The Band of the Royal Corps of Signals

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The Band of the
Royal Corps of Signals

The Band of the Royal Corps of Signals was officially formed on 29 August, 1938. However, its ancestry, like that of the corps itself can be traced back to the Royal Engineers Signals Service.

The Royal Corps of Signals was formed in 1920 and subsequently the Band of the 1st Division, Telegraph Battalion, Royal Engineers, provided the nucleus to form “…a first class volunteer band at the Signals Training Centre…”. The earliest reference to this was uncovered in a 1293 edition of the Corps journal, ‘The Wire’. Bandsmen from former Cavalry and Infantry Regiments volunteered to join the band, and it was soon performing on parade, at garden fetes and at sporting events around the Signals Training Depot in Maresfield Park, East Sussex.

The Band, which numbered almost 100 musicians at this time, was subsequently moved to Catterick, North Yorkshire. It remained there until the 1970s, when it transferred, along with the Royal School of Signals to the outskirts of Blandford Forum in Dorset, where it remains today.

The structure of the modern band is very different to the early days as, over time, several reductions in the size of the Armed Forces have seen the size of the band diminish significantly. By the early 1980s, the band had reduced to approximately 60 musicians and today the official strength is just 35, including a commissioned Director of Music and a Warrant Officer Class 1 Bandmaster.

The Band remains the primary public face of the Corps, performing at high profile ceremonial occasions and at military and civilian events worldwide. As part of its wider commitment to the Army, the Band has travelled extensively; recent tours include the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, and various locations across Europe.

The Band often works in conjunction with the other Royal Signals Display Teams; The White Helmets Motorcycle Display Team, The Pipes and Drums and the Blue Helmets Parachute Display Team, who collectively strive to live up to the Corps’ motto ‘Certa Cito’, ‘Swift and Sure’.

Bandmaster

Warrant Officer Class One Troy Taylor-Smith

Warrant Officer Class One Taylor-Smith joined the Army in 1999 as Principal French Horn player with the Grenadier Guards Band, billeted in St James in Central London. Prior to this, his initial military service began in the Royal Air Force (RAF) with the Cranwell Band in Lincolnshire. He furthered his RAF career in 1991 with The Central Band in Uxbridge (North West London) with whom he served in the Gulf War on Operation Granby in Saudi Arabia (Al Jabal). The band was attached to 4626 Field Hospital Squadron, a Territorial RAF Squadron. Additional postings followed: Regiment Band in Northolt (1994) and a second tour in the Central Band (1996).

After changing Arms of the Service, he was honoured to take part in many prestigious ceremonies with the Grenadiers Guards Band. These were performed for Royalty, the Prime Minister, other Heads of State and many visiting foreign dignitaries. Such occasions included: Changing the Guard, Investitures for the Queen, The State Opening of Parliament, The Queen's birthday parade and the Queen Mother's 100th birthday celebrations (he also paraded at the 90th Celebrations with the RAF). Many of these were conducted on the famous Horse Guards parade ground in the centre of London. The Grenadiers Guards Band also represented Britain on many overseas tours throughout America (on the extensive Columbia Artist's tour), Canada, Bosnia, Belgium and Germany.

In September 2005 he was privileged to be selected to attend the Student Bandmasters' Course at Kneller Hall from which he graduated after three years with a BMus (Hons), majoring in composition. In January 2009 his first Bandmaster posting was to The Band of The Prince of Wales's Division in Tidworth in Hampshire and, most recently (Aug 11), he has had the honour of being appointed as Bandmaster to The Band of the Royal Corps of Signals in Blandford. He is married to Joanna and they live together in Wimbledon.

Captain Tony Adams

Captain Tony Adams

Captain Tony Adams enlisted into the 16t/5ththe Queen's Royal Lancers in 1986 as a Bass Trombonist. After four years in Germany, he undertook the pupil's course at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, which culminated in him being awarded the Cassell's prize and the Worshipful Company of Musicians' medal for the best all round pupil of 1991.

He rejoined the 16/5th Lancers and on amalgamation, served with the newly formed Queen's Royal Lancers before joining the Band of Hussars and Light Dragoons after options for change in 1994. He was then selected for the 1995 Bandmaster Course at Kneller Hall, gaining a BA(Mus) degree in music from Kingston University and a Licentiate diploma from the Royal Military School of Music in 'Bandmastership'. He graduated as best all round student, becoming only the fourth person ever to be awarded medals from the Worshipful Company of Musicians for both pupil and Student Bandmaster courses.

In the appointment of Warrant Officer Class One (Bandmaster) he joined the Normandy Band of the Queen's Division in October 1998 and was immediately selected to head a Military Advisory Team on a 6 week visit to Tanzania and Kenya to observe and assist their armies and police forces. Further tours included Northern Ireland, Canada, Bosnia and Norway. Following his appointment as Bandmaster of the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers Band in February 2002, he undertook extensive tours of Mexico and Germany prior to moving to The Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall as School Bandmaster - the senior Bandmaster appointment in the British Army.

On Commission in February 2007, Captain Adams has the honour to be appointed Director of Music of the Light Cavalry Band in Bovington.