Drumhorse 1898


Plum Duff and Drummer Booth feature in this painting by Harry Payne. They are to be seen in many photos but the painting confirms several things that could only be guessed at. The date of the photo is not certain but we know that Plum Duff retired c1898 and that the red drum banners came into use at the end of 1896. The fact that the horse is white confirms the fact that although he started out as grey with white spots he became progressively whiter towards the end of his working life. The drummer, A E Booth is normally seen in photos on his left side but this view shows that he had a rank stripe. He wears the white goatskin cap on this occasion. There are no badges on his collar as these were introduced for dress uniform after their return from South Africa in 1904. The bridle and martingale are in smart brown leather with brass ornaments but the throat plume is painted as black and red, as worn on officers' bridles, whereas other later paintings by Payne and Simkin show it to be red. The front view prevents a good view of the shabraque but we can see the corner just below the drum banner and it is red.


Regimental Details | Band


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by Stephen Luscombe