FEARS have been raised a beloved army band could be set to halve in 2024.
The Gazette understands that the Colchester Army Band could be cut from about 50 members to 25.
The Army told the Gazette it was unable to confirm any details but a spokesman said workforce numbers “routinely fluctuate across the organisation, for operational reasons.”
The British Army Band Colchester is made up of musicians from The Royal Corps of Army Music, which consists of 14 bands across the country.
Their purpose is to support state ceremonial events such as state visits, commemorative occasions such as the Cenotaph parade in central London, as well as a variety of other engagements and tasks in support of the army.
The band has a packed schedule which includes military and civilian engagements at home and abroad.
Band members have served in Switzerland, Cyprus, India, Canada, Jordan and Oman in support of Defence Engagement outputs and many have deployed as part of short-term training teams to Algeria, Ethiopia, Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.
The Royal Corps of Army Music’s musicians have had a very busy few years, supporting two Royal funerals, the Coronation of the King and Queen, plus many State Ceremonial occasions.
The band incorporates The Band of The Parachute Regiment, The Band of the Army Air Corps and The Band of The Queen’s Division.
An Army spokesman said: “Army Band Colchester has enough musicians to fulfil its many and varied commitments. All the bands are reviewed from time to time to ensure they remain current and meet the Army’s operational outputs.”
On the possibility of the British Army Band Colchester being halved, Colchester’s former MP Sir Bob Russell said: “Colchester is home to one of the UK’s most important garrisons, so for such a leading garrison to be without a full-size military band is a visible illustration of how successive Governments have treated Defence as a low priority for years.
“Right across the Armed Forces there are serious shortages in just about every part, with the size of the British Army the lowest it has been for 200 years.”
“There was a time when every battalion of the Army had a band, which meant that the former Colchester Garrison had several bands based here.”
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