HMAS Manoora Deployment

The BIT 2006 debut show, attended by His Majesty and other members of the Royal Family, was a spectacular and colourful event in every aspect. The 30,000 strong audience, who were clad in their traditional dress of Brunei, provided an impressive multicoloured backdrop for the much-anticipated occasion. The tattoo proved to be a brilliant display of military pageantry accompanied by a dazzling exhibition of lighting and fireworks. The Navy Band’s performance featured the Ceremonial Silver Drums, which were presented to the Royal Australian Navy by the Commonwealth and States of Australia to mark the 50th Anniversary of the proclamation of the title ‘Royal Australian Navy’. The set consists of eight side drums, two tenor drums and one bass drum all made from solid sterling silver and emblazoned with the royal cipher, the Commonwealth Coat of Arms and the Royal Australian Navy Badge. The eight-minute display proved to be very popular as the audience applauded and cheered as the display moved through its many intricate movements, the last of which had the band form a diamond shape (as it was His Majesty’s Diamond Birthday) and the drum corps detached in an ‘arrow-head’ formation. From this position, the band performed a traditional ‘Cheer Ship’ as a salute the His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam. As the Director sounded the call, “Hip, hip, hip!” the whole audience joined him with the reply “Hooray!”. Following the third cheer the band continued with a performance of ‘I Am Australian’ sung by Able Seaman Tracy Burke and Able Seaman Damien Dowd. Finally, the band marched off to a rousing applause playing Waltzing Matilda. After 17 days in Brunei, it was time to board the RAAF C130 at Brunei Airport. Seeing us off were our hosts from the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, a small team of wonderful people to whom we had become very attached. As we said our farewells, the excitement of going home was mixed with tears as we reflected on our journey together.

HMAS MANOORA DEPLOYMENT

Article by Petty Officer Daniel Hobson

Aloha! After a delayed start and a mixed lead up period due to HMAS Manoora’s operational requirements to the north of Australia and a major reduction in personnel because of the International Tattoo in Brunei, eleven members of the Royal Australian Navy Band eventually left Sydney Harbour on the 17 June 2006. Our first commitment, procedure Alpha for the departure, was cancelled due to a mechanical fault that delayed our departure one more time until after dark. During the long transit to Pearl Harbor we began preparations for the most important engagement of the deployment, the Maritime Commanders cocktail party to take place on the night of arrival in Pearl Harbor. As the detachment settled into its routine of rehearsals, café party and watch on deck we crossed the equator for the first time. Due to our haste though, we set an appointment with King Neptune for our return. Also during the long passage, much work was being done to ensure that we could make the most of our Hawaiian visit. Due to the hard work from the ship, the staff at the Director of Music-Navy’s office and especially Chief Petty Officer Patrick Detroit from the Pacific Fleet Band, it was arranged that we would stay ashore during the Exercise part of RIMPAC. On arrival in Hawaii preparations were made for the cocktail party, the stewards set up the hanger, the cooks prepared the food and the Guard and Band rehearsed the Ceremonial Sunset for what we thought was going to be about 200 people. However as the time came it became a large crowd of around 500. The cooks and the stewards worked at full speed and the Guard and Band put on a good Ceremonial Sunset to finish. All that attended said it was a fine evening. The next day our musicians began work with the United States Navy Pacific Fleet Band (PACFLEET). First up were a few Wind Ensemble (Concert Band) performances in Waikiki and Honolulu. After this, half the PACFLEET Band went on leave, this is how they manage to cover their many commitments through the leave period. This provided us with the opportunity to integrate into the PACFLEET Band.

Half of us performed with the Ceremonial Band and the other half with the Big Band. Add to this a few combined performances with the Rock Band element to the Royal Australian Navy Band being involved in about 20 performances during its Hawaiian visit. Work for the Ceremonial Ensemble included a number of Change of Command Ceremonies for ships including the USS Chosin, the submarine USS Los Angeles (of Hunt for Red October fame and the oldest nuclear submarine in the fleet) and a number of shore establishments for the Navy and the United States Coast Guard. The PACFLEET Band really enjoyed the opportunity to have members of the Royal Australian Navy Band sit in and perform with them. In particular, Leading Seaman Daniel Sponiar, Able Seaman Vladimir Shvetsov and Able Seaman Dana Moran, these members performed a number of solos and also had charts selected to feature them. In full group rehearsals, these members helped pass on and improve the improvisation and stylistic skills of the PACFLEET Band. Performance highlights for the Big Band included playing before the 4th July Fireworks at Honolulu, Sunset on the Beach at Waikiki and the Haliewa Arts Festival on the North Shore. It was not all hard work and no play though. Our routine still allowed us to get out and about and see the sights of Hawaii. The night life of Waikiki, the views from Diamond Head, the sombre atmosphere of Punch Bowl Cemetery and Memorial for the War in the Pacific, snorkelling amongst the coral reefs, fish and turtles of Hanama Bay and the North Shore and of course surfing at the home of surfing. The most enjoyable facet of our visit to Hawaii was the hospitality shown to us by our hosts, the members of the US Navy’s’ Pacific Fleet Band. At all times they made sure that we knew all the best places to go and provided plenty of after hours social opportunities in their own homes. Eventually it came time to depart Hawaii, procedure Alpha to farewell Pearl Harbor. For the voyage to Vanuatu the musicians performed at a steel deck BBQ and was a major part of the ship’s concert. However, the most important event was the appointment made on our way to Hawaii with King Neptune! Seven bandy Polliwogs were presented before the King and paid their respects. Our Port Visit to Vanuatu began the same as Pearl Harbor, a Cocktail Party and Ceremonial Sunset with the Prime Minister of Vanuatu in attendance. The Jazz group had a performance on stage in a park that was well-received. Able Seaman Matthew Capper, Able Seaman Steve Foxe and Able Seaman Penny Charles are to be congratulated for assisting with a charity project the ship was involved in. This consisted of building new rooms and making improvements to a hospital and chapel. On Wednesday 16 August 2006 the ship got back into Sydney, although it was a fairly short deployment we were all ready to be home and spend time with their friends and family. During this short deployment, members of the Royal Australian Navy Band demonstrated their ability to be flexible and adapt to changing routines in order to provide the most public relations value to the Navy and Australia Aloha and Mahalo