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A renowned military musician is celebrating the start of another new year in Bahrain more thankful than most, counting his blessings and thinking he’s just lucky to be alive after narrowly missing two terrorist explosions.
On September 22, 1989, at 8:20am the Royal Marine School of Music building in the English town of Deal suffered a terrorist attack. A 6.8kg bomb exploded killing 11 young men and wounding another 21.
Only a chance of fate, and doing an acquaintance a good deed, saved Major General Dr Mubarak Najem of the Bahrain Police Band from being amongst the victims and every year he remembers his fallen friends and classmates.
Mubarak, who was studying to be a band master and a director of music at the school, said: “It is a day that I will never forget, a sad day where I lost so many friends from the Royal Marines Band Service and I would have joined them had it not been for a change in my morning routine. They were great men and musicians that will forever be remembered.”
He had missed the explosion by mere seconds and the father-of-four continues to spread the message of peace through his love for music and helping to inspire one of the kingdom’s most treasured bands. The 59-year-old composer told GulfWeekly he feels blessed to be alive.
Mubarak’s morning started like any other, driving down his regular route to the Royal Marine Depot to study and practice with the other marines at the school. During his drive, he recognised an elderly woman who worked at the facility walking down a path and stopped to see if she needed any assistance.
“In all my days driving to school I have never seen her walk this way before,” explained Mubarak. “I figured maybe something was wrong so I pulled over and asked if she needed a ride.
“She thanked me, hopped in the car and I headed towards the south barrack where she was based. It meant I was running a little late and after dropping her off, I continued my journey towards the school located in the east barrack. It wasn’t until I parked my car that it happened. The bomb went off and I felt my entire vehicle shake along with the ground under me. I was so scared and the explosion was so loud that I truly believed it was coming from under my vehicle.”
Shocked and shaken by the explosion, Mubarak emerged from his car in a dusty daze. “It was absolute chaos. I could see people running, injured or standing still in utter shock and disbelief. I saw fear and destruction, dust and smoke and fire.
“It was an astonishing sight and it was even worse when I saw the practice hall completely destroyed. Hearing the screams and seeing the horrible sights pulled at my heart strings and I just couldn’t believe what had happened.”
The Royal Marines School of Music is a professional training centre for musicians of the Royal Marines Band Service, the musical arm of the Royal Navy. It was originally created at Portsmouth in 1930, it moved to Deal in 1950 and in 1989 was still there as part of the Royal Marine Depot, Deal.
Throughout the 1980s, the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) had been waging a paramilitary campaign against targets in Britain and Northern Ireland with the stated aim of achieving the separation of Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. These operations had included an attempt to kill the then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1984 and a similar attack on a military band in London in 1982.
The detonated bomb was hidden in the changing room of the school’s recreational centre. The blast not only destroyed the centre, it levelled the three-story accommodation building next to it and caused extensive damage to the rest of the base and nearby civilian homes. It was heard several kilometres away, shaking windows and creating a large pall of smoke over the town.
Most of the personnel who used the building as barracks were practising marching on the parade ground when the explosion occurred.
Many were trapped in the rubble for hours. Mubarak added: “A classmate and I began to help with the rescue mission and stopped people from walking through one area. I was amazed at how quickly the marines acted in accordance to the situation. They were well organised and handled everything with perfect precession.
“It was wonderful to see how many people rallied to help. It didn’t matter where they came from or what religion they believed in, everyone stood together to save lives on that day.”
As Mubarak helped in the aftermath, his wife heard the terrible news on television and rushed to the barracks not knowing if her husband was alive or dead. When she arrived she pleaded to be let in and was asked to wait with the other relatives asking about their loved ones.
Mubarak said: “I can’t imagine what was going through her mind when she saw the news. When she finally saw me I could see the relief in her eyes amidst all the tears. She was saddened by the loss of the other men but overjoyed to see I was still alive.”
The Royal Marines Musicians that lost their life on that dark day included Musn Mick Ball, B/Cpl John (Andy) Cleatheroe, B/Cpl Trevor Davis, Musn Richard Fice, Musn Richard (Taff) Jones, B/Cpl Dave McMillan, Musn Chris Nolan, B/Cpl Dean Pavey, Musn Mark Petch, Musn Tim Reeves and Musn Bob Simmonds. Their memory lives on in a memorial garden situated close to the area of explosion.
Mubarak said: “To this day I just keep thinking, had I not stopped to help that lady, it could have been my time too, or I would have been horribly injured.
“It was really sad, especially when I started hearing the stories of people opening up their instruments when the blast happened. Also, a lot of people in my area where I live thought I was dead and I would shock them when they spotted me crossing the road.
“I guess it just wasn’t my time and while some may think this would stop me from getting my degrees and continuing to study music, it didn’t, it made me more determined. Besides, it’s not the first time I missed being in a bomb blast.”
Mubarak was studying at The Academy of Arts Cairo Conservatoire in Egypt in the late 1970s when he avoided his first terror act.
He explained: “There was a terror cell in Egypt at the time and they had hidden an explosive in the historic Arabic Music Institutes rehearsal hall.
“I had composed a piece to be recorded the following day and was not satisfied with the orchestra’s rehearsal that I asked if we could meet up around 9pm to practice one more time.
“I had gone home to change when my uncle from Bahrain surprised me by dropping by. I couldn’t very well leave him behind so I told the maestro of the orchestra that I didn’t think I would make it.
“Nonetheless, they said they will wait for me and rehearse and if I don’t show by 11pm then they will leave. Sure enough by 11pm I didn’t arrive so they packed up their belongings and began to leave the hall.
“Just then the bomb detonated and sent members of the band flying against walls and onto the ground. Luckily they were not killed, only injured. Had they waited longer, it would have been the death of them. Had my uncle not arrived, I would more than likely have still been with them. Again, it’s a matter of fate, I guess.”
Mubarak’s passion for composing music, listening to music, playing oud, flute and piano flourished from a young age. His hunger to learn and expand his skills started from the age of eight when he attended afterschool classes with Syrian music teacher Michelle Elyas Awad.
Mubarak said: “I lived in Muharraq and would walk 30 minutes to the bus station, get dropped off at the British Embassy and continue walking to where Al Andalus Garden is today just for a 30-minute lesson.
“I vowed to myself that when I grew up I would establish a school of music closer to home so that no other child has to go through what I did.
“It was a dream of mine which I’m happy to say I did achieve. I founded the Bahrain Music Institute and it has helped so many music lovers from across the island.”
Mubarak’s military career started after he graduated from high school in Egypt. “My mum Salaama, God bless her, had received a call from the Ministry of Interior asking for me to come to the ministry when I’m back on summer holiday.
“My mum was afraid and asked my brother Hamad who was working with the ministry to find out what happened. All he heard was that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, former Minister of MOI, had requested my presence regarding the police band.
“When I returned to Bahrain, he met with me and I was humbled by the offer to grow within ranks in order to become the first Bahraini to lead the Bahrain Police Band.
“Truth be told, I never imagined joining the police or living a military life. We agreed that I could continue my eight-year programme in Egypt, as I was already in my fourth year, and upon my return I will join the ranks.
“After completing my baccalaureate in music, I returned and was hired as a cadet officer and started a military course. After I graduated I joined the band.”
In 1983, he studied for two months with the Manchester Police Band in London to gain further experience.
He then returned to UK in 1988 where he achieved his Band Master degree, a diploma from the Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music and from the Associate of the Royal College of Music as well as an advanced certificate of qualification for a staff band appointment as director of music from the Royal Marine School of Music. He also has two PHDs.
Mubarak added: “This is one of the highest honours you could get. To even enter the director of music course I had to gain all three certificates. I originally went to the UK to study being a band master and decided I also wanted to be a director of music. I was the only foreigner at the time to complete the course. It was such an honour. When I set my mind to do something I will achieve it.”
Mubarak became Bahrain’s band leader in 1998 and the rest is history. He climbed the ranks, achieving more accolades along the way.
He started off with a small group and now has a building with 226 members working together to deliver crisp and clear sounds, entertain the masses and deliver his message of peace.
He added: “I head the entire band from admin to music and I still compose, conduct and at times teach. I created a small music centre within the band building to teach others and recently had five Bahrainis graduate from the Band Master Class.
“We performed standard military protocol marches and songs but also now have an orchestra, a jazz band, a Latin band, a flamenco band, an Arabic band, a traditional band with bag pipes, a drum group, a marching band and a concert band. We even have a string quartet and a brass band.
“We are active and busy within the community and every week we have at least four engagements to attend, from meeting VIPS at the palace to performing at school graduations. You name it, we are there.
“We participate in around 100 functions from sporting events and tournaments to festivals and graduation ceremonies. After all, the band is the beautiful face of the police and military to help entertain and put smiles on people’s faces.”
The band has performed around the world including the UK, Germany, Russia, Italy and even in Washington DC as part of the July 4th US Independence Day Parade.
Mubarak also feels honoured to have played for British royals the Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall when they visited the kingdom to join in the celebrations surrounding the 200th anniversary of UK-Bahrain relations.
His children, Salman, 25, a painter, Isa, 23, a musician completing his masters at Boston University, Dalal, 21, studying film in London and Rashid, 19, studying sports management as well in London, are all proud of their dad’s success.
He also has composed songs for Bahraini TV shows and has heard his music performed by different artists. Mubarak added: “I never chose music, it chose me … and I’m glad it did.”
