  The band opened the concert with a host of recognisable tunes, impressing the crowd despite their lack of experience as Sergeant Kirsty Witchell, the Wing Bandmaster explained, “Some had only been learning for two or three months.  With one rehearsal a month, some of them have only played the drum two or three times, so they did brilliantly.” She added, “For a first performance I was really impressed, they were very nervous but they pulled it off.”

The cadet musicians with the director of music, Flt Lt Richard Murray RAF 

But the Wing band was not the only star of the show from the Air Cadets.  Two lucky cadet musicians were invited to play with the main entertainment of the evening; the Central Band of the RAF.  Cadet Holly Everest of 1034 (Surbiton) Squadron and Cadet Sergeant Katherine Pound of the nearby 261 (Guildford) Squadron played with the band for their full four hour set of music.  Sergeant Pound, a flautist, explained how nerve wracking it was for the duo, “They originally wanted us to play just the air cadet march, but when they realised that we were both grade 8’s they said we could play for the whole thing, which was slightly scary as we hadn’t actually seen that music before.  Apart from the cadet march, we were just sight reading it.”  But despite the nerves she still enjoyed the experience, “It was absolutely incredible.”

Cdt Everest on stage with the Central Band

Cadet Everest, who plays the saxophone, echoed these feelings, “It was fantastic and the best experience I’ve ever had in cadets.”  And the experience left her wanting more, “I’m going to definitely join up as an RAF Musician once I leave cadets, it was brilliant.”  The girls were picked to play with the Central Band by the Wing bandmaster, Sergeant Witchell.  She was approached to nominate two cadets from Surrey, and picked them due to their experience with music in the Air Training Corps.  Both Sergeant Pound and Cadet Everest have played with the Air Cadet National Marching Band and National Concert Band.  They have played at the Royal International Air Tattoo and will be playing with the National Marching Band in Paris later this year.  

Sqn Ldr Ratcliffe receives his Cadet Forces Medal

Other cadets also provided entertainment to the 2,100 strong crowd in the form of a continuity drill display.  Cadets from 261 (Guildford) and 97 (Croydon) Squadrons performed the routine of drill movements with no words of command, while the new air cadet march was played by the Central Band.
During the interlude the cadets were joined by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshall Sir Stephen Dalton.  There was first for him as he was asked to present a Cadet Forces Medal to Squadron Leader David Ratcliffe, Surrey Wing’s Sports Officer.  The medal is awarded to uniformed members of the Cadet Forces for 12 years service.  Squadron Leader Ratcliffe commented, “It is always a honour to receive a medal, but this is extra special knowing that this is the only one to have been presented by the Current Chief of the Air Staff.”

Air Chief Marshall Dalton also took time to speak to some of the cadets including every member of the Wing Band.  He summed up with some inspirational words, “I hope that you are finding that being a part of the Air Training Corps is a fundamentally enjoyable experience.  Whether it is climbing the rock face out there, which your successors are clearly enjoying doing right now, or whether it’s actually being part of a team together and producing what is clearly a team effort, which is what being in the Air Training corps is all about.  Learning about yourselves, but learning about each other in a good environment.”  Having seen the crowd’s response he added, “The way that the public is responding out there is a great accolade to the fact that they see you as a great ambassadorial team on behalf of the Air Training Corps. So very well done and thank you for coming.”

The event ended in a classic patriotic finale.  While the crowd were singing and waving their union flags, the assembled staff and cadets of Surrey Wing paraded in front of the stage.

The Finale with Surrey Wing on Parade.