MEMBERS of Crediton Town Band are pleased to announce the appointment of a new musical director.

Colin Crossman was born in Horrabridge, Yelverton and now lives in Okehampton.

On leaving school aged 15 years, he auditioned for the Royal Marine Band (RMB) service and spent three years training at The Royal Marine School of Music in Deal, Kent playing the clarinet and violin and later in his career he also played the saxophone.

After training he was posted to Portsmouth where he commenced travelling extensively around the world aboard Her Majesty’s Royal Yacht Britannia in the Royal Yacht Band.

The Falklands conflict in 1982 brought about the secondary role of a bandsmen as stretcher bearer/medic on board the P&O ship Canberra.

Later in his career Colin became a senior NCO and was drafted to HMS Ark Royal where he took up the position of volunteer band instructor and spent a happy 18 months.

After 30 years service he left the RMB in 1996 but continued his military music in the Band of the Devon & Dorset Regiment - Territorial Army, which was rebadged during his time there to become The Rifles.

Alongside this he also worked as a peripatetic music teacher in and around the Plymouth area, including Plymouth College and Kelly College at Tavistock.

Now retired, Colin still feels he has something to offer and plays in the Two Rivers ensemble in Bideford and is very much looking forward to his time in the Crediton Town Band.

Free Concert

Crediton Town Band will be performing a free concert at the Crediton Parish Church Flower Festival on Wednesday, June 5 from 7pm - 8pm.

The band will also be marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day at Crediton Town Square on Thursday, June 6 when they will be playing from 7pm - 8pm.