New Director of Music for the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas - Captain David James Hatton MMus FRSM ATCL

Captain (Capt) David Hatton commenced his military career in 1999, enlisting into The Royal Corps of Army Music (RCAM) as a cornet player and has completed 24 years service. He undertook his initial training at the Royal Military School of Music (RMSM), Kneller Hall, where he was awarded the Cousins Memorial Parchment in recognition of his musical performance and academic excellence.

His early postings included the Cambrai Band of the Royal Tank Regiment in Bad Fallingbostel (2000), where he performed extensively across Europe, Scandinavia, and Kosovo. In 2006, he was assigned to The Light Cavalry Band in Bovington, with deployments to the Falkland Islands, Canada, and Brunei. In 2013, he was selected for the prestigious Music Direction Course at RMSM and subsequently appointed Bandmaster of the Band of the Royal Corps of Signals at RAF Cosford in 2014. During this period, he deployed on Operation TORAL in support of Operation REMEMBRANCE (2016).

In 2017, he became Bandmaster of the Band of the Welsh Guards, London, where he participated in numerous high-profile State Ceremonial and Public Duties. In 2020, he was appointed Training Design Warrant Officer at RMSM, responsible for the development of future RCAM training programmes.

His subsequent appointments included Officer Commanding and Bandmaster of The Band of The Prince of Wales in Brecon (2021), supporting 160th (Welsh) Brigade, and Corps Bandmaster at Headquarters Royal Corps of Army Music (RCAM) (2022), where he provided assurance and oversight of Army Bands, Corps Policy, and training of Student Bandmasters.

In 2023, he commissioned as a Late Entry Officer (Captain) and was appointed RCAM Corps Sergeant Major in a deferred commission role, serving as the Senior Soldier within Army Music notably representing the Corps on parade during the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. In July 2025, he fulfilled a long-held career ambition by being appointed Officer Commanding and Director of Music of The Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas.

Capt Hatton holds a Master of Music degree in Symphonic Wind and Brass Band Direction from the London College of Music, and a Fellowship of the Royal Schools of Music in Military Band Direction. His personal interests include cycling, flying drones and brass banding. He is the Musical Director of Alder Valley Brass, with whom he recently led to victory at the London and Southern Counties Area Contest and secured second place at the National Finals.