BAND NEEDS MUSIC

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 September 1941, Page 3

BAND NEEDS MUSIC

NEW ZEALAND MILITARY UNIT. (From the Official War Correspondent with the N.Z.E.F.) CAIRO, August 16. Nowhere perhaps is the charm of music more fully appreciated than in a, military camp situated far from anything resembling a busy metropolis. Few bands indeed have been so fully appreciated as the band attached to the brigade which left New Zealand about a year ago, as it has just coriipleted a series of concerts in one of those isolated areas. , While the camp where the band has been stationed for some weeks is situated in ideal surroundings, the locality is nevertheless a fair journey from anything resembling bright lights. Furtheremore, the area has been visited by German bombers. The concerts have hot been confined to New Zealand camps. Many English Units have been visited, and the concerts were warmly appreciated, particularly in the more remote camps. The concerts have also been appreciated at a convalescent hospital where there are many New Zealand patients. There have been few changes in the personnel of the band since it left New Zealand nearly a year ago. It has been greatly in demand in Cairo and one of its feature performances was at the reception given to General de Gaulle by Sir Miles and Lady Lampson. It played again at a garden party given by Lady Lampson for convalescents. One difficulty experienced by the band has been the shortage of music. Brass band music is unprocurable in Egypt. The possession of a wider selection of music would better enable this popular combination to perform the necessary work that has already won the praise and gratitude of Allied units throughout this area.