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Biography of Edwin Franko Goldman


 

EDWIN FRANKO GOLDMAN

And the Goldman Band

 

 

 

By Jack Kopstein

 

For more than 90 years the Goldman band has been recognized as a vital part of America’s concert life. It has served not only to thrill and entertain the public, but also to cultivate in a purely professional manner the traditions and repertoire nurtured by two centuries of American bands. Eminent composer-conductor Edwin Franko Goldman founded the band in 1911 and the present band still retains the Goldman name under the current designation the GOLDMAN MEMORIAL BAND.

In speaking of his father, Richard Franko Goldman related in a broadcast interview that “the new image of the modern concert band is largely the work of one man Edwin Frank Goldman”. He went on to say “early in 1909 my father began to recognize that the musicians in New York who performed in the summer bands, most of whom were from the symphonies and the Metropolitan Opera, did not take the summer performances very seriously. The bands seldom rehearsed and considered the work only as a source of extra income. My father realized the enormous potential for a good wind ensemble. Subsequently in 1911 he founded a group which was initially called the New York Military Band. Later in 1920 when he was firmly established the ensemble became known as the Goldman Band”. … Continue Reading »



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16th Lancers


The Regiment was raised in 1759 as a corps I of light horse then known as the 2nd or Queen’s Light Dragoons, and was clothed in red. It did not receive lancer designation until 1816. By that time, however, it had seen considerable active service commencing as early as 1761 by two troops at the siege of Belle Isle in the Bayof Biscay, then the Regiment went to Portugal, to America, Sent detachments to the French West Indies and as a regiment again to partake in the campaigns of 1793/4 in Flanders.

Returning to Portugal in 1809, by this time styled the 16th or The Queen’s Regiment of Light Dragoons. and dressed in blue with scarlet facings, it served throughout the Peninsula campaigns and was later present at Quatre Bras and Waterlco. joining in the march of the victorious army into Paris.

Returning from France in December, 1815 it proceeded to Romford, Essex, where it was reviewed by HRH The Duke of York who in-formed the Regiment that it was to be equipped as a corps of lancers. During the next three years, which were spent in Ireland, the 1 ~th was no doubt fully occupied with its new weaponry, and perhaps learning to cope with lance-caps. During the Peninsula wars the British army had come up against and suffered terrible casualties from the Polish lancers, so was not only to emulate them, and eventually surpass, in skill at arms, but also in appearance.

Scarlet pants were introduced for officers at levees and with the scarlet plastron of the coatee, facings. and top panels of lance-caps, presented a magnificent appearance. although the dress was otherwise quite impracticable.

In 1830 the whole of the British army. at the whim of a royal commander-in-chief, went into scarlet, but lancer regiments reverted to blue in 1846 with the single exception of the 16th who were to retain their scarlet for all time.

The battle honours PENINSULA and WATERLOO were no doubt added to the silken guidons, but the latter were discontinued in lancer regiments in 1834 and the badges and honours were to bedisplayedon drum banners and appointments.

In 1822 the regiment embarked for India thereby becoming the first British lancer regiment to serve in that country.

There are two stories about how and why the 16th were ordered abroad, one undoubtedly true. the other unsubstantiated, both connected with its loyalty to the Queen at a time when King George IV was embroiled in differences with his Consort, Caroline. Reports of frequent toasting the Queen in the officers’ mess reached the King, causing him to regard the Regiment with disfavour. The Queen died in 1821 and an unconfirmed story relates how the 16th were ordered to escort her remains to Harwich. a duty one would normally expect to be assigned to, and undertaken by, the Household Cavalry. It was also ordered that back Streets and by-ways out of London were to be used. But the Regiment would have none of it and proceeded by the most direct route, only to meet a barrier of mounted Life Guards blocking the road at Temple Bar, so the 16th simply charged straight through the disconcerted Household Cavalrymen, and took the royal remains through the principal thoroughfares Out of London, to the enthusiastic applause and delight of all spectators.

There was no applause from authority, however, as this was a serious breach of good order and military discipline and the Regiment was ordered abroad forthwith, some said it was banished. So from 1822 until 1846, a period of 24 years. the 16th lancers remained in India. only one man still serving and returning home from the original regiment that sailed from Gravesend in June, 1822.

Whilst at Cawnpore in 1832 the Regiment received its scarlet coatees which had been authorized in 1830. It was during the Sikh Wars in January 1846 that the Regiment won one of its most cherished honours at the battle of Aliwal. playing a vital part by a series of charges, to rout a Sikh force of 19,000. The Governor General’s dispatches describes the action: “HM 16th Lancers on this occasion have added to their former reputation acquired in various fields of battle in Asia by routing the enemies cavalry in every direction”. January 28th has been celebrated within the Regiment ever since.

During the l6th’s long period in India it earned six battle honours and these, together with the seven previously awarded up to Waterloo were now displayed on the drum banners, first recorded at lpswich in 1850 and again at Edinburgh in 1858. Between these two Stations, however, there was a five-year tour of Ireland, 1852-57 and it is quite possible that efforts to bring the band up to scratch were made at this time. A letter of thanks, dated 16th March 1853, from the Bandmaster of the 16th Lancers, Mr. J. G. Jones of the Cavalry Barracks, Dundalk, for the brass instruments recently purchased, was sent to Jullien & Co., Military Musical Instruments of Regent Street.

Our colour plate is based on the sketch by Ebsworth from Edinburgh showing the kettle-drummer, an old soldier who had seen action in India, on a dapple grey drum horse. The old coatee with brass shoulder scales, as shown in wear in the lpswich picture, had been abolished and the tunic introduced in 1955, a long garment with blue lancer piping on back seams had been substituted. It is shown in the colour plate open at a point below the shoulder belt, showing a blue half-plastron. The girdle is yellow with two scarlet stripes running through and the overalls have two yellow Stripes. The design of the drum banner can be seen clearly, all embroidery of gold and the battle honours on scrolls of scarlet. It would. appear that the shabrack is of special

pattern with a design very similar to that displayed on the drum banners and certainly no that used by officers at the time. Pill-box cap worn by the band were red with lancer quartering and piping over the crown with a yellow band around. The regimental pattern was blue with a yellow band and lancer quartering trumpet cords are red and yellow.

The second tour of Indian service followed in 1865, of shorter duration than the earlier, this time lasting until 1877, although there are no known pictures of band uniform or drum horse at that time. In fact the next evidence appears in Ireland c. 1885. The drum horse was photographed on The Curragh and by this time there had been some alterations, principally that new drum banners and shabrack had been acquired.

F. Stansell copied the 1885 photograph for the illustration he made for Gordon’s book and the drum horse cigarette card Series, the latter can be seen at bottom left of our colour panel, On the same panel are three versions of the drum banner, but in this instance the Bar’s Own Paper illustration, centre right. is inaccurate, and the cigarette card version left which has been copied from it is of course also incorrect.

This card is from the 1904 Player’s series Badges and Flags of British Regiments, and it may be interesting to note that yet another cigarette card Series of 50 cards issued by Gallagher in 1912, Regimental Colours and Standards contains four which show drum banners of lancer regiments the 5th, 9th, 16th and 17th. Although a very attractive, and expensive series, the card showing the banner of the 16th Lancers is again wildly inaccurate. On the other hand card No.19 from the 1924 Drum Banners and Cap Badges Series, top right on the panel, is a very good representation. Apart from the fact that the battle honour scrolls are now blue instead of scarlet, the overall design is the same as the previous pattern, and was to remain so until the 1 930s. To Sum up, therefore, the banners were of dark blue cloth edged with a two-inch gold lace border with a fringe below and on Outer edges; the lance pennons on the central crest were embroidered red over white, red and white embroidery on a Queen’s crown, whilst VR, laurel wreath and edging to battle honour scrolls and numerals XVI are all in gold embroidery. The battle honours are arranged five a side in the following manner:

TALAVERA FUENTES d’ONOR

SALAMANCA VITTORIA

HIVE PENINSULA

BHURTPORE ALIWAL

MAHARAJPORE GHUZNEE

WATERLOO AFGHANISTAN SOBRAGH

The shabrack was blue with broad gold edging, the regimental crest was on the hind Sections similar to that in the centre of the banners. A habit which the 16th Lancers adopted for some unknown reason is the “hitching up” of the banners at the top left corners above the strap securing the drums. The brow-band and nose pieces of the drum horse head harness are decorated with shells and a scarlet throat plume with a white tip is used.

The kettle-drummer wears the normal scarlet lancer full dress, is a Lance Corporal and probably an old soldier. He has the coveted embroidered badge of crossed lances on his left cuff, distinguishing him as one of the most proficient lancers in his troop. The band plume is the same as the regiment plume black, but it is “crimped”, a custom in the Regiment dating back to Aliwal when the lance pennons became so saturated with blood that they gave the appearance of having been crimped, so lance-cap plumes and lance pennons were crimped from that time onwards.

During this year a young man joined the band of the “Scarlet Lancers”, who was later to become one of the renowned Bandmasters of the British Army. John Amers entered the band in 1886, later transferred to the 2nd Life Guards and became a Band Corporal of Horse, and was sent for Kneller Hall training from that regiment. He was appointed bandmaster to the 2nd Bn. Devonshire Regiment in June 1901, later taking over the Royal Military College Band in October 1914. His final service appointment was to be Director of Music of the Royal Air Force Band from which he retired in 1931. It may also be recalled that his younger brother Harry became the celebrated Bandmaster of the Northumberland Hussars, (1)

The Regiment returned to Aldershot in November 1906 after staying once more in India, followed by South Africa war service. A 16th Lancer officer who served with the Regiment in India in the 1890s, and who reached high rank during World War I, published his memoirs in 1954(2) and this book contains a good photograph of the drum horse of 1908. A similar photograph which we reproduce here shows the same horse and drummer, Band Sergeant Hawkes who wears both Queen’s and King’s South Africa war medals with clasps, whilst a group photograph of the band about the same time shows Hawkes as an instrumentalist. As a senior NCO his collar, which has the Regimental crossed lances as collar badges, is embellished with lace at the top and opening.

The drum horse is a grey, the shells no longer decorate the head harness but are replaced with brass scales on the headband and on the breast girth; the throat plume is black and the design on the drum banners and shabrack exactly as before. By 1909 the grey drum horse was replaced by a chestnut and when photographed at Aldershot that year a younger man had taken over as drummer.

By the time the Regiment had moved over to Ireland in 1913, yet another horse, “Sunny Jim” was carrying the drums and a new drummer in the saddle. There were Still no alterations to the banners, although on the 23rd August, 1909 an Army Order had authorised the Regiment to add the honours BEAUMONT and WILLEMS to its appointments. These were not placed on the banners at this stage and, in fact, did not appear until new ones were acquired in the late 19305.

After the war in South Africa the regiment was awarded the battle honours SOUTH AFRICA 1900-02, RELIEF OF KIMBERLEY and PAARDEBERG bringing the total up to 18, the most held by any cavalry regiment.

Even after the 1914-18 War the Regiment continued to use the old drum banners with the VR cypher, this clearly shown in a band group photograph of 1932. The band of 31 musicians under Bandmaster Mr. R. C. Hanney, wears the scarlet, lancer full-dress but with peaked caps instead of lance’caps. This was not the case when at a daylight performance at the 1933 Tidworth Searchlight Tattoo, the mounted band was photographed in full-dress complete with lance-caps.

The Regiment was one of those selected for amalgamation in 1922 and joined by the 5th Royal Irish Lancers Squadron. The new Regimental title, the 16th/’5th Lancers, later to become the l6th/5th Queen’s Royal Lancers. No move had been made to incorporate the 5th Lancers honours on existing banners of the 16th Lancers, so the old ones were kept in use up to 1936. One may easily have been misled by the very attractive cover of the Tidworth Tatoo programme in 1933 which correctly shows the kettle drummer of the 1 6th/Sth Lancers in the 16th Lancer’s full-dress, but with drum banners bearing the King George V cypher. This error was probably brought about by the programme artist consulting the Gale & Polden sheet illustration(3) instead of examining the actual banners in the possession of, and used by, the Regiment.

The sheet illustration can be seen on our panel and it may be noticed that the artist has also rearranged the scrolls and included the two early honours awarded in 1909, as well as those for South Africa. In fact he has shown the complete 18 which appeared in the Army Lists of pre-1914, but were never placed on the drum banners at that stage.

It is interesting to see how careful one has to be in accepting the evidence provided by cigarette cards and popular supplement sheets in some cases, in this instance only one can be accepted as reliable evidence from amongst the otherwise attractive examples illustrated, that being the card from the 1924 Player’s Series.

In 1937 new banners were obtained for the Coronation and these will be dealt with in our future article about the 5th Lancers.



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Music Since the 13th Century


SINCE THE 13TH CENTURY, IT HAS been striking fear into the hearts of the Turks’ enemies. Marching into battle with a flourish of shrilloboes and braying trumpets and a ruffle of thundering drums,the Mehter military band has terrified the Crusaders, brought down the walls of Constantinople and frightened the populace of Vienna. ”

When they pass all playing at the same time, the noise of them pressesmen’s brains out of their mouths,” noted the 17th century observer Evilya Celebi. ”They raise such a din that Venus begins to dance and the skies resound.”

They still do. Even today, in its present peaceful incarnation, the Istanbul-based 100-member band is a visible and audible symbol of Turkish military prowess. Twice disbanded during the past 166 years, Mehter was resurrected in 1952, with carefully researched costumes, music and instruments. It performs at state functions and on national holidays, and since 1957 has toured all over the world, most recently appearing at an exhibition on the Ottoman Sultans in Memphis, Tennessee.

Says Colonel Nejat Eralp, a historian at the Military Museum of Turkey in Istanbul: ”Mehter has become a state tradition, a manifestation of independence, a musical expression of Turkish-Ottoman power and humanism.” To witness Mehter in action is to step back into history.

Its commander, known as the corbacibasi, is a resplendent Janissary warrior in his white turban adorned with peacock feathers, fiery-red robes and a striped tunic; he also sports a bejeweled dagger in his wide leather belt and a scimitar on his right shoulder. Next to him a bearer holds aloft the red standard of the Sultan. Then come the red-cloaked ”jingling Johnnies” shaking staffs of bells, followed by oboes, trumpets, twin tom-toms, cymbals, bass drums and the greenflag of Islam. The band is subdivided into ”folds,” or groups of nine players, whose leaders wear red cloaks and turbans wrapped in white felt and whose mustachioed musicians are outfitted in blue. The orchestra’s centerpieces are the giant twin kos, kettledrums as big as the domes on a Turkish bath and covered with maroon velvet and embroidered in gold. In front of the kos stands the conductor, or mehterbasi, adorned in gold and red; behind comes the talismanic attack tug, a long pole topped by a circlet of brass from which hang twin horsetails, a symbol of the Turkish cavalry and one of the oldest military totems still extant. Eight lesser tug standards, flanked by gold-helmeted warriors in chain mail carrying bows and scimitars, punctuate the divisions between each group of players.

Tradition holds that the first royal Mehter was a gift to the founder of the Ottoman Empire, Osman Gazi, from the Sultan of the Anadolu Seljuks in 1289. After the conquest of Constantinople (a march played during the siege remains in the band’s repertoire today), Sultan Mohammed II built the regal Topkapi * Palace and honored Mehter by constructing its barracks right next door.

The band continued its martial duties in great battles like Mohacs, when the Turks subdued the Hungarians in 1526, and, with 400 drums thundering, the first siege of Vienna in 1529. It also celebrated official functions large and small, from the accession of a new Sultan to the moment when the Grand Vizier mounted his horse. In addition, from the time Turks turned Muslim in the 8th century, the band has had a semireligious function, playing five times each day after prayers.

Mehter’s musical influence is not limited to the Muslim world. The Crusaders were so impressed by the terrifying rumble of the kos that they brought a copy back to Europe. And while the Turks failed to conquer Vienna militarily, they did so musically. Turkish marches and warlike Janissary music were all the rage in Europe in the late 17th and early 18th centuries: Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio is replete with ”Turkish” passages, and the finales of Beethoven’s Third and Ninth symphonies include a Turkish march. And with the introduction of the Turkish oboe, Mehter was the precursor of modern military bands all over the world. Nevertheless, it is in Turkey that Mehter has reached its apotheosis, still booming the ancient battle song: ”Mohammed Mustafa, God is one. Our victory is written in the Koran.” Modern Turks continue to thrill to the rousing sounds of Mehter — sounds that would stir any soul and that remind them of the time when they ruled one of the greatest empires in history.



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1st Australian Horse


3rd, later 11th AUSTRALIAN LIGHTHORSE REGIMENT l898~l913

The 1st Australian Horse volunteers Regiment was formed by the New South Wales Colonial Government on 5th August 1897, the third Lighthorse Regiment in NewSouth Wales. The HQ and A Squadron were based at Murrumburrah (363krn) BSquadron and Band at Goulburn (210km) in the southern portion of the Colony,with C Squadron at Liamore (711km) D Squadron at Ta:nworth (350]on) and F Squadron at Ansidale (461km) from Sydney in the northern portion.

At Easter 1907, the Australian army held manoeuvres at a Divisional level in which the 1st ALH Brigade participated. The AIlB camped at Casula, 36km fromSydney. The 3rd AM Bend were early ercivals. The manoeuvres took place at Macquarie Fields 10km distant and the band led one of the columns to the exercise area. The 1st AM (MSW Lancers) led another. During these manoeuvres both bands undertook their stretcher bearer and regimental  duties.

Lord Morthcote, Governor-General paid the first visit of a Governor-General to Goulburn on 10th May 1907, the 3rd AM Band met the Governor-General on his arrival at the railway station and lead the procession to the town hall. It later played at three other functions attended by Lord Northcote.

In 1911, the band went on parade with a number of inexperienced horsemen, unused to controlling horses knees, whilst their hands were on their instruments. used to hand music. All went well until the DC sign on the march card, the band did not responded to the indication, discordant notes were sounded and shouts were heard. ‘prejudicial to good order and military discipline’.

The drum horse halted, lowered and shook its head until silence and good order returned. Then pricking up its ears, resumed its gait, followed by the other horses and on the sound of the drum the hand resumed playing.

On 5th August 1912, the Australian Lighthorse Regiments, Commonwealth Military Force, were restructured and renumbered. The 3rd AM unchanged became the 11th AM. A consequence of this reorganisation was that the band subsidy previously paid to the 3rd was discontinued. The band was allowed to retain its instruments and uniforms and became the Lighthorse Band. It was permitted to use the drill hall for band practice and it turned out for AM functions.

A number of the bandsmen re-enlisted in the 11th AM when their engagement was reached and later served in the AM in World War 1. It was under these conditions that the band paraded with the 3rd Light Horse Brigade (7thLancers), 9th NSW Mounted Rifles and 11th Australian Horse seven hundred men for the official Canberra Commencement Ceremony on 12th March 1913. The music was provided by the 7th NSW Lancers (Grays) end the 11th Australian (Bays) AM Regiments.

The ceremony commenced with the arrival of the Governor-General Lord Denman when the National Anthem (God Save the King) was played. After the naming  the Capital as Canberra was announced the band played the ‘Oh Hundredth’ (All People That On Earth Do Dwell), followed by ‘Advance Australia’ and the ‘National Anthems’. The Brigade then marched past in review by regiments and squadrons, led by the Band of the NSW Lancers with the 11th Australian Corps in the centre. An historic occasion for a military band to finish. The band continued as the Lighthorse Band until numbers diminished in the 1950’s

Sources: The author has been unable to find anything published on B Th;vmra ian Horse. The main source of information has been the National Library of Australia, Canberra. This includes the use of Government records Commonwealth and NSW Gazettes, newspapers – Gooldburn Herald and Post, Sydni Morning Herald, film and photographic collections. Mr S Tazewell, President of the Gouldburn Historical Society, assisted with bell programe’ xmas cards and photographs. History of Gouldburn (R T Wyatt) let edition I was also used.

Notes on the Band

From 1901 until 1912 under Bandmaster J Cody,  the Annual Report which contained a band roll, a engagements and an audited balance sheet. printed containing a photograph of the band. The Band produced and printed a photograph of the band, list of a band Christmas card was also viewed.

The Governor of NSW visited Goulburn in April 1903 to lay the foundation stone for the Sooth African War Memorial, the hand played at the Governor arrival at the railway station, the official reception on the lawns of the Law Courts and the foundation stone laying ceremony. At the ceremony after the stone was laid, the Band played ‘Let me Like a Soldier fall’.

The memorial is in the form of an Australian soldier, whose face is based on a photograph of Trooper Barker of Yarra (10km from Soulburn) of the let AH who was killed in the Transvaal.

In May 1903 the proposed restructuring of the Australian Lighthorse Regiments under Commonwealth Control was announced, with the southern squadrons plus a transfer of another squadron from the MSt4 Mounted Rifles and a rifle company into the 3rd Australian Lighthorse Regiment. The band was to be disbanded. There was a public protest and it resulted in the provision of a hand Subsidy. Phen the restructuring details were gazetted there was no provision for a band.

On 1st January 1904 new Dress Regulations for the ACH came into force and the red plumes were replaced. The New South Wales Regiments being identified by black feathers. The 3rd AlH wore black Orphington Cock feathers.

At the regimental ball in 1904 a new regular feature was introduced prior to the supper interval, a number of young ladies performed a dance and marching display.

The band played at a number of fund raising functions to meet the coats of the South African Memorial which was unveiled on 14th November no senior military officers were present, for on that day at Melbourne, Victoria, colours were presented to the Australian Infantry and Artillery Regiments. There was no reference of guidons for the AlH.

The hand competed in a band festival held in Goulburn in January 1905. It gained third place and the hand continued to participate in other band competitions. The 1905 competition was restricted to New South Wales Bands. The remainder of competitions the band entered were open to a~ Australian hands. later that year the position of bandmaster, Goulburn City Band was advertised and the actions of Bandmaster Cody were the subject of correspondence in the local press. The principal correspondent being a former member of the 1st AHI3rd AM Band and who later replaced Mr Cody as bandmaster. At Easter 1907, the Austrakan army held eanoeuvres at a Divisional level in which the 1st ALH Brigade participated.



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3rd Dragoon Guards


This Regiment was raised in 1685. In 1687 it was titled the 4th Horse and did not gain the title of 3rd Regiment of Dragoon Guards until about 1746, becoming the Prince of Wales’s Regiment in 1765. At the same time the distinctive badges, the Plume of Feathers, the Rising Sun and Red Dragon were to be displayed on the standards; the facings then were white.  The Regiment fought in Portugal in 1809 and at most of the Duke of Wellington’s battles up to the occupation of Paris in 1816, the facings having been changed from white to bright blue in 1812 and finally to yellow in 1816. The yellow facings were to distinguish the Regiment throughout its subsequent career and on into the 20th century. remaining a feature of the dress of the present-day Regiment.

Next followed a 40 year period of peacetime soldiering with the Regiment being stationed at most principal garrison towns in England, Scotland and Ireland. Pictorial evidence of the band in the 1840s and 5Os is provided by R. Ebsworth.  He saw the mounted band formed up for a field day on Portobello sands, at least eight musicians appear in his sketch and all but the orderly trumpeter were mounted.  As it is a field day the bandsmen wear undress. peak-less soft caps with yellow band and welt held in position by a narrow chin-strap. Scarlet stable-jackets have yellow collars. cuffs and piping at rear and also brass scales on the shoulders, overalls are blue with broad yellow stripe. The Trumpet-Major has a sword and black leather sabretache which is ornamented with a crown. The drum horse is a grey, there is no throat-plume or shabrack and the drum banners are presumably a drill-order pair kept for such occasions. They are blue with narrow gold edging. the central design being a crown with a VR below and a small badge within a garter below this, although it is not possible to determine which of the Regiment’s badges is displayed; probably the Feathers.

The Regiment moved over to Ireland in 1852 and a fine picture by Michael Angelo Hayes. together with two by Ebsworth at Dublin two years later, supplies us with reliable confirmatory evidence. Hayes’ picture (1) is all one could wish for, showing the Commanding Officer and a dozen of his officers, all mounted, in conference in the foreground, whilst the entire Regiment, apparently four squadrons with standards, is drawn up in the rear; mounted band at its head.

The CO’s trumpeter and all bandsmen have white plumes on the brass helmet, the remainder dark. The coatees are scarlet with yellow facings, officers have gold scales with gold wire fringes, whilst the soldiers have brass, but instead of the normal blue overalls all ranks at this date have grey with broad yellow striping. These grey trousers were experimental and an Order of 18th September, 1854 decreed that no further ones would be issued as they failed to answer the purpose.

Bandsmen have yellow band aiguilettes from the left shoulder, the drum horse is a skewbald and there are several others in the band amongst the greys. The dress banners are now used blue with gold edging and embroidery, and with elaborate design, details seen clearly in the 1854 Ebsworth picture. The central design consists of the Prince of Wales’s feathers over a garter surrounded by a wreath in gold embroidery, an oval panel in each corner with two battle honor scrolls on either side, and a separate scroll below where the wreath sprays join. The battle honors at that date would be TALAVERA, ALBUHERA, VITTORIA and PENINSULA, and the title PRINCE OF WALES’S would occupy the scroll at base. Our color plate is based on this picture.

Owing to the disturbed state of Ireland the 3rd Dragoon Guards were left there on police duty during the Crimean War period and a further valuable sketch was made by Ebsworth in 1854 showing the dismounted band and trumpeters under Bandmaster Rumpsling assembled to “play-out” drafts from the Cavalry Depot, Newbridge. The uniforms on this occasion were much as 1847, the Bandmaster’s cap has a peak, he alone wears a shoulder-belt and pouch, brass scales on the men’s scarlet jackets, trumpet cords are red and yellow.

The Regiment was placed under orders for India in March 1857 and left Ireland for Canterbury where horses were exchanged for men and drafts, and volunteers from other regiments brought it up to strength. The drum horse went to the 11th Hussars.

Unfortunately we lose sight of the band during its tour of duty in India, from whence the Regiment returned home, via Abyssinia where several months were spent on active service, reassembling as a complete regiment at Chichester in 1868.

During home service, about 1882, two features of band dress were supplied by Major T. S. Seccombe, one in caricature form in his delightful book Army and Navy Drolleries where he gave alphabetical descriptions and illustrations. This ‘T’ for Trumpeter” shows a young band boy tucking in to an enormous pudding, his dress tunic has the normal yellow collar and cuffs, band piping of yellow on back seams and down sleeves, and on his right sleeve embroidered crossed trumpets with a Prince of Wales’s feather crest in white above. The feather plume badge on the sleeve is usually associated with NCOs but seems to have been allowed to trumpeters as well at this time. The other illustration (2) shows a mounted bandsmen in full dress with band aiguilette from right shoulder and an all-red plume on helmet.

The Regiment returned to India in 1884 and remained there until 1892, and it was during that last year at Rawalpindi that a group photograph of the band under Mr. R. Dunne, was taken. Instead of helmets on this occasion all wear pill-box caps. blue with yellow bands, piping round crown and four bars of quartering joining band and top piping and aiguilettes; now worn from the left. The drum banners appear to be the same as those described for 1852, but the newly won battle honor ABYSSINIA has been placed at the central scroll at foot in lieu of the previous title scroll.

The banners were said to have been stolen before leaving India for South Africa. Photos of the mounted band and drum horse taken soon after return to England in 1896 (3) show drums without banners and so it is possible that new ones were purchased by 1897 when the Regiment played its part in the Jubilee parades and celebrations. The drum horse, which was transferred to the Regiment from the 2Oth Hussars in October 1895, and is the one shown in both photographs just mentioned, is a fine piebald. He was foaled in 1885 and from the Remount Depot in Ireland, went to the 2Oth Hussars in 1889, broken in as a drum horse by that regiment before transfer to the 3rd on its return from Africa.

The 3rd Dragoon Guards put him through another course and the kettle-drummer J. Taylor. who claimed to have had several drum horses, maintained that this was the best he had either seen or ridden. This is the horse and rider depicted in the top central position of the color panel, with the new yellow banners. The figure is taken from a photograph of Drummer Taylor which was published in The Regiment magazine on 22nd Jan, 1898. One of the new drum banners is also seen on this panel in the top right position, the representation from the Boy’s Own Paper supplement plate, although with several minor inaccuracies. The centre portion is seen to carry the regimental designation 3 over DG, whereas at that stage it was actually III DG, no scroll below. The wreath with roses and thistles extends upwards to almost enclose the Prince of Wales’s feathers on either side and the background of the oval panel in the corner with the red dragon should be white and not red, whilst the rising sun is through white clouds. It will be seen that there are four battle honour scrolls on either side and between the corner panels, whilst ABYSSINIA appears on a separate scroll below.

The Regiment traveled to Ireland in 1899 and an excellent photo of the drum horse was taken on the Curragh, this photo was later published in the Navy and Army Illustrated, 4th October, 1902. Before the Regiment was sent to South Africa to the war, the drum horse was transferred to the 21st Lancers and on return to Ireland in the summer of 1904 it had the greatest difficulty in getting the horse back again. (4). It was only after endless correspondence and a direct order from the War Office that the 21st let him go

A former officer of the Regiment who served during the pre-war period, kindly supplied some interesting facts and anecdotes (5). He recalled that the drum horse was – “full of life and spirit and when mounted without the drums used to buck and play about, taking some sitting on, but when the drums were put on he was as quiet as can be and used to step out so proudly in front of the Regiment when the band was playing, and woe betide any horse that tried to come up alongside of him. We had to have him destroyed because of feet trouble after we got over to Aldershot about 1908 or 09, he was then well over 20 years of age. Afterwards we got another young drum horse which we trained and had to leave behind when we left for Egypt in 1912. He was quite a nice horse, but not a patch on the other one. He was a roan in color. Everyday it was the duty of a rough riding corporal to exercise the horse which he did by riding along the road towards Farnham. One morning the Riding Master, Major Sykes, decided to do the exercise ride himself to see how the horse was behaving on the road. At a certain point in the journey without any instruction from the rider the horse automatically turned off the road on to the forecourt of a public house, apparently a daily habit which he had no occasion to change.”

There had been an addition made to the banners on arrival in Ireland back in 1904, i.e. the battle honor SOUTH AFRICA 1901-02, was added on a separate scroll, gold thread on a blue ground placed immediately below ABYSSINIA. The roan drum horse “Jim” is shown in Fig. 1, a photograph taken at Aldershot c.1910. The yellow piping can be seen on the drummer’s left sleeve whilst a unique feature of his uniform at this date is the yellow helmet plume The black sheepskin saddle cover has yellow scalloped edging. By 1911, however, some major alterations to the banners had taken place, brought about by the eventual award of three battle honors of over 100 years ago: WARBURG, by Army Order 180 of 1909, BEAUMONT and WILLEMS by Army Order 211 of 1909. This brought the Regiment’s total to 13 which were now arranged six-a-side with SOUTH AFRICA 1901-02 at the foot.  Fig. 2 is a photograph of one of these banners and it can be seen at once where new material was used and how the old original scrolls were, by this time, rather threadbare. The central panel, however, still carried the old III DG, and it was not until much later that the figure “3″ was substituted. On our color panel in top left position will be seen the Gale & Polden sheet representation of the drum banner where the artist has shown five battle honor scrolls on either side and three below. This is incorrect and is believed to have come about from an error by Harry Payne when he sketched the drum horse in February 1912.

The Regiment supplied a mounted Street lining party when the King and Queen returned from their visit to India, the band, also on duty, were all wearing full dress and cloaked. (6) Payne noted five battle honors either side of the wreath, an error easily made whilst sketching in a busy London street lined with cheering citizens, etc., and the artist responsible for the sheet drawing perpetuated the error. The 3 over DG on the panel was also incorrect, but otherwise, Payne showed some useful new features. A shabrack had been made, of blue with gold lace edging and regimental crest, etc., on hind sections. Although not new, he also showed the horse face-piece, leather cross-straps with serrated edging upon which an ornate badge was fixed, the badge from the officers’ black leather sabretache of Victorian days, consisting of crown, wreath and 3 over DG embossed on central plate. On the lower nose cross-piece there was another badge, the Prince of Wales’s feathers within a garter. The horse’s throat-plume was black out of red, the same as the Regiment’s helmet plume, although the drummer still had the yellow helmet plume.  The amalgamation of two squadrons of the Regiment with one of the 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers) took place at Sialkot on 24th October, 1922 the new Regiment then known as 3rd/6th Dragoon Guards. It returned home to Colchester with that title in 1924. During the home service period between 1924-37 the Regiment was presented with new banners in 1935 by the Old Comrades Association, and one of these is shown at the foot of the color panel. Before this date, however, the old 3DG and 6DG banners were used at tattoos and ceremonial parades, either together or on a time and time about basis.

Apart from the final adjustment of the central panel as seen in Fig. 2, the 3rd Dragoon Guards Banners remained the same as did the drum horse furniture, etc. This is well shown on Fig. 3, a photo taken at Tidworth Camp on 6th October, 1927. The silver metal Prince of Wales’ feathers arm badge is also to be seen on the drummer’s right arm above his lance corporal’s single chevron.

The Regiment was fortunate during those post-war years in having a serving officer with artistic talents, Major G. A. Catley, who painted many colorful pictures showing service life with the Regiment, the accent on ceremonial. Our final color plate shows the drum horse at the Tidworth Tattoo of 1928, same horse, rider, banners, etc., as in Fig. 3. It is interesting to note, however, that the two trumpeters following the drummer carry the white trumpet banners of the old 6th Dragoon Guards.



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