THE Band of the Parachute Regiment will performing special concerts in Colchester in aid of the Army Benevolent Foundation, the Soldiers Charity.

The band is among the most in- demand music ensembles in the country who every year have to turn down around 40 performance requests .

It is is one of 22 making up the Corps of Army Music, each assigned the task of providing music for ceremonial occasions, civic events, fundraising concerts and entertaining the troops.

The Parachute Regiment was formed in 1942 but did not have any musical support until 1947. At this time, the 1st and 2nd Battalion bands were formed in Aldershot with bandsmen from infantry regiments whose 2nd battalions were being put into suspended animation after World War II.

A 3rd Battalion band was formed a year later from newly recruited musicians.

All three bands accompanied their respective battalions, providing musical and medical support.

After a defence review in 1985, the three bands were disbanded and reformed to produce two larger regimental bands: The Falklands and Pegasus Bands.

In 1994, the Corps of Army Music was formed and this led to the amalgamation of both bands to form today’s group. In 2001, the musicians were posted from Aldershot to Colchester, where they maintain a heavy schedule of military and civilian engagements in the UK and abroad.

The Christmas concerts at St Botolph’s Church will include festive favourites, as well as traditional military marches and musical numbers.

The Band of the Parachute
Regiment,
St Botolph's Church,
St Botolph's Street, Colchester.
Thursday, December 11, 12.30pm and 7.30pm.
£10.
01206 282940