Composer Alex Lithgow honoured with 'grateful thanks' in small ceremony

Bob Davis, President of International Military Music Society and New Zealand resident, wanted to honour Mr Lithgow, who died in Launceston in 1929.

Mr Lithgow was born 1870, Glasgow, Scotland, but moved at a young age to Invercargill, New Zealand before living in Launceston until his death, aged 58.

Among Mr Lithgow's accolades are that he composed hundreds of marches, conducted St Joseph's Band and founded the Launceston Concert Orchestra.

His most popular piece, Invercargill March, achieved worldwide fame after the Gallipoli campaign in WWI and remains a favourite of the United States Marine Band.

Mr Davis travelled to Launceston from his home in New Zealand to honour Mr Lithgow with a small ceremony and "grateful thanks for his musical heritage".

"For many years since coming from the UK to live down-under, I have wanted to make this pilgrimage.

"I did have a plan to do it all 10-15 years ago, but it didn't materialise. And here I am today."

Mr Davis said his love of marches and military music began at a young age.

"I had an uncle who played piano, and when we used to visit him - I can't have been more than six or seven years old - I got him to play the music, and it was always the Washington Post. And I've loved marches ever since."

Paul Laverty, Secretary of the West Tamar Municipal Band, performed his rendition of The Last Post on the bugle.

"I guess a very good indication of what Alex meant to Launceston was his funeral procession - it went from town all the way out here to the graveyard.

"There's lots and lots of composers around the world that have written marches. The fact that he was sort of a local man is quite important for the community."

The rotunda in City Park and memorial plaques in the Paterson Barracks were unveiled in 1953-1954 to honour his contribution to Launceston.