GMA @ 50 beating the retreat

Story: Stephen Nana Osei Bonsu

THE Ghana Millitary Academy (GMA) Golden Jubilee celebrations have been climaxed with the ‘Beating the Retreat' drill, which signifies a call for retirement of troops from positions held from unsuccesful contests or danger.
The master of ceremony (MC), Brigadier General J.S. Nkrumah recounting  the history of 'Beating the Retreat' said it was an old millitary tradition with its origin not well known.
He said in the olden days, the hours of darkness meant cessation from hostilities between warring factions.
Brig. Gen. Nkrumah, however, stated that the call was originally beaten on drum signals alone and later saw the introduction of 'Fifes', followed by 'Buggles'.
The tradition, he said, was variously referred to as watch setting or synchronising the hour of last night (Sunset), which is indicated in the Rules and Ordinance for War(1554), Robert Barrets Theory and Practice of Modern Wars(1598).
He added that 'Beating the Retreat' was strictly at sunset because it was the hour when conventionally, hostilities were to cease untill daybreak, adding that the present day ends with a gun salute.
The Brigadier General led a minute silence in memory of Lt Col Sammy Ashiagbor,  a member of the ten-member GMA golden Jubilee Celebrations Planning Board.
The guest of honour, Commodore Steve Obimpeh(rtd) told the gathering that the event which signified the long-cherished traditions of the millitary was not lost yet.
"If ever there was any one organization that thrived on traditions, then it is the millitary", he said.
He stated that Ghana had been a country of rich cultural heritage and acknowledges roles ancestors played in making us who we are today.
Cdre Obimpeh added that, that cultural heritage embraced millitary traditions, ensured cohesion and esprit-de corps among service personels.
He, however, expressed joy in re-union by the ceremony and appealed for re-introduction of 'Mess Dinner' and 'Ladies Night' among other millitary re-union programmes.
He beckoned serving millitants to uphold high the noble millitary culture by ferreting-out and reviving all seemingly insignificant traditions playing vital role in inculcating in the officer or man the desired millitary values.
Cdre Obimpeh further appealed to the Chief of Defence Staff to resource the Director of GMA  Music to enable the band record some of its melodious music played on parade.
The ceremony witnessed colourfully-uniformed parade processions, instrumental musicals and splendid craft displays by various millitary bands, keeping the gathering thrilled and overwhelmed.
The bands included The Armed Forces Central Band(Accra), The Army Band(Kumasi), The Navy Band(Tema) and The Air Force band(Takoradi).
The bands thrilled the gathering to tunes of 'saa-saa kroma'(Twerepong), 'Aklido Gokame'(Dzawoyo), 'Tu-u-tu Gborvi', 'Woni Yafi Woni' by Sisingo and Halleluiah(Orchestrated piece) among other melodious tunes.
The ceremony was graced by people, including the Minister for Defence, Lt. Gen. J . H. Smith, the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Peter Blay, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal M. Sampson-Oje, the Honorary Consul of Ghana in Lebanon,  Mr Micheal Haddad, the IGP,  Mr. Paul Tawiah Quaye, ministers of State, diplomats, retired Generals and Senior Officers.