Royal Canadian Corps of Signals Band

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Royal Canadian Corps of Signals Band
Active 1952 – 1 October 1968

The post Second World War Royal Canadian Corps of Signals Band was first authorized and embodied as a unit of the Permanent Force (Active Force) effective 1 October 1946[1][2] and placed on Active Service.[3] In the immediate post-war organizational churn, the band was not to be and it was officially reduced to nil strength, having not been organized, effective 31 Mar 1947.[4]

The band was finally organized in 1952 with Captain Bernie Lyons serving as the first Director of Music. Many of the first members were recruited in England and Holland and, within a year, the band was described by the Kingston Whig-Standard as having "grown into Canada's best military band." During 1953-54 the Signals Band entertained troops with the 25th Brigade in Korea and for a week in Japan enroute for home. The band also did a tour of duty with the Canadian Brigade in West Germany.

At the end of July 1954 it was one of four bands participating in the Military Tattoo at the opening of the British Empire Games in Vancouver and one month later appeared at the opening of the Central Canada Exhibition in Ottawa. The following year the band played at the opening of the Shakespearean Festival in Stratford, Ontario. The concert orchestra of the band serving with the 2nd Brigade in Germany performed in 1956 at the Commonwealth Ambassadors' reception for Her Majesty the Queen Mother. The next summer the R.C.C.S. band added to its fine reputation by touring the Netherlands, playing engagements in several cities. A few months earlier it performed at the Palace of Versailles on the occasion of the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers' reception for Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. The band performed at Parliament Hill in Ottawa where, in 1958, it participated in the ceremony of Trooping the Colour on Dominion Day, and in 1960 and 1961 played for the Changing of the Guard. In 1967, the band participated in centennial activities as part of the massed bands with the Canadian Armed Forces Tattoo.

Unification brought an end to the band with The Royal Canadian Corps of Signals Band disbanded effective 1 October 1968.[5] In effect, it was amalgamated with the The Royal Canadian Dragoons Band to form the The Canadian Forces Vimy Band.[6]

Directors of Music

Major Swanwick, later in his career as Director of the Central Band
Captain Bernie Lyons, 1952-57
Captain Charlie Adams, 1957-64
Captain Keith Swanwick, 1964-68

Lineage

Unit lineage
New unit Royal Canadian Corps of Signals Band
1952 - 1968 		Succeeded by
The Canadian Forces Vimy Band

Related Pages

No related pages at this time

Related Items

References

  1. ↑ SD1 Letter 3521, 12 Jun 1947.
  2. ↑ CAO 110-2, Issue No. 29/47.
  3. ↑ General Order 279/46 effective 1 Oct 1946.
  4. ↑ SD1 Letter 3477, 27 Mar 1947.
  5. ↑ CFOO 68/37, 9 Aug 1968.
  6. ↑ CFOO 5.2.2, 20 Feb 1969