Niagara Memorial Militaires


Other Names:Niagara Memorial Band

Niagara Falls, ONT Canada
Founded: 1947

Inactive Senior
YearPositionScoreTheme/Songs
1958 La Cucaracha * Carnival * Annie Laurie * March of the Grenadiers * Night Train * Colonel Bogey March * Birth of the Blues (from Painting the Clouds with Sunshine) * Way Down Yonder in New Orleans * Put Your Dreams Away  
1959 You and the Night and the Music * Song of the Open Road * Carnival * Rule Brittania * March of the Grenadiers * O Canada * My Devotion * I Remember You * Night Train * Birth of the Blues (from Painting the Clouds with Sunshine) * Way Down Yonder in New Orleans * Limehouse Blues * 'Til The End of Time  
1960 Theme from The Twentieth Century * A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening * My Reverie * Night Train * March of the Grenadiers * Birth of the Blues (from Painting the Clouds with Sunshine) * Way Down Yonder in New Orleans * Till There Was You (from The Music Man) * I'll Be Seeing You  
1961 Theme from The Twentieth Century * A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening * Birth of the Blues (from Painting the Clouds with Sunshine) * Way Down Yonder in New Orleans * Them from The Jack Paar Show * Nightingale * Night Train * Saturday Night is the Loneliest Night of the Week * Star Eyes * Till There Was You (from The Music Man)  
1962 Southie is My Hometown * I Want A Girl * Keep Right on to the End of the Road * Hello My Baby * Sweet Rosie O'Grady (from Sweet Rosie O'Grady) * Rose Marie (from Indian Love Call) * Limehouse Blues * That Old Gang of Mine * Together (Wherever We Go) (from Gypsy) * After The Ball * Bye Bye Blues  
1963 She's Mine * Memories (from Cats) * I Want A Girl * Hello My Baby * Sweet Rosie O'Grady (from Sweet Rosie O'Grady) * Rose Marie (from Indian Love Call) * Mandy * Shine On Harvest Moon (from Down By The Old Mill Stream) * After The Ball * Sleep sleep sleep (from Rock A Bye Baby)  
Position 200+ indicates Division II, Position 300+ indicates Division III, Position 400+ indicates Mini Corps.

CORPS Photos


NIAGARA MEMORIAL BAND – NIAGARA MEMORIAL MILITAIRES A BRIEF HISTORY The Niagara Memorial Band was founded in late 1948. It came about when a group of Ex Sea Cadets in Niagara Falls had ‘’aged out’’ of the Cadet Program but wanted to continue their Marching Band experience so decided to start their own organization. Lt. Comdr. James Davies, Royal Canadian Navy Ret. was the original Bandmaster and Director. He was also the drafting teacher at N.F.C.V.I. at the time. Since the group had neither funds nor instruments, a plan was put in place to attempt to outfit some 40 Bandsmen. 


As this was post World War 2 time it was decided by this group of ‘’teenagers’’ to form the Band as a Living Memorial to the fallen service persons from the Niagara area. With the support and help of the Silver Cross Mothers of the day, the group approached the community for support by way of public donations. The program was a success and within two months the Band had a complement of brass bugles, rope tensioned snare drums and a glockenspiel. 


Each instrument had one or more brass plaques attached bearing the name of a fallen serviceperson from the Niagara Area. Uniforms were the next project to undertake. The group wanted to retain its attachment to the Navy but were unable to acquire Naval uniforms. The members visited Jack’s Army Navy War Surplus store then located on Queen St, in Niagara Falls and each member purchased a Canadian Army tunic and dyed them black to resemble Navy attire. Army web belts and gaiters were dyed white with white liquid shoe polish.


This writer has not been able to determine the source of the acquired Navy hats. The Band was now outfitted with a striking uniform that soon became an identifying ‘’trade mark’’ of the Niagara Memorial Band. Weekly practices began taking place at Simcoe St. school grounds, and often attended by 100s of city residents. ‘’ Route Marches’’, always in different parts of the City, were common occurrences and the citizens applauded from their porches and along City sidewalks as the Band marched down local streets.


The Band became deeply involved in the Community, participating in many celebrations and parades without any thought of financial gain.


The Band also became a favourite of the American Legion and Fire Departments in Western New York etc. bussing out every summer weekend to New York or Pennsylvania States for parades and Military Memorial Services. In late 1950, with the outbreak of the Korean War, sixteen Band members left the Band in a group and joined the Canadian Navy. Many still in their teens.


Around 1953 – 1954, the Band began to compete against many Drum Corps from the U. S. for Parade Prize money. It became obvious that the Band needed to acquire updated instruments in order to be competitive. Funds were raised by selling Christmas Trees, Turkeys, Tag Days, and winning many first place prizes to purchase new instruments and uniforms of Scarlet Tunics and fur Busbys. This new appearance of the Memorial Band literally ‘’shocked’’ the Band’s competition both in Ontario and the U.S. communities that we had frequented for the past number of years in Naval Attire.


Around 1959, the name of the Band was changed to "The Niagara Memorial Militaires Drum Corps" and operated under that name until it disbanded in 1964, but not until it achieved the distinction of being one of the top three Drum Corps in Canada . 


In February of 2006 the Corps reorganized as an Alumni Corps and is known as the Niagara Memorial Militaires Alumni Drum Corps. The Corps has become active in local celebrations, parades, and Veteran Memorial services participating in such events as Canada Day Parade,
Christmas Parades, Park Dedications, Legion Memorial Services etc. throughout the Region of Niagara. The Corps is an ‘’all age’’ precision marching Drum and Bugle Corps of more than 50 members including our Colour Guard and is available for participation in community celebratory events.

[submitted by MARK REINHARDT October 2007]

Members (2)

Member Name Section Years Involved
ALLEN, RICK Drum Line -Drum Line Inst. 2006
STEVENS, LAURIE lead soprano 1962 to 1964
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