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Drummers steal the show at Crowthorne Royal British Legion

By Julie Spencer
November 19, 2012

Young drummers stole the show at a concert to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Royal British Legion in Crowthorne.

Junior members of the Sandhurst & District Corps of Drums starred at the concert at St John’s Church.

Sue McIntosh, secretary of Crowthorne’s Royal British Legion, said: “The concert was absolutely gorgeous and I have had so many emails and phone calls from people saying they enjoyed it.

“We are very grateful to everyone who turned up and to the South Berkshire Singers, The Sandhurst Community Brass and the Sandhurst & District Corps of Drums.

“Some of the drummers were tiny and looked so smart in their tunics and pith helmets – everybody fell in love with them.”

The concert on Saturday, November 3, commemorated the founding of the village’s branch of the Legion in 1922 by six demobilised First World War soldiers. Early meetings were held in a house in Broadmoor Hospital and in 1929 a parcel of land in Wellington Road was conveyed in trust to the branch and the Wellington Road club, which now has 500 members, was built.

Mark Saunders, director of Sandhurst & District Corps of Drums, singled out drummers Josh Faultley, Louis Doran and Kyle Tompkins and cymbal player William Dalwood for their role.

He said: “They are all 10 and 11 years old and they led a drum display and the other members responded. What happens is people hear us coming and when they see the mix of ages they can’t believe it.”

Steve Boother, secretary of the Sandhurst Community Brass, said: “The concert was a fantastic success and we look to have raised £700, although that is not the final figure.”