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Band looks forward to Kirkwall concert

Date: 4 July 2017

Time: 04:19

Musicians from the Royal Marines will make a poignant return visit to Orkney this weekend, where they will play at a special concert as part of the HMS Vanguard commemorations.

The concert at St Magnus Cathedral on Saturday (8 July) will be performed by the Music Ensemble and Corps of Drums from the band of the Royal Marines.

Lieutenant Colonel Nick Grace, the Royal Marines' Principal Director of Music, said: “It is with huge pride that members of the Royal Marines Band Service return to Orkney after the success of our concert last year in Kirkwall for the Battle of Jutland commemorations.

“The reception and support that we had from the people of Orkney was just outstanding and will be remembered by us all for a very long time.

“Having members of the Royal Marines Band Service returning and performing at the concert commemorating the loss of HMS Vanguard 100 years ago is extremely poignant.

“The entire Royal Marine Band of 15 Musicians and the ship’s two Royal Marines Buglers were killed in the disaster.”

The concert at the Cathedral starts at 19:30 and all are welcome to attend.

In a tragic accident, the Royal Navy battleship was destroyed by a series of internal explosions on the night of 9 July 1917, while at anchor in Scapa Flow.

Only three of the 845 men on board were recovered alive. One later died of his injuries.

On Sunday 9 July, a service of commemoration will take place at the Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery in Hoy, where 41 of the ship’s crew were buried.

Later on Sunday a special watch night service will be held at St Magnus Cathedral, which like the Lyness service, is open to all.

Starting at 23:00, it will mark the moment when the ship was destroyed by the explosions on board – 23:20 on 9 July 1917.