Trumpet Banner c1897


The colours of the drum and trumpet banners of the Scots Greys is a tricky subject for military enthusiasts. Illustrators often get it wrong. The trumpet banner seen in this photo is taken from Tradition, the journal of the International Society of Military Collectors c1970. It is assumed to be blue, but the caption does not mention the colour. The writer, Major R B Anderson of the Scots Greys says, in a caption to a page of trumpet and drum banners: 'The banners shown here are very old and still in regular use by the Band. Left is one of the trumpet banners which were made for the Golden Jubilee of 1887. It bears the Arms of the Scottish Kings, a privilege confirmed last October by the Sovereign herself when the Queen presented the Pipe Major with her personal pipe banner embroidered with similar arms.' There are at least two prints of trumpeters of the 1890s showing red banners and several of the 1930s showing blue banners. My own view is that Major Anderson was incorrect and that the blue banner seen here was made for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. Elsewhere on this page is an illustration by Pierre Turner of a trumpeter of 1910 holding the blue trumpet banner.


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by Stephen Luscombe