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Gordon-Turner

A veteran interview with

Gordon Turner

Gordon Turner provided some fascinating detail about Kneller Hall just post-war. A tricky one to follow because Gordon was recovering from a stroke so I’ve tried to edit out some of the slower sections.

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About Gordon Turner

Gordon began learning to play the cornet at aged 10, while many of his friends were out playing football. After leaving school, he successfully applied to the Royal Engineers at Chatham at aged 14 and was subsequently accepted as a pupil at Kneller Hall despite being only 14 years old. After 18 months, he succeeded in his exams and returned to Chatham. While there, he was supported to continue his education and studied Music at Trinity College.

In 1956, he was accepted back at Kneller Hall, although considered too young for a studentship, but put in for the 6-month exams where he came top of his group. He subsequently took on a bandmaster roll at aged 25, becoming the youngest in the army to achieve this. Gordon goes on to describe his time as bandmaster and the rich variety of opportunities that came his way, including serving in Germany. Ultimately, Gordon became Professor of Band Arranging, Harmony and History Music at Kneller Hall. In the last months of his career he met Princess Anne, who was then Colonel in Chief of his regiment. She was instrumental in organising a celebration of his work in London before he retired.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Jenny La Fontaine Papadopoulos

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Home | Veterans | Gordon Turner

A veteran interview with

Gordon Turner

Gordon-Turner

Gordon Turner provided some fascinating detail about Kneller Hall just post-war. A tricky one to follow because Gordon was recovering from a stroke so I’ve tried to edit out some of the slower sections.

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Turner, Gordon. A Veteran Interview with Gordon Turner. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, n.d. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/gordon-turner/. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
APA Style:
Turner, G. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Gordon Turner [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved April 25, 2025, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/gordon-turner/
Chicago Style:
Turner, Gordon. n.d.. A Veteran Interview with Gordon Turner. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee. Accessed April 25, 2025. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/gordon-turner/
Harvard Style:
Turner, G. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Gordon Turner. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/gordon-turner/ (Accessed: 25 April 2025)
Vancouver Style:
Turner, G. A Veteran Interview with Gordon Turner [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; n.d. [cited 2025 Apr 25]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/gordon-turner/
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