Band of the Royal Anglian Regiment

The first trace of a Band, paid for by public expense, within the Northamptonshire Regiment was recorded in 1798 where Thomas Hewitt of the 48th reported that "approval was given for six boys to be enlisted in the 48th for the band, and at the same time a German bandmaster was engaged", a normal procedure at this time. Military music continued in this Regiment throughout the amalgamation of the Co

unty Regiments to form the East Anglian Brigade between 1958-60 and then the Royal Anglian regiment on 1 September 1964. At this time the Territorial Army battalions of the former regiments were affiliated to the new Regiment and what had been the band of the 4th/5th Battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment (TA) moved to Peterborough and became the Band of the 5th (volunteer) Battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment. The Band of The Royal Anglian Regiment| A short history



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In 1986 the first women were recruited into the Band as WRAC TA attached to the Band wearing WRAC uniform. When the WRAC was subsumed into the Adjutant General's Corps the female members re-roled and an adapted uniform was devised by the Battalion command and Band leadership. This has now changed and all Band members now wear the same uniform. In 1996 the 5th Battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment was re-roled as 158 (Royal Anglian) Tpt Regt RLC but the regimental Council elected to keep the Band, who were renamed Band of the Royal Anglian regiment (TA) following the amalgamation of the Regular Royal Anglian bands into the Bands of the Queen's Division. The Band is an Army Reserve band, and as such, all members are part-time volunteers. All members of the Band have their own full time civilian employment; for example, within our ranks we have several teachers, two magistrates, two chiropodists, government officers, a policeman, builders, electricians and even a gardening expert! The Band rehearses every Tuesday evening, two weekends a month and also undertakes engagements during the year for both civil and military organisations. The Band provides musical support for various charities and also much work is undertaken for the Regiment and its Association. The Band has a wide repertoire, ranging from jazz and march, to overture, dance to Disney and even the West End and Broadway. The Band has recently undertaken a long run of concerts in support of The Military Wives' Choir, gaining significant praise across the country.