Drumhorse, South Africa 1904

It is unusual to find such an early photo of a kettle-drummer in service dress with the drumhorse harnessed and dressed for review order. This photo was sent to the Bulletin of the Military Historical Society in November 1974 by Major R E Evans. The letter published with it explains that the drummer was the father of Major Evans; he was Corporal E T Evans DCM, and the horse was called Jenny. This horse is quite famous in the regiment, she was one of two out of 507 original horses that survived to the end of the Boer War. She was pensioned off in comfortable quarters at Canterbury where she died in 1905. One of her hoofs is in the regimental museum.
The drum-banners are the same as those in the 1899 photo so they were taken out with the regiment when they sailed to South Africa in 1900. The throat plume is clearly shown, being of black and white horsehair. This is the only picture of the 7th DG drumhorse to show the use of reins controlled by the feet.

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