Buccaneers

The Buccaneers drum & bugle corps was formed in the fall of 1972 in Chelmsford by James (Jim) K. Gifford originally as the Golden Buccaneers. Jim was the corps director until 1977 and remained involved as an administrator throughout the corps’ existence. His dedication to the organization was significant.

In their inaugural season, the corps appeared in parades and exhibitions and in 1974, they entered the field of competition as a member of the Mayflower circuit. In 1975, they added the Greater New England (GNE) “Class C” circuit to their competitive list, placing 6^th. The next season, the corps dominated “Class C” contests, winning both the 1976 GNE and Mayflower titles. They moved up to ‘Class B” division in 1977, participating at the World Open “Class B” championships, placing 26^th in the prelims and finished 9^th at the GNE championships.

Over the next two seasons, the Golden Bucs returned to “Class C” competition, finishing 3^rd at the 1978 Mayflower. In 1979, they participated at their first of many Eastern Massachusetts (E-Mass) circuit championships, placing 2^nd and 4^th at the GNE championships, improving to 2^nd the following year. In 1981, to expand their membership, they reorganized as the Buccaneers of Merrimack County. That year, they traveled to Montreal to compete at their first DCI championships, placing 35^th in the “Class A” preliminaries, adding a 9^th place finish at the E-Mass “Class B” contest. The corps to Montreal the following season, placing 37^th in “Class A” action and improved to 5^th at the 1982 E-Mass “Class B” championships.

 In 1983, the Buccaneers toured the Midwest, participating in the “Class A” preliminaries at the American International Open (17^th), the Key to the Sea (18^th) and the US Open (18^th) regionals, closing out the season with a 4^th place finish at the E-Mass “Class A” championships. Between 1984 to 1991, the corps competed once again locally in the E-Mass circuit, winning the 1989 “Class C” and 1991 “Class B” titles with appearances at the DCI East “Class A/60” championships in 1986 (6^th), 1987 (8^th) and 1991 (4^th). They returned to DCI “Division III” competition, placing 16^th (1992), 15^th (1993) and 17^th (1994) in the prelims and moved up to the E-Mass “Class A” division where the corps was crowned the 1992 and 1993 champions, placing 2^nd in 1994.

After one season of inactivity, the corps relocated to Lowell in the fall of 1995 as members of the E-Mass circuit, finishing 4^th in 1996 “Class B” competition and participated at the 1997 North American Open championships, placing 26^th in the prelims and completed their final year of existence with a 4^th place finish at the E-Mass “Class B” championships.

They disbanded in 1998.

Paul Legault (DCX)

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