1935-1936

A telegram is delivered to General Gordon by new recruit Walter Parker for Arthur who is from his West Vancouver Boy’s Band, which alarms him. Seems his mother has passed away. He now has seven junior bands all over Vancouver. When the boys are good enough they graduate to his seniors in Kitsilano. Delamont makes the train ride to Toronto for the funeral and along the way recalls the disaster of the Empress of Ireland in 1914 and losing his brother, Leonard. His pending second trip by ship to England with the boys has brought back bad memories. Regardless, he is going anyway as he has others to think about, as he gazes out the window of the train.

The boys arrive back in England and many who came in 1934 are back again. Delamont wanted Roy to go but he couldn’t. He has Gordon, Harvey Stewart and Ross Armstrong on first trumpet. Hector runs into Canon Duncan Campbell Scott on the Empress of Britain. At the Royal Dublin Horse Show Delamont asks the crowd if they are allowed to play rags ie jazz.

Some boys run into Ted Heath in a music store in London and ask him to play a solo. He is in the Ambrose Band the hottest band in England and they are playing in a vaudeville theatre up the street. Mr. Heath declines and says he is not a soloist but a section man and keeps looking at a trombone.

From the moment they land on July 2 through October 3 they are booked solid with one night stands.

Stocky comes up with a plan to let the boys know if they win the big National Brass Band Competition at the Crystal Palace. After they play in the competition they have an engagement at the Wembley Bicycle Races. If his bowler hat is tilted to the side when they see him enter they have won.

Delamont visits the Duke of York’s headquarters. He gets some pointers from Mr. Windrum conductor of the Scots Guards Band. Windrum worries that without their woodwind section the brass section might not fare so well. He asks Delamont if he thinks they will be okay but he can’t find any problems. Delamont is enthusiastic that they will win to Windrum’s dismay. Windrum is convinced he has thrown caution to the wind and may be in for a big surprise but he doesn’t know Delamont.

Stocky sends a letter home to the Committee on October 9 summing up the trip, the Crystal Palace aside, he showers them with praise. Back home at a reception in the Orpheum Theatre on October 26. B.C. Lieutenant Governor E.H. Hamber says, there is much more intelligence in their playing.

The last of the first generation of Kitsilano Red Shirts marches off into history. A new generation takes their place.

Quotes from Ambassadors of Empire Season 1, Episode 4:

Lillie: “My boys are very capable and able to look after themselves.”

Canon Duncan Campbell Scott: “I love to see young Canadian lads growing up.”

Ted Heath: “Oh, I’m not a soloist just a section man.”

British boy: “They’ve come from a long ways away. Teacher says it’s a British place, and when they play the first music when the people stand up, we have to take off our caps. No, it isn’t God Save the King.”

British girl: “One of my friends told me you are only thirteen. Is that true? I am eighteen.”

Arthur: “We did it. First at Crystal Palace.”

Stocky: “It was like a cool gentle breeze on a hot summer’s day listening to such wonderful playing.”

Young hero: “Gosh, what a lot of bands.”

Dal: “Who won the contest?’

Harold Atkinson: “My main job on the Empress of Britain was to sell postcards.”

Stocky: ” I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart and from my wife’s bottom too!”

Harold Atkinson: “My father was instrumental in getting Arthur a contract with Safeway.”

Crystal Palace adjudicators: “We have never heard a band that plays with such a mellow tone.”

Harold Atkinson: Dal bought a loaf of genuine French bread and on the train across Canada he put it in the top bunk. Mr. D came along and closed the bunk squashing the bread.”

Seraphine Delamont: “Only Leonard and Arthur get to go.”

Commissioner Rees.” “I understand you like to be thought of as the Commissioner’s band. Why not come back to Canada as God’s band?”

Seraphine Delamont: “Leonard my poor Leonard.”

Eulogist: “They were the fairest and the bravest of the movement in Canada.”