Nmrn Reviews 2

Trying to reach a member of staff, the only public phone number is a recorded message, finally got through to a very unhelpful human..."send an email message", refused to connect me, give me an extension number, or a DDI number.

The fact that this museum is not yet open does not preclude me writing a Review based on their website and the information which is today publicly available.

Whilst I do welcome the planned educational visits for teachers and children, and I am aware of Jane Austen's link with Portsmouth the website is 'donations and support us' centric. It appears that the admission price is to be £51 and £100s if you want to do some digitised research. My local museum (RAMM Exeter) is free to enter.

We are advised that ' we’re not just a collection of artefacts – rather we’re a place where the stories and lives of people are told.' So I began looking to find a mention, or photograph, of my branch of the Royal Navy in which I served for thirty three years from 1961 to 1994.

I refer to the internationally respected Royal Marines Band Service which, since its inception in 1903 (as the RN Band Service) as well as taking an active part in hostilities in many theatres of war has delighted audiences on ceremonial occasions in London, Edinburgh, New York, the Far East and wherever, Worldwide, one of its bands, dance bands, or orchestras has performed.

It's a poor show that so far there is no evidence that this business is aware of that justifiably proud national heritage. Not a photo of one of our bands, nor even a photo including a distant RM Band is to be found.

For those interested in the full history of the Royal Marines Band Service it has been spectacularly well written in 'Gold on Blue' by Graham HOSKINS and is available from Amazon. I am hoping to eventually find this volume as an 'artefact' in the Museum.

I do hope that when the Museum is finally open in the coming summer I will be able to give it a more positive review.

Perhaps, when it does open, it will mention that the current woeful state of the RN is a national disgrace and embarrassment, including the fact that both aircraft carriers are unserviceable, no submarines are available and one ship has been out of action for nine years. By the way there were forty Admirals in 2025 as the fleet was sinking.

This REVIEW is automatically sent to the business and they can comment here. If they want to update my, and your, understanding of their plans I would welcome that.

Thank you for reading this and my thanks to Trust Pilot for this useful platform. If you found this information helpful and could spare a quick 'like' I would be grateful.