The tune 'Colonel Bogey', so familiar as the theme tune for the famous British film 'Bridge on the River Kwai', was adapted by Malcolm Arnold for the film.

"River Kwai March and Colonel Bogey"

But it was, in fact, written by the bandmaster FJ Ricketts, who often wrote march tunes under the name of Kenneth Alford.

Ricketts was the son of a Cockney coal merchant in Shadwell, in London's East End, and when his parents died he was put into the army as a boy soldier and sent out to India.

It was realised that he had a natural musical talent and he was sent to the Army School of Music at Kneller Hall, Twickenham, where he qualified as a bandmaster with honours.

He became bandmaster for the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and it is said he composed Colonel Bogey after playing golf with the colonel of his regiment at Fort St George in Scotland, where the regiment was based.

Instead of shouting "Fore!", his commanding officer would loudly whistle two notes to those playing ahead. Ricketts added further notes and the tune was composed.

The title is supposed to be a humorous reference to his colonel's inability to score par on the golf course.

Ricketts later became the Director of Music for the Royal Marines, and toured the British Empire in the 1920s and '30s, giving performances all over the world and aboard ocean liners.

He also adapted many classical musical pieces for the brass band, and was particularly fond of adapting music for the xylophone. On the programmes of many band concerts one can see the phrase, "arr. Alford".

Sir Alec Guinness: starred in the film

During the war British troops supplied offensive words to the tune, about Hitler, Goering and Himmler.

It received even wider currency when it was whistled by the British prisoners of war working to build a bridge over the River Kwai in Burma.

The film about the men's experiences was directed by David Lean, and starred Alec Guinness and Jack Hawkins.

The tune has since been adopted by former PoWs of the Japanese as a theme song.
 

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