2nd Clarinet
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IN MEMORY - DEAL RMSM22nd September 1989.
On the 22nd September 1989, the following members of the Royal Marines Band Service had their lives taken at the Royal Marines School of Music, Deal.
Band Corporals; Andy Cleatheroe, Trevor Davis, David McMillan and Dean Pavey.
Musicians; Mick Ball, Richard Fice, Richard Jones, Mark Petch, Tim Reeves, Bob Simmonds and Chris Nolan.
I have posted below, the circumstance of that day.
 
The 1989 Deal barracks bombing was the destruction of a recreational centre and accommodation barracks of the Royal Marines School of Music at the Royal Marines barracks at Deal, Kent, on September 22nd 1989.
The building collapsed following the detonation of a Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) bomb inside the building at 8:27am GMT.
Ten Royal Marines were killed instantly and another died 36 days later as a direct result of the wounds he suffered in the blast.
The Royal Marines School of Music is a professional training centre for musicians serving with the Royal Marines and the Royal Navy.
It takes students at school-leavers age of 16 and trains them for 32 months to become both professional musicians and battlefield medics. Originally created at Portsmouth in 1930, it moved to Deal in 1950 and in 1989 was still there as part of the Walmer Barracks.
Throughout the 1980s, the IRA had conducted a paramilitary campaign against targets in Britain and Northern Ireland with the stated aim of achieving the separation of Northern Ireland from the rest of the United Kingdom.
(These operations had included an attempt to kill the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1984 and an attack on the 1st Battalion, Royal Green Jackets Regimental Band, on July 20th 1982, when seven members of the band were killed in a terrorist explosion at the bandstand in Regents Park.)
At 8.27am GMT, a 15lb time bomb placed in the recreational centre changing room at the School of Music by persons who have never been positively identified, detonated.
The blast destroyed the recreational centre and levelled the three story accommodation building next to it blowing the roof right off and causing extensive damage to neighbouring structures and nearby civilian homes. Residents reported that the blast was heard several kilometres away, shaking windows in the centre of Deal, and created a large pall of smoke over the town.
The majority of the personnel who used the building as a barracks had already risen and were practising marching on the barracks parade ground when the explosion occurred.
Those musicians who had remained behind in the building for a variety of reasons, received the full force of the explosion, many being trapped in the rubble for hours despite desperate rescue efforts.
Kent ambulance services voluntarily agreed to end industrial strike action to aid those wounded by the blast and firemen and military heavy lifting equipment were needed to clear much of the rubble to rescue those trapped beneath it.
In all, ten Royal Marines died at the scene, most trapped in the collapsed structure, although one body was later found on the roof of a nearby house. Another, died of his wounds on 18 October 1989..
Another 23 were seriously injured and received treatment at hospitals in Deal and Canterbury.
There was controversy over the base's security, which was partly provided by a private security firm. This prompted a thorough review of security procedures at all British bases and the replacement of the firm's employees at Deal with Royal Marine guards.
One week after the bombing, the staff and students of the School of Music marched through the town of Deal, watched and applauded by thousands of spectators. They maintained gaps in their ranks marking the positions of those unable to march through death or serious injury.
A memorial bandstand was constructed at Walmer Green to the memory of those who "only ever wanted to play music".
A memorial in the Walmer Barracks chapel was destroyed when the building burnt down in 2003, but the site is now a memorial garden.
The surviving barracks were converted into flats when the base was decommissioned in the late 1990s, and the School of Music is once again based in Portsmouth.
No one has ever been arrested or convicted in connection with the Deal bombing.
To those named above and known to so many of us on this forum….R.I.P.
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admin
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Photos on photobucket for when the above links go.
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eastney hooker
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Miss you guys. RIP 
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Mr Bass Trombone
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As posted elsewhere forgot to click new topic. Interupted by grand children.
22nd September 1989
LET'S NEVER FORGET THAT TERRIBLE DAY
WHEN 11 GOOD MEN WHERE BLOWN AWAY
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
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Wee Mac
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A bit hesitant on asking this but was there not at least one civilian casualty?
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joe90
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| Wee Mac wrote: | | A bit hesitant on asking this but was there not at least one civilian casualty? |
Yes there was but not a fatality. I believe the cleaner was in the loos at the time and although we didn't expect him to survive due to his injuries, he pulled through although he was disabled as a result. Incidentally, I would take issue with a couple of parts of the report, I'm sure the heavy lifting gear came from the channel tunnel site as I watched the convoy come along the Dover Road while stood on South Green waiting for helo's. The other was the security, I believe unfair blame was put on Reliance Security and they were not replaced. Dave Stonebridge worked for them although I'm not sure he was with them at the time.
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Nick B
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I posted this earlier on another thread..My mistake (9.00 am)
I have just returned from the Memorial Garden, with a good turn out of Relatives, Friends, Ex & Serving RMB, PDM and local Dignitaries.
A small but moving service was held in memory of those who lost their lives on the 22nd Sept 1989. The service was accompanied by a Brass quartet from Portsmouth. The last post and reveille was played by a Bugler from Portsmouth.
The Memorial Bandstand looks, as always, resplendant with the Eleven Wreaths and Family flowers.
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chiefspotter
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Never to be forgotten
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Kratos
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Thanks for all the posts guys, for all of us who couldn't make it to Deal. It's good to remember all those young men who gave their lives doing something they enjoyed.
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Hornblower
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To my eternal shame, I didn't remember the date until just now when I read this post.
Thank God for this forum which puts us all in contact and provides the means with which to communicate amongst each other.
Thank you for the reminder, I have now had my quiet time of reflection.
We will remember them.
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Bilvers
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RIP, You were the best guys
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MrJpig
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I spent all day on Monday carrying out search team training. The lads that lost their lives are never far from my thoughts but every search I carry out brings that day to the front of my mind especially as it is still used as part of the training package to remind us of the importance of our role.
RIP Lads
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Dan A
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Great lads...and sadly missed.....Fleet Bandies will remember Dean Pavey, Micky Ball and Rich Fice in particular.....i can only ever remember Micky Ball in a long black overcoat with his hair falling over his eyes driving that Red Morgan type sports car........and Rich Fice...nice nice guy...lovely trumpet player.......I didnt know Dean as he was going to Deal as I arrived in Fleet.
So difficult to speak about...but then you all know that....take care lads and lassies.
Dan
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