Earlier this year, the Royal Gibraltar Regiment Band made their way to the Falkland Islands, where they joined forces with the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment Band (PWRR) to deliver musical support on behalf of 3 PWRR whilst their battalion were deployed.  

A statement from British Forces Gibraltar follows below:

On 15th January 2023, ten members of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment Band began Exercise  Tiger Island with a long journey to the Falkland Islands, where they would join forces with the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment Band (PWRR) to deliver musical support on behalf of 3  PWRR whilst their battalion were deployed.  

Falkland Islands 

The Falkland Islands is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf.  As a British overseas territory, the Falklands have internal self-governance, but the United  Kingdom takes responsibility for their defence and foreign affairs. 

Mount Pleasant  

After travelling to RAF Brize Norton, UK, the band met the remaining 20 musicians who  would make up a large band comprising four different regiments (Princess of Wales's Royal  Regiment, Royal Gibraltar Regiment, Honourable Artillery Company and Royal Artillery).  After a 16 hour flight, the band settled into their accommodation, had a tour of the complex  and gained some much needed sleep! Mount Pleasant is well equipped, with a large gym,  theatre, bar, cinema and bowling alley. The world’s longest corridor (800m) links the  messes, recreational and welfare areas of the complex. 

Spreading the Music  

With a population of approximately 3,500 in the whole of the Falkland Islands, it was no  surprise that Mount Pleasant Primary School had only 24 students! The children were  introduced to the instruments in the band and joined the band in marching around the school  hall. The PWRR band prepared an entertaining and interactive performance of the ‘Music  Man’ consisting of costumes such as bagpiper, pilot and footballer which entertained their 3- 10 year old audience! Friday evening saw the band performing at Mount Pleasant theatre.  Adjoined to the complex’s bar, the theatre that usually sits silent, was brought to life by the  band, accompanied by the Military Wives Choir who sung Adele’s ‘Rolling in the Deep’ and  Gary Barlow’s ‘Sing’, originally sung by a Military Wives Choir to commemorate the Diamond  Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. It was attended by their family members and serving military  personnel. 

Local Wildlife 

One afternoon took the band on a visit to the coasts of Yorke Bay, Stanley View and Gypsy  Cove where they witnessed penguins on the beaches and in their burrows. A wooden  walkway guided them through grassland which was adorned with the local teaberry plants. 

With most beaches inaccessible by vehicles, the band took a 14km hike after a morning’s  rehearsal to Bertha’s Beach to view the local wildlife where King penguins, Gentoo  penguins, sea lions and porpoises were seen. It was here that some of the braver musicians  took a dip in the South Atlantic Ocean, accompanied by the Gibraltar flag! 

War Memorials  

Some members of the band went on a tour of the war memorials at the San Carlos cemetery  and Goose Green. The San Carlos cemetery holds the remains of fourteen of the 255 British  casualties killed during the Falklands War in 1982. The band signed a band t-shirt which was  put on display in the Goose Green Café, which was the only cafe for miles, alongside other visiting battalions and regiments. 

The Capital of Stanley 

On Saturday, the band travelled for one hour to the town hall in the capital of Stanley to  perform another concert with the choir. Over 300 people attended, with the audience treated  to well-known music from James Bond, Frank Sinatra, Out of Africa and the concert ended  with a very proudly sung National Anthem. A very homely feel to the concert was created by  the local people who prepared homemade snacks and cakes which were enjoyed by the  audience and band in the interval. The band returned to Stanley the following day for lunch  at the welcoming Malvinas House Hotel. Some of the band opted to try the locally caught  toothfish, which tasted similar to ling or rosada. Not to miss a musical opportunity, a  harmonious Happy Birthday was sung to WO2 Bandmaster Tom Rundle-Wood upon  presentation of a locally made birthday cake! Despite the cold winds, the band marched in  full uniform to a nearby jetty for a photograph opportunity in front of a ‘Welcome to the  Falkland Islands’ sign before performing to the local crowd outside Christ Church Cathedral.  It was here that some young children took the baton from Director of Music, Lieutenant  Colonel Wayne Hopla, and conducted the band. Soon after, it was time for the band to warm  up and perform inside the cathedral for some jazz, pop and music from the movies.