Middle East maestros
RAAF Central Band members rekindled musical history and discovered the importance of homely tunes when they played for personnel in the MEAO, as SGT Ben van den Akker reports.

No. 1 Squadron concert party musicians in the Middle East during World War I.

Photo from RAAF Museum

The horn section of the RAAF Central Band blow in unison during the first concert of the Tour de Force II Tour.

Photo by SGT Bill Guthrie

Vocalist CPL Roxanne Dew takes centrestage, supported by FSGT Barry Ramage on bass.

Photo by FLTLT Steve Wright

LAC Dave Reynolds gives his all to stirring the crowd with 1st Cavalry Division’s guitarist Sergeant First Class Dana Luxon.

Photo by SGT Bill Guthrie

FLTLT Steve Wright plays bagpipes at an official function in Baghdad.

Photo by SGT Bill Guthrie

Choirboys bass guitarist Ian Hulme is aided in the final adjustment to his body armour by RAAF Central Band drummer SGT Ben van den Akker and Drew McAlister is handed a protective helmet by PTE Shannon Tann in preparation for their tour of Baghdad.

Photo by SGT Bill Guthrie

FOLLOWING in the footsteps of their predecessors, members of the RAAF Central Band recently repeated Air Force history by entertaining ADF and coalition personnel deployed in the Middle East Area of Operations.

Some 88 years earlier, a group of musicians from within the ranks of No. 1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps performed in the same part of the world during World War I.

On March 16, 1916, 1SQN AFC sailed for the Middle East from Port Melbourne on the liner Orsova. Some of the airmen brought their musical instruments, and in the desert formed a concert party and camp orchestra for the squadron’s entertainment.

Concert parties at the time improvised with available talent and material to provide variety revues involving light-hearted music and comedy.

The modern-day show for Op Catalyst personnel consisted of similar ingredients. The recent performances were the latest success in a continuing series of “Tour De Force” concerts organised by the Forces Advisory Council on Entertainment.

On this occasion, the RAAF Central Band joined with rock band The Choirboys, singer/songwriter Drew McAlister, comedian George Schmilovici and compere Bessie Bardot to form an all-Aussie variety show.

While the performance opportunities of 1SQN’s part-time musicians were dictated by operational requirements, our modern-day band was able to entertain thousands of troops across several borders in just a few days.

This was to be a new experience for RAAF Central Band musicians.

The only other tour by the band during operations was to Vietnam in 1969.

A whirlwind preparation in the weeks leading up to the band’s deployment involved rehearsals, weapons testing, medical checks and force preparation training in Sydney – all while members continued to support a variety of events in Canberra, Melbourne, at RAAF Base Edinburgh and RAAF Base Pearce.

Needless to say, band members did not have much time to contemplate this momentous occasion in their career. That was, until they found themselves on stage during the first concert, in a surreal, desert environment and overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response from several hundred Australian, Canadian and New Zealand troops.

Far from home, living and working in trying conditions, the visible excitement, expectation and pride in the faces of the Australian personnel at being treated to some home-grown entertainment made it obvious for the band that this would be no ordinary concert tour.

The crowds enthusiastically sang along with Corporals Roxanne Dew and Byron Crump to a variety of songs, from rock “anthems” such as Khe Sanh, Cheap Wine, Long Way to the Top and Land Down Under, to blues and songs such as Oh So Quiet by Bjork.

Popular amongst American troops were the energetic performances by singer/guitarist Leading Aircraftman Dave Reynolds. Central Band’s rhythm section also backed singer/songwriter Drew McAlister and the horn section joined in with The Choirboys.

Touring from one location to another, the Aussie shows continued to be warmly received. Saxophonist Leading Aircraftman Jeff Cause recalls a concert for a large audience of American, British and Australian troops.

“Here we were in our Australian cams on an American base in the middle of the desert performing Aussie songs for the Aussies, who were having a great time and really letting their hair down,” he says.

“That’s what we were there for – to entertain the troops and give them a warm reminder of home. One Australian commented to me that, ‘You just don’t know what it means to have home brought to you when you’re out here.’ For me, this comment made any sacrifice I had made worth the effort.”

Similarly, an officer approached vocalist CPL Roxanne Dew after a show for an exclusively Australian audience.

“As tears welled in his eyes, he began to explain what our visit there had meant to them, how they so desperately loved and missed their families and how it meant the world to them to have us there to bring a piece of home exclusively to them. As my eyes also began to well, I was completely overwhelmed to have made a difference,” CPL Dew says.

Australians were greatly outnumbered by the American forces in most locations, yet they appeared to have a high profile.

The visiting musicians found the Australian national flag and boxing kangaroo proudly displayed in many locations, and getting used to the culture shock of being surrounded by Americans, good-humoured personnel in Aussie DPCU seemed to stand out like a beacon.

Another beautifully Australian surprise was being confronted by Australian gum trees upon arrival in Baghdad.

The father-in-law of trombonist CPL Byron Crump had worked for the Queensland Premier’s Department of Foreign Trade during the 1960s and 1970s and was responsible for the exportation of the gum trees to the area.

Musicians visiting the area for just two weeks were instilled with a deep sense of respect for their fellow countrymen and women who are there for many months.

From the crews working on desert tarmacs, to those personnel in Camp Victory and the crews daily patrolling the streets of Baghdad, Australians are doing an excellent job.

Central Band Warrant Officer Attilio Celata was struck by the hospitality of all the units that the show visited.

The extra burden of accommodating a touring show on top of their normal duties were graciously absorbed and offers of assistance were never short in coming.

“I was impressed and felt a great deal of pride at the can-do attitude in all the locations we visited,” WOFF Celata says. “If we had a request for assistance, the response was outstanding. There was really nothing they weren’t prepared to do!”

Tour De Force musicians are indebted to No. 37 Squadron, the Force Level Logistics Agency and the ASLAV crews for safely transporting the contingent throughout the area of operations. The band hopes everyone returns home safely.

.