Photos: Bermuda Regiment Anniversary Tattoo

The Royal Bermuda Regiment’s 50th anniversary tattoo was hailed a huge success, with more than 4500 people attending the colourful three-night pageant of military music, which featured top military bands from around the world.

The final performance on Saturday night was attended by HRH the Duchess of Gloucester, the Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Bermuda Regiment.

In her official greeting, the Duchess said: “As Colonel-in-Chief, it gives me great pleasure to visit the men and women of the Regiment during their anniversary year and to celebrate this milestone through the magnificent Bermuda Tattoo.”

Former Major Stephen Caton, chairman of the 50th anniversary committee, said: “We had three great shows and not even the rain on Friday night could dampen the spirits of the performers or the spectators.

“Through the Regiment, the volunteers and performers, it was a massive effort. If we add in the suppliers, the technical crew and everybody else, it was literally a cast of a thousand people and the committee is very proud of everybody who came together to make it work.”

Bermuda Regiment Band and Corps of Drums piccolo player, Adrien Lewis who has played in the band for two years, said: “This was my first tattoo and it’s been great.

“I’ve got to meet a lot of intriguing people and I was surprised by the warmth of the reception we got – but we are the Royal Bermuda Regiment, so I wouldn’t really expect anything else.”

Pte Lewis, 21, from Sandys, who works at Port Royal golf course, added that another highlight was watching the different musical cultures on display.

Pte Jason Lowe, 24, a drummer, said: “It’s been really fine watching the different bands and seeing how the sound comes together – it’s been beautiful.”

Pte Lowe, a director of photography from Sandys, added: “I wasn’t surprised at the reception we got – the band gets a cheer wherever we go.”

The tattoo, held at the Keep Yard at the historic Royal Naval Dockyard between last Thursday and Saturday, featured 411 performers – 308 of them from overseas – and all three nights ended with a massed bands finale and stunning fireworks display, backed by the RBR’s ceremonial gun troop.

Performers included pipes and drums from Scotland’s famous Black Watch, the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, alongside pipers and drummers from Bermuda and Canada.

They were joined by the Jamaica Defence Force combined bands, a US Marines Corps band from North Carolina and brass bands from The Rifles regiment and Royal Logistics Corps of the British Army and other bands from the Canadian Army, as well as by the Shiehallion Highland dance group from Canada and Bermuda Highland dancers.

Veteran band member Sergeant Aidan Stones, who plays the clarinet, said after the final performance: “The crowds have certainly been enthusiastic and the camaraderie with the other bands has been great.”

And the 43-year-old engineer from Sandys added: “We’ve had a good, loyal crowd, especially with this being the last night.”

N’dera Smith, aged 10, from Paget, said: “It was really great. I liked the ending when it was the fireworks.

“And I liked the music – I was clapping along the whole time.”

Jason Simons, 34, a field manager with power firm Belco, watched the tattoo with girlfriend Laverity Davis.

Mr Simons said: “We liked the precision of the United States Marines Corps band and the Jamaica Defence Force and I love the bagpipes.”

Ms Davis added: “I thought the Scottish dancers were really great.”

Carolyn Tankard, from Sandys, said: “I enjoyed it immensely – I’d like to join one of the bands myself. The US Marines in particular were great.

“It was well done and well-organised – really a great night.”

Click to enlarge photos:

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