The KIDDUUMS band had changed its name between 1932 and 1940, and was now known as Myrtle’s Marching Band or MMB for short. The band had been going strength to strength and had a repertoire so unique and diverse, that many people were stunned into silence whenever they performed. Their rendition of Aint nobody here but us Chickens; Bye bye birdie and Flanagan & Allen’s Run Rabbit Run were popular favourites.
In the summer of 1940 Myrtle introduced three trumpet players to the MMB, and they continued to turn up to rehearsals. The rest of the members of the band were concerned as they did not know anything about the three trumpet players including their names. The three trumpet players turned up on time for rehearsals, and left on time at the end of the evening. They never let the band down and were always present and played their best at any gig. They never spoke a word to any of the band members, except to Myrtle who couldn’t even hear what they were saying. There was an air of uncertainty around them but no one asked them any questions, after all this band was unprejudiced and diverse.
The incident that changed the band forever!
At a practice in Kenilworth town centre, November 1940, things changed for the band forever.
Myrtle was trying to get the band to march in formation, which was something new to the group. Unbeknownst to her and because of her balance issues she was having trouble keeping to a straight line, each time she showed them what to do and then watched them march in formation she could not understand why they kept veering to the right. During this practice - which was going on for quite a long time - certain members of the band were starting to question the Trumpet section, what were their names? Where were they from? and more importantly how come they were not fighting in the war? The trumpet section was getting agitated and argumentative (something which continued from this day forth) and started shouting and waving their trumpets about in a fit of rage. Myrtle was trying to calm everyone down when a big explosion occurred up by the Globe Hotel.
We now know that the explosion was a German landmine going off, but at the time the band did not have any clue what it was. The Trumpet Section fled, Myrtle was thrown backwards and crawled to safety under some rubble with Dorothy and Sarah following close behind. In a strange twist of fate, all the other band members who were questioning the Trumpet section died that day leaving only Myrtle, Sarah, Dorothy and of course the three trumpet players. For the second time in her life Myrtle vowed to create the best band ever, with new recruits... again!
And the new name would be The Chinewrde Marching Band
Official Biographer for the CMB – Godfrey Yammerstein: A Profile of a Great British Marching Band
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