Monday, May 15th : The day was spent in Rotterdam; a tour of the famous harbour was organised in the morning and free time in the afternoon gave the men opportunity for sightseeing. For the evening festival the spacious Rotterdam Congress Hall, seating 800 people, was filled to capacity. Band items included The King of Kings; it was a special pleasure to meet Bandmaster Voorn of that corps.
Tuesday, May 16th : The band travelled to Enkhuisen, on the Zuider Zee. This delightful little seaport maintains much of its old-world character and many of the 10,000 inhabitants came to see the British band. A reception was accorded the visitors by the Burgomaster, and later three local bands combined to march the Boscombe men to the church where the evening festival was attended by nearly 1,000 people. The Territorial Commander (Lt. Commissioner William F. Palstra) presided.
Wednesday, May 17th : The journey to Alkmaar took the band through the most rural part of Holland and, on arrival, the men were shown over a milk, factory where they we entertained to lunch. It was interesting to see the traditional Dutch costumes still worn in this area. The festival here too, created much interest.
Thursday, May 18th : The fine weather continued as the bandsmen set out for Wageningen, where they were greeted by the Divisional Commander for East Netherlands (Major Kruisinga). In the afternoon they made their second post-war pilgrimage to the Oosterbeek Military Cemetery, near Arnhem. The Chief Secretary (Colonel Frederick Holland) presided over the festival in the Junoshof. The corps numbers thirty soldiers, with no band, but the town band was on parade in honour of the occasion.
Friday, May 19th : The day started with a visit to the Orange Nassau Sanatorium at Wageningen, where the band played to the patients. Arriving later at Almelo, the bandsmen were entertained to tea at the town hail by the civic authorities before being marched to the church by the band attached to the Baptist community and the corps band. Both these sections revealed a high standard of musicianship. Pieces played included Melodies from Schubert; Bandsman Graham Coote was the cornet soloist in Wondrous Day and Bandsman Robin Andrews (trombone) played The Eternal Quest.
