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Ex-Royal Marines musician donates rare statue

Elliot Ball
BBC News, South West
Claire Keeley George Latham wearing a black blazer with a white shirt, black braces and grey trousers. He is also wearing a navy blue tie with diagonal red stripes. He is playing a cello while looking at the camera.Claire Keeley
George Latham played the cello and the euphonium during his time as a Royal Marines bandsman

A former Royal Marines bandsman - who played for sultans and royalty - has donated a rare statue of a drum major to the military school of music where his career began.

George Latham, who grew up in Rugby, Warwickshire, and now lives in Liskeard, Cornwall, visited HMS Raleigh, near Plymouth, to donate the figure to the Royal Marines School of Music in Portsmouth.

The 87-year-old enrolled as a Royal Marines musician in 1952, aged 14, and served for 34 years before retiring from the Royal Marines Band Plymouth in 1986.

During his career, he played the cello and euphonium for the Sultan of Oman, at the funerals of the King of Norway and Winston Churchill, and at Prince Charles and Diana's wedding.

Speaking at HMS Raleigh, Mr Latham told BBC Radio Devon: "The Royal Marines Band Service has given me an introduction into music which I had never dreamed of.

"I loved it, I really did. I was sorry to leave but I never let go of music, music is in me and I thank the Lord for that.

"I enjoy music, in fact I love it, and my wife said if there was ever a fire the cello would come out first."

Royal Navy Mr Latham wearing a dark blue military uniform with gold buttons next to his wife Evelyn, who is wearing a light blue coat with a matching hat. Royal Navy
Mr Latham met his wife Evelyn at HMS Raleigh

HMS Raleigh also has a personal importance to the bandsman because it was where he met his his wife Evelyn.

The couple married in 1959 after only meeting 12 weeks prior and moved to Torpoint, Cornwall, shortly afterwards.

Royal Navy Mr Latham pictured during his time in the Royal Marines. The image is an old photographed that is brown in tone. He is smiling at the camera while wearing his military uniform.Royal Navy
Mr Latham said his time in the military gave him an introduction to music

But his service was also more than music as he was also tasked as working as a stretcher bearer on board SS Canberra during the Falklands War.

It was during the conflict that he was nominated for an award; during an air raid, he was the rope man that lowered a casualty down a ramp system.

Several Argentinian Mirage jets had screamed over his ship, firing their cannons and dropping munitions.

Everyone took cover except for Mr Latham who, as the rope brake man, felt compelled to stay at his post and not let the casualty drop.

Claire Keeley A statue of a drum major which is about eight inches tall. He is wearing a dark blue uniform with a red sash on a wooden plinth.Claire Keeley
Mr Latham's daughter said part of her dad would always be at the Royal Marines School of Music

Mr Latham's daughter, Claire Keeley, was there to join him at the HMS Raleigh event.

Discussing the day, she said: "It was amazing, they treated us like royalty. I'm so proud to be here and to be able to do this wonderful thing for dad.

"Part of our dad will be at the Royal Marines School of Music, where his career began.

"And we know he will always be there, and he knows he will always be there."

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