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The Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band

Watch The Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band perform at
Buxton Military Tattoo 2010 on You Tube

The Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band was formed on the 1 June 2006. As a consequence of Future Army Structures (the 2006 Government review of the Armed Forces) the four bands of the Royal Armoured Corps were reduced to two; The Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band – which is one of these two – is an amalgamation of The Band of The Dragoon Guards and The Royal Tank Regiment Cambrai Band. The title 'Heavy Cavalry' has been used to describe Dragoon Regiments for hundreds of years, it refers to the heavy body armour and weaponry that was utilised on horseback in battle.

The first official Band of The Royal Tank Regiment was formed in 1922. In 1947 it was expanded to become three separate bands, firstly named A, B and C Bands, then later Cambrai, Alamein and Rhine. In August 1994 these bands joined forces to form The Royal Tank Regiment Cambrai Band and were based in Fallingbostel, Northern Germany.

The Band of The Dragoon Guards was formed in 1994 when, as a result of an earlier Defence Review, the respective bands of 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and The Royal Dragoon Guards were all amalgamated.

Upon formation of The Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band, many original band members were already serving in Catterick with either The Normandy Band of The Queen's Division or The King’s Division Waterloo Band. The remaining musicians were drawn from other prestigious bands from across the Corps of Army Music.

Based in Catterick, North Yorkshire, The Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band has a strength of 35 musicians who perform as a Concert Band, a Marching Band, a Dance Band, two Fanfare Teams (each specialising in either Cavalry or Infantry fanfares), a pop group which goes under the name of Tanked up, and various other small and diverse ensembles such as quintets and quartets. These groups are frequently called upon to perform extensively throughout the world in all types of Military, Ceremonial and public events.

The Director of Music of The Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band is Captain Sean Riley BMus (Hons) FLCM LRSM GCGI CAMUS

Link to The Director of Music's  webpage
 

Link to the Band's Own website

Link to Marching Band's video on You Tube        Link to Rock Group's video on You Tube

The Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band appears by kind permission of the Director Royal Armoured Corps, Brigadier S Caraffi MBE (late RTR).

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