Adam Ingram
Minister of State (Armed Forces), Ministry of Defence
As part of our work on the future Army structure (FAS), the previous Secretary of State for Defence announced on
We are now in a position to announce more detail. The reduction in the number of bands in the infantry and Royal Armoured Corps will be achieved in the following manner:
Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) Bands. The following RAC band amalgamations will take place in 2006:
The band of the Hussars and Light Dragoons will amalgamate with the band of the Royal Lancers to form "The Light Cavalry Band".
The band of the Dragoon Guards will amalgamate with the Royal TankRegiment Cambrai band to form "The Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band".
Infantry. The following Infantry band amalgamations will take place in 2006:
Scottish Division. The Highland band will amalgamate with the Lowland band to form "The Regimental band of The Royal Regiment of Scotland".
Queen's Division. The Minden band will amalgamate with the Normandy band of the Queen's Division to form "The Minden Band of The Queen's Division".
King's Division. The Waterloo band will amalgamate with the Normandy band of the King's Division to form "The Band of the King's Division".
Prince of Wales's Division. The Clive band will amalgamate with the Lucknow band to form "The Band of the Prince of Wales's Division".
In addition, the band of the Royal Irish Regiment will be disbanded by
The Territorial Army band in Northern Ireland will be renamed The Royal Irish Regiment band (TA) and its performance capacity will be enhanced to ensure continued provision of military music in Northern Ireland, in combination with programmed visits by Regular Army bands based in Great Britain.
The restructuring of the bands will be achieved without any redundancies amongst bandsmen. Those serving in bands that are to be amalgamated or disbanded will be posted to the remaining bands. However, although members of the existing Territorial Army band in Northern Ireland will take priority, should there be vacancies in The Royal Irish Regiment Band (TA) when it is formed, members of the band of the Royal Irish Regiment and other Regular Army musicians will be able to leave the Regular Army and join it if they wish.
Annotations
Celia Bailey
Posted on 5 Apr 2006 3:41 pm (Report this annotation)
Its amazing!!! Us Army wives more so "Band Wives" have been waiting the best part of two years for this announcement. In that time I have changed counties twice and my children have changed school twice. Lets get packing and off again for my 6 year old twins third school and they are only in year one. Bodes well for the future this caring Army that is an extension of your family. If the Army were parents believe me the children would be taken into care for neglect! We (the famlies) of serving soldiers are constantly made to feel like excess baggage, take this move for instance, it is stated we are to have received our posting orders by 4th April have we? No we need these orders to apply for an address, we need an address to apply for a school and so it goes on.
Does my husbands boss care, well what do you think? I specificall asked if we could move in time for the children to start school at the begining of term meaning my husband would leave work 5 days sooner can this be done, you got it no, why? I dont know either politics of the family orientated army I suppose but then again I am only a lowly "dependant" so what would I know.
brian ferguson
Posted on 6 Apr 2006 7:13 pm (Report this annotation)
A couple of points.
First, with due respect to the Forces, it seems bizarre that senior politicians should need to go into such detail on a subject which is of minor relevance....bearing the other issues our nation is wrestling with. Bands ARE important...but don't waste Commons time with this sort of announcement.
More importantly, I feel very sorry for Celia. The sort of disdain/ abuse she is suffering from is awful...and it inevitably happens when big decisions are taken by men in striped suits, in ivory towers, well away from the "coal face".
In the commercial world, if you treat people with special care, they'll go the extra mile for you...and go over the top...voluntarily.
Sadly, from my first hand experience in Education, almost identical poor treatment is doled out regularly to our nation's army of teachers.
Solution? More MPs who have been in the "real world", including the Armed forces...it must be so cosy in the Westminster playpen.
Chin up Celia! The man on the street at least looks up to you and your husband. That should at countfor mean something.