The Band of the Parachute Regiment
�
The Band of the Parachute Regiment was formed on the1st August 1942; however, it did not have any musical support until 1947. At this time the 1st and 2nd Battalion bands were formed in Aldershot with Bandsmen from varying Infantry Regiments whose 2nd battalions were being put into suspended animation after the 2nd World War. A 3rd Battalion band was formed a year later from newly recruited musicians, each being directed by a Warrant Officer Class I – Bandmaster. All three Regimental Bands accompanied their respective battalions, providing musical and medical support wherever they were stationed.
As a result of a Defence Review in 1985, the battalion bands were disbanded and reformed to produce two larger Regimental bands - The Falklands and Pegasus bands; who collectively supported the three Parachute Battalions and additional Airborne Forces. Further reductions in 1994 culminated in the formation of The Corps of Army Music and consequently the amalgamation of both bands to form The Band of the Parachute Regiment under the command of a commissioned Director of Music.
In 2001, it was posted from its ancestral home of Aldershot to the historic Roman town of Colchester. In September 2006, the band moved into a brand new 'state of the art' rehearsal facility, located in the heart of the newly regenerated Colchester Garrison. This new facility will enable the band to further enhance its reputation for musical excellence.The band maintains a heavy schedule of both military and civilian engagements throughout the United Kingdom and abroad.
The Band has visited such diverse locations as the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Qatar, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, Afghanistan and closer to home, Norway, France, Germany and Holland to name but a few. The Director of Music, Captain Evin Frost took up the baton in May, and we are delighted to welcome them all to Chatsworth for the first time.
�
�