Littlehampton Band Plays Belgian Remembrance Concerts
The Littlehampton Concert Band toured Belgium, performing in Ghent, Ypres and at the Menin Gate Last Post Ceremony.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Cultural
The Littlehampton Concert Band, organised by clarinettist Sue Alcock, travelled to Blankenberge on October 10 and gave concerts in Ghent and Ypres. The band also played as part of the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate.
Why it matters
The Menin Gate performance honoured the Royal Sussex Regiment and marked the events of 30 June 1916, known as the Day Sussex Died. The tour connected a British community band with commemorations of First World War losses in Belgium.
The tour included an hour-long concert at St Michael's Church in Ghent and a visit to Tyne Cot Cemetery, which contains the graves of 47,000 people buried after the First World War. The source does not report attendance figures for the performances.
The players
Sue Alcock
Sue Alcock is a clarinettist who organised the Littlehampton Concert Band's tour of Belgium.
Sharon Clarke
Sharon Clarke is a musician who performed a baritone euphonium solo in John Stevens' Benediction during the Menin Gate ceremony.
The details
The band performed a range of British pieces and two traditional Belgian waltzes at the Ypres Cathedral. At the Menin Gate, the band played a slow-march arrangement of Sussex by the Sea and John Stevens' Benediction, which featured a baritone euphonium solo by Sharon Clarke.
Timeline
October 10: The band travelled to Blankenberge, Belgium.
30 June 1916: The Day Sussex Died, commemorated at the Menin Gate.
Season Trajectory
The tour continues a long-running tradition in which British military and civic groups take part in the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate to honour First World War dead. Its performance honoured the Royal Sussex Regiment, linking a community band's visit to a specific regimental anniversary.
Readers interested in attending commemorative concerts or ceremonies at the Menin Gate can plan visits around the nightly Last Post Ceremony. The source does not provide scheduling details for future performances.
The takeaway
Community music groups can carry remembrance beyond their home towns when they perform at historic memorial sites. Local ensembles interested in similar trips can look to the Littlehampton tour as an example of combining concerts with site visits.
Further reading
Explore more cultural coverage on how music and remembrance intersect across borders.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Sussex Express.
