Having been on a band camp once before, I had a fair idea of what I was letting myself in for. However, as soon as I arrived in what was previously the White Crane's Club at RAF Cranwell, something just wasn't quite right....

Immediately, I recognised some familiar faces of cadets from the 98 camp at RAF Uxbridge, and there were one or two staff members who I thought I knew. But, for reasons unknown to us, all the top brass (that was a pun by the way) were dressed in D.P.Ms. Apparently, they had planned for the entire camp to be in D.P.M.s, so that our blue uniforms would still be in good condition at the end of the week. But they forgot to include that part on the joining instructions. So, after a couple of days of the staff begging Cranwell's stores for about 30 full sets of combat uniform, we were all kitted out in nice new uniform, which, incidentally, we were free to take home with us. However, two unlucky cadets were forced to stay in working blues all week, as there were no D.P.M.s to fit. Surprise surprise, I was one of the aforementioned unlucky cadets. As if that wasn't enough excitement for the camp staff, they then proceeded to think what a good idea it would be if we were all in No 1 jackets for the concert! The irony was, the only uniform instructions we were given on the JI's were that No 1's would not be needed. But, once more, not everyone could be kitted out in time, so nothing came of that plan. I got a lovely new No 1 jacket and skirt to bring home with me though.

Other than that, the camp actually ran very smoothly. Some of us old-timers weren't too happy with the new incentive they had introduced this year-the one where, because we were cadets, we should do sport, and navexes, and initiative exercises, as well as intensive musical training. Still, we managed to all get ready with our music just in time for the concert on the Friday night, which was brilliant (ask Dave Proctor if you don't believe me).

The music itself was a different matter. (NB for anyone who is currently under the impression that we were playing at about the same standard as the squadron band, you're wrong! Playing in a full concert band is totally different. With most cadets having achieved at least grade 6 on their instrument; there was rather a lot of talent flying around! I consider myself incredibly lucky to have been in the percussion section, as the members of the regiment band who were with us were absolutely fantastic. Percussionists, as a rule, have a reputation for being a little lacking in sanity- and musical talent, so I'm told by the woodwind section (boo, hiss). So, naturally, dancing during the pieces we didn't play, wearing woolly hats and ski goggles for Pop Goes Bach (Ski Sunday to you and I) and playing with party poppers during the Hoedown was all considered perfectly normal. And all this with that John Kennedy chap sat somewhere in the audience.

I could go on for much longer about all the fun we had, but I'd probably fill a Flying Tyke on my own! If anyone is interested in attending this camp next year, expect to need a minimum grade of about 4, and look forward to a week of awfully hard work. Apart from that, it's great fun, and well worth it if you're seriously into music. For more info about what else goes on, feel free to ask me for all the gory details-just don't mention Lord of the Dance, Adi's singing or Sqn Ldr Kilamanjaro's truncheon!

And no, I didn't take my flute with me!

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