17th Pals’ Smash Attendance Figures At The O’s!

The 17th Pals’ Battalion Band played in front of their biggest attendance to day when over five thousand people witnessed a first-class performance by the band – to be exact, 5166 cheered and clapped as stirring marches such as Bridlington, Shamrock and Officer Cadet were played.

On a unseasonably hot scorching day, the 17th Pals’ commemorated and in some ways re-enacted Clapton Orient’s final league game of the season on 24th April 1915, when the team, having just beaten Leicester Fosse, change into their uniforms and march round the pitch behind the band to say farewell to the loyal O’s supporters before going off to training camp and then France to serve with the 17th Battalion Middlesex Regiment.

As well as the band, the Somme Banner was also brought onto the pitch as part of the display.

Before the game, the Buglers lined up in two rows either side of the tunnel and played a fanfare as the teams and officials came onto the pitch.

This was an event like no other undertaken by the Band due to the potential issues with the industrial sprinklers that are installed in the pitch. Bandmaster Steve Jenkins had spent weeks finalizing the route of the performance on the pitch which originally included marching along the half-way line. However, following several phone conversations between Steve and the O’s ground –staff and a meeting held at 08:00 on the morning of the game, it was decided to change the route to now be just around the perimeter of the pitch and stopping in front of the West Stand to turn and face the crowd for a static performance.

The whole day was seen as a fantastic success with so many warm plaudits and words of congratulations being put to the band.

Itinerary for the performance at Leyton Orient:

Bridlington
One Drum Solo and Repeat
Shamrock – at the halt facing the West Stand
Tattoo – at the halt facing the West Stand
General Salute – at the half facing the West Stand
Ypres – on the march
One Drum Solo and Repeat
Officer Cadet – on the march to finish