Corporal Madrill will be laid to rest with an official funeral
Since Madrill joined the B.D.F. in 1991, he was a part of the B.D.F. Band. His bandmaster, colleague and friend is B.D.F. Staff Sergeant Kevin Campbell. Campbell told News Five that the slain soldier was an integral part of the unit and the band will play for Madrill this Friday at St. John’s Cathedral.
Staff Sergeant Kevin Campbell, Friend of Deceased
“Corporal Wayne Madrill joined B.D.F. in 1991. At that time he was a young trumpet player. He studied trumpet under the then band master, Albert Vaughan. And he’s served from that time until now. He has been in all state functions. He travelled as well. He did some travelling with the band in 1997 to Chetumal. Just recently when we buried the Right Honorable George Price; he was on that parade as well.”
Jose Sanchez
“Throughout that entire ceremony, he was there?”
Staff Sergeant Kevin Campbell
Kevin Campbell
“Of course, it was over a three day period and he was at every function; every step of the way he was there.”
Jose Sanchez
“So this career soldier; what did he mean to the rest of the band, to the force? What was his impact?”
Staff Sergeant Kevin Campbell
“The band of the B.D.F. is a family in itself. I joined shortly after him and it is a very closely knit group of people. The band obviously is hurting at this time. We did everything together. Yes we did all the state functions together, but at the end of the day, we party together and we cry together. So it is impacting on us right now.”
Jose Sanchez
“I know it is very hard, but I understand he will be buried at the end of the week. Will the band be there to play for him?”
Staff Sergeant Kevin Campbell
“Because he was active member of the volunteer battalion, he will receive a full military funeral and of course the band will play more than an active role in it. From time to time, music varies, but I as band master have chosen special pieces to play for him. It’s going to be different. He enjoyed himself a lot. He was like; you could say the clown of the band as such. And if I am serious, he is going to make me laugh. So at the end of the day, we are not only going to do music that is sacred; that’s mournful, but we are also going to be playing September Celebration’s music. He loved the September Celebrations. He was always there. So we are going to be playing that on the parade. It is going to be at St, John’s Cathedral. The funeral service or the mass of thanksgiving at two p.m. on Friday and then we are going to have a formal military procession to the Lord Ridge Cemetery.”
Jose Sanchez
“So the band will play on for Mister Madrill?”
Staff Sergeant Kevin Campbell
“Of course we will. We will give thanks for his life.”
The fallen soldier will be buried with full military honors.
