People Open DS/UK/1870 Band of the HM Grenadier Guards (1685) Band of the HM Grenadier Guards 1685 British Army band Group (Mixed) DS/UK/5858 London, England (formed) British Music Group; Military Band, Army Notable Members (past and present): Captain Ben Mason - Director of Music WO2 Mattias Andersson - Bandmaster WO2 David Buckles - Band Sergeant Major Lt. Dan Godfrey MVO (1831–1903) - bandmaster The Band of the Grenadier Guards is one of the bands in the British Army. In 1685 Charles II allowed the band to maintain 12 "hautbois" (oboe) players. His death in 1685 was so significant for the band that until the Second World War, the Bass Drummer (known officially as The Regimental Timebeater), wore a black armband in mourning of the king's death. The Band was given the freedom of the City of Lincoln on 8 May 2008. The "British Grenadiers March” is one of the most recognizable and memorable tunes in the world, part of Britain's musical heritage. One of the band's admirers during the 18th century was George Frideric Handel. He demonstrated this by presenting the march from Scipio to the regiment before he included it in his opera of that name when it was first performed in 1726. George II gave Handel the task of scoring the Music for the Royal Fireworks, most commonly performed with strings, for the king's own musicians, who were wind players from his foot guards. Handel would have likely come into contact with musicians from the Grenadier Guards during the first performance at Vauxhall Gardens in 1749. Musicians currently in the band have secondary roles in the British Army as chemical decontamination assistants, medics and drivers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Band_of_the_Grenadier_Guards (2021) International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) 2nd edition - ICA 2004 ISBN 2-9521932-2-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 RAHhbryony 9/20/2012 Rachael.Fragola 3/1/2022 80f5ee07-8479-430b-a5a3-c621b45f7e4f