Band c1904

The exact date of this photo is not known but is early in the 20th century and, judging by the medals, after the regiment returned to England from the Boer War in 1904. The bandmaster in the middle is R E Collier. He is wearing officer style uniform but has the status of warrant officer first class. He is flanked by two sergeants who have gold cap-bands on their pill-box caps but are not sufficiently senior to have gold cord on their tunics. All the caps worn by the band, including the bandmaster are crimson with yellow cap-bands and braid figuring on top, except for the three men just described. There are drums on display, with the kettle-drum banners either side of the large time-beater bass drum. A small snare drum is on the ground in front. Cavalry regiments did not have a corps of drums like the infantry but when performing dismounted needed some percussion. The kettle drummer normally doubled up as the time-beater with the bass drum, although it is not obvious in this photo which one he is. The snare drummer can be identified, standing on the left of the photo, wearing a white drum carriage.

Regimental Details | Musicians and Trumpeters