Be prood tae be a drummer

In my 34 years service under the Queens and Regimental Colours I have sometimes observed the treatment that some drummers received from their fellow muso's. One must remember that the corps of drums was the communications of the day and any drummer who is not proud to be part of that history shouldn't be a drummer. Here's a few verses from a poem dated 1600's.

Quote
What price glory! Heaven knows!,
We're just a bunch of chums,
Marching on to God knows where -
Until we here the Drums.
Thoughts are scattered, minds confused,
We dream of homes and mums,
But none of us will falter now,
When we hear the bleeding Drums.
Death or Glory? Heroes? Us?
The truth is dawning, Crumbs!
What inspires us on? What winds us up?
THE BLOOMING CORP OF DRUMS.
Unquote.

That's something to be proud of. In the annals of my books I found drummers that have displayed the highest form of valour. These are Drummers,
M.Ryan. VC, 1st European Bengal Fusiliers, Indian Mutiny, 14 Sept 1857,
T Flinn VC, 64th Regiment Indian Mutiny, 28 Nov 1857,
D Stagpole VC, 57 Regiment, NZ, 2 Oct 1863,
W Kenny VC, 2nd Bn Gordon Highlanders, 23 Nov 1914,
W Ritchie VC, 2nd Bn Seaforth Highlanders,1 July 1916.

We even have a VC winner that served with the 42nd Highlanders, Rockhampton, Queensland,Australia.

So! Head up, chest out and uphold their memory.

Note: the date of the award-winning deed, not the date of gazette. The VC was instituted in 1856, but made retrospective to the Autumn of 1854. Now put that in the Piper's Pipe.

The book, "The Drum" by Hugh Barty-King. A tribute to the Military Drum, Royal Tournament.1988.

Bill Gall.