A later line up (back row left to right) Mac McDaid (rhythm) Barry Hunt (bass) Paul Allison (lead). Seated (front row) Peter Ritchie (drums) and Bob Marshall Lead Singer.

The Drifting Strangers were all serving airmen stationed at Wyton. The band often practiced in the junior ranks club (NAFFI), where they also played at dances on a regular basis. The Drifting Strangers were very popular and played at many venues both locally and a little further afield. Rick stock rhythm and occasionally lead guitarist remembers "I was with the band for about a year 1960/61 and remember we played in Bedford, St. Ives (I’m pretty sure it was the corn exchange) and for the USAF at Alconbury amongst other places which I’m afraid I don’t remember". Rick also recalls "I do remember the red jackets, black pants & white shoes, we’re not wearing them in the photo with me as that was an early pic taken not too long after I joined the group, but we did get them later on, I remember thinking we looked pretty nifty in them!".

Here are some more memories about the Drifting Strangers from drummer Peter Ritchie.

"When I arrived at Wyton the group had been going for around 6 months. The line-up was as follows:Bass Nicky Hammer, Rhythm Geordie Reed, and Mac McDaid Lead Paul Allison, Drums Paddy ?, Paul A and Geordie R, and Mac Mc did the vocals with Paul as lead.

Paddy got posted I know not where, then I joined the group, this would be around 1961. A short time later Geordie R was posted, no rhythm, replacement was sought. Then Nicky Hammer was posted and Barry Hunt came into fill the base slot. Bob Marshall kind of slipped in around the same time.
In 63 I was posted to Malta and another guy whose name I do not know took over on drums. Barry Hammer sent me a photo of the new format practicing outside one of the billets.
In Malta I soon got going again, a mixed service group was looking for a replacement drummer; the group were called the JET BLACKS. We played at the other camps for dances [Navy & Army ] We also had a slot on the local television station [Redifusion], there was a regular slot on the FBS which was relayed to all of Malta via the Redifusion piped radio. As always with life in the services you never stay in one place for more than 3 years. The Jet Blacks folded as two members both Navy were repatriated. Myself and the base player joined up with two guys from the Army, and one from the Navy. We called ourselves Sounds Five. We had a different combo setup and wider types of music.
The line-up was Piano / Organ , Base , Rhythm, and Sax, and drums. Both the guys from the army were Army musicians, these guys new music inside out. The piano man had played at Ronnie Scotts Jazz club in London, the sax player played a number of instruments, also playing base when Barry was repatriated.
Enough of me, I had an email from Barry Hammers son Andrew, he told me that he was playing and that Barry sometimes played base with his group.
I later spoke with Barry he told me that when he left Wyton he went abroad also, can’t remember where, after he came out he had various jobs one of which was playing base in combos playing in Cabaret and that he was playing in a club in Liverpool where Paul Allison came in . He told me that Paul did not have much to say".

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