From Gallipoli to Rolleston: Third generation army band bugler ready for Anzac Day

As dawn broke across the Gallipoli peninsula on Anzac Day last year, Raynor Martin played The Last Post – and now it’s Rolleston’s turn to hear his bugle ring out.

The 32-year-old third-generation military bandsman has been appointed bugler for the April 25 ceremony at Clocktower Reserve. 

It’s a long way from the site of his last Anzac Day performance when Martin (left) played the solemn farewell for lost soldiers in front of about 500 people from New Zealand, Australia and Turkey on a clear Gallipoli morning.  

As the first notes rang out, the nerves which had plagued Martin leading up to the momentous occasion melted away. 

He had risen to the occasion, and the bugle call, which lasts little more than a minute, went off without a hitch.

“I have been in the military for 11 years, it was definitely the highlight. It’s kind of like the event for a bugler in the defence force,” Martin said.

“It’s special when you are standing on the beach, seeing the morning sun come up over the Sphinx.”

Martin will once again play The Last Post this Anzac Day, – but at a more modest outdoor venue – Rolleston’s Millennium Memorial Clocktower, with a parade to follow.

Martin is a corporal and New Zealand Army Band member. His father Leigh is also a corporal and in the army band.

But this time Leigh will travel to Gallipoli for Anzac Day to perform as part of the army band in the Dawn Service and Chunuk Bair commemorations.

Martin said playing The Last Post at Gallipoli was special as he had a great grandfather who fought there in World War 1. 

Albert Edward Lewis survived the bloody battlefields of Turkey and later the Western Front, living as a returned serviceman until his death in 1969.

“I found a lot out about his service while I was over there,” Martin said.

He said he felt more nervous in Gallipoli than he had during any past performance of The Last Post.

He has previously played it in front of several royal family members at the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme in France in 2016 and the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium in 2017.

Martin and Leigh are the second and third generation of military bandsmen in their family. Leigh’s dad Ken was also in regiment bands during World War 2.

Both Martin and Leigh are also members of Rolleston  Brass, a 33-piece band which will march in the Rolleston Anzac Day parade for the first time.

Martin said he will play at the Rolleston service as a member of Rolleston Brass and will apply himself to the same level he had at Gallipoli.

“The thing is every service means something to someone. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Gallipoli or Rolleston, I still have to do the best I can.”

He was proud of Rolleston Brass, which has grown from 10 members into a full brass band since it was established just two-and-a-half years ago. 

Martin is the musical director, while Leigh is a founding member and the band manager.

The band stays busy throughout the year with a wide range of community performances.

It has done well on the competition scene, winning provincial contests and the members are now preparing for their first national contest in July at Dunedin.

“I’m really proud to be a part of growing a new band within the community,” Martin said.

“When we set out to do this, we didn’t set out to become the best band possible. We just wanted to create something for the community that performs for the community, and to grow music within the Rolleston area.”

President Karen St Guillaume said Rolleston Brass grew from a youth band, which started out as a music initiative at Rolleston School about 15 years ago.

The members have been busy practising for the Anzac Day service, where they will be joined by the Selwyn Community Choir. They are also practising for the major task of leading the parade.

St Guillaume said it will be the first time the band has ever marched together. The members must learn the marching tune off by heart and master the skill of stepping in time to the beat.

“There’s a lot to it, it’s not an easy thing to do. You have to watch where you are, be three paces from other people, be in the right formation,” St Guillaume said. 

Rolleston’s commemorations are being organised by the Rolleston Residents Association and the township’s RSA. 

The parade will return after it was cancelled last year due to the Covid restrictions.

•Members of the public who want to march in the Rolleston Anzac Day parade should gather at 10am in the Rolleston Community Centre car park. The parade will march to the Millennium Memorial Clocktower at 10.45am for the service at 11am followed by  morning tea.

Anzac Day across the Selwyn district

• Burnham - 6am. Dawn Parade, Army Camp gates. Service and wreath laying ceremony.
• Darfield - 8.45am. District War Memorial. Wreath laying ceremony followed by service at Trinity Church.
• Dunsandel - 8.30am. District War Memorial, corner Leeston-Dunsandel and Railway Rds, Wreath laying ceremony.
• Glentunnel - 9.30am. Meet outside Glentunnel School followed by service at the Glentunnel Community Centre car park.
• Hororata - 11am. Hororata Monument. Wreath laying ceremony at District War Memorial.
• Lincoln - 2pm. Lincoln Event Centre. Service followed by wreath laying ceremony.
• Mead - 9am. Mead Hall Memorial gates for wreath laying ceremony.
• Prebbleton - 9am. District War Memorial wreath laying ceremony.
• Rolleston - 11am. Service and wreath laying at Clocktower Reserve corner of Tennyson St and Rolleston Drive.
• Sheffield-Waddington - 8am. Sheffield Cenotaph. Service followed by wreath laying ceremony.
• Leeston - 10.30am. Leeston Rugby Club Pavilion. Service followed by parade to cenotaph (above) and wreath laying ceremony.
• Springfield - 11am. Tawera Memorial Hall. Service followed by wreath laying ceremony at District War Memorial.
• Kowai - Service follows the conclusion of Springfield’s ceremony.
• Springston - 10.30am. Springston Hall. Service at hall followed by wreath laying ceremony at District War Memorial.
• Tai Tapu - 8.45am. Meet at Tai Tapu School. Raise flag, march to cenotaph. 9am service and wreath laying then march back to school.
• West Melton - 10am West Melton War Memorial in school grounds. Service followed by wreath laying ceremony.
  

  An Anzac Day service will be held at the Leeston Rugby Club at 10.30am followed by parade to the cenotaph (above) and a wreath laying ceremony. Photo: Barry Clarke