Drummers 1861


The first thing that strikes anyone seeing this is the size and age of the drummers. They must have been quite tough young boys to survive the rigours of strict discipline and hard work involved in army life.

They are wearing their full dress tunics with the undress forage cap. Waist-belts and swords are not worn in this order of dress. The tunic has brass buttons and the same lace as before. The collar, cuffs and shoulder wings are blue and decorated with the lace. There are fringes on the collar and edges of the wings made up of blue and white material. The blue cuffs are pointed and edged with the lace, and have a blue slash flap covered in lace and three brass buttons, edged with white piping. The sleeves have chevrons, made up of a single row of lace, all the way up; five or six chevrons depending on the size of the tunic. This style of tunic was introduced in 1855 and has remained virtually unchanged since then to the present day (2007).

The drums are dark blue, decorated with the royal crest. The hoops, top and bottom are dark blue with red edges and a white wavy line. The belt or drum carriage is white leather with a brass buckle. There do not seem to be any white knee aprons to protect the left leg. The small boy on the left carries a bugle and another boy in the front row carries a fife but has no visible fife case.


Regimental Band | Regimental details


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by Stephen Luscombe