Edward Elgar's series of songs The Fringes of the Fleet, which set some of Rudyard Kipling’s poems to music have been given a new airing. They were to publicise the under rated Auxiliary Patrol, largely drawn from fishermen who were engaed on minesweeping and anti submarine duties. Here’s a link to more information:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsi...000/8348001.stm

One of the baritones who sang on the original tour later died of wounds:
Name: MOTT, CHARLES JAMES
Initials: C J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lance Corporal
Regiment/Service: London Regiment (Artists' Rifles)
Unit Text: 1st/28th Bn.
Age: 37
Date of Death: 22/05/1918
Service No: 766077
Additional information: Son of Henry Isaac and Eliza Brockley Mott, of East Finchley, London.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: II. C. 2.
Cemetery: BAGNEUX BRITISH CEMETERY, GEZAINCOURT

PA.....

What a fascinating article; thanks very much for bringing it forward here

Michael

Woke up to it being sung - also parts of the original recording. Excellent. I have a CD of some of Elgar's other war music - some is a little OTT by todays standards, he wasn't always lucky in his lyricists, but the FOTF sounded fine - such a shame RK but the kibosh on it.