Veteran Royal Marines musician donates rare drum major statue to preserve band heritage
A rare statue of a Royal Marines drum major has been donated to the Royal Marines Band by former musician George Latham, a veteran whose four-decade-long career saw him perform for royalty and world leaders alike.
George Latham, now in his mid-80s and battling terminal cancer, made a brief trip from his home in Liskeard to HMS Raleigh in Torpoint – the site of his final posting before retiring in 1986 – to formally hand over the statue.
The piece, which travelled with him through 12 moves during his service with the Royal Marines Band, will be displayed at the Royal Marines School of Music in Portsmouth.
"I never expected all this – I thought I'd get a letter back thanking me for my gift to the Royal Marines School of Music," Mr Latham said. "This has been tremendous, totally not what I was expecting, it's been a fantastic day," he added.
In a career spanning four decades, Mr Latham performed for kings, queens, presidents, and sultans, at the bicentennial of the USA and the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill, and even paraded at the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981.
His exploits include being praised for bravery as a stretcher bearer in the Falklands, serving on Green Goddess fire engines during a firefighters' strike in Glasgow in the 1970s, and even delivering his younger daughter Claire when the midwife couldn't make it in time.
Born one of 13 siblings in Warwickshire, George began his musical journey playing tenor horn with the Salvation Army Band before joining the Royal Marines Band Service at the age of 14 in 1952.
Trained at the School of Music in Deal, he went on to perform at sea and on land – aboard carrier HMS Ocean, the former Royal Yacht Britannia, and during tours that spanned Europe, the Indo-Pacific, and beyond.
His distinguished career also saw him perform for the late Queen Elizabeth II, the rulers of Norway and Oman, and for packed houses at Earl's Court during five Royal Tournaments.
In 1976, he toured the USA for the country's bicentennial celebrations. While serving at HMS Raleigh in the late 1950s, he met his wife Evelyn, and the couple have now been together for 66 years.
During the Falklands conflict, George played a vital role as a musician-cum-stretcher bearer.
He was particularly singled out for bravery when, acting as 'rope man', he lowered a casualty down the ramp system aboard a liner-cum-troopship during an air raid, even as Argentinian Mirage jets fired their cannons and rockets.
With this heartfelt donation, Mr Latham ensures has ensured that a piece of Royal Marines Band history is preserved for future generations.
"The statue is particularly impressive. Often military statues have something which is slightly wrong, but we can't find anything out of place – the uniform and the details are absolutely perfect," Major Ian Davis, Director of Music RM Band Plymouth said.
"It's going to have a prominent position at the Royal Marines School of Music in Portsmouth."
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