Deal Memorial Bandstand

On 22nd September 1989 the IRA exploded a bomb at the Royal Marines School of Music in Deal that killed 11 Musicians and seriously injured 11 more. The Deal Memorial Bandstand Trust (Registered Charity No 1045095) exists to maintain The Memorial Bandstand (built in 1993) to stage a serious of 'free' public concerts on the Bandstand between May and September each year.

The Memorial Bandstand Trust is managed by a Board of 4 unpaid Trustees and a Committee of 14 volunteers, each of who bring significant experience and expertise to assure the competent governance of the charity and successfully stage concerts for the benefit of the public.

The aim of the concerts is to keep alive the memory of the 11 Royal Marines Musicians who were killed by the bomb. The Deal Memorial Bandstand is seen as a 'living' Royal Marines Memorial to those who died.

The Deal Memorial Bandstand is located on Walmer Green in Deal. It is a memorial to the 11 musicians killed when the Royal Marines barracks was bombed on 22nd September 1989. Eleven of the twelve-sided structure have engraved tablets bearing the names of those that lost their lives.

Concerts are performed on Sunday afternoons from May to September each year, commencing at 2.30pm. We also hold a Carol Concert each December.

The concerts are free of charge, as are the chairs, although we do hold a collection and sell raffle tickets to cover the costs of hiring the bands and towards the upkeep of the Bandstand.

We also have a Bandstand Chaplain - The Reverend Seth Cooper who is the vicar of St Marys and St Saviours churches in Walmer.