Not sure where to post this....(I heard that)

Just joined up and imagine my surprise as being called a Private:-)))) I don't suppose I'll ever reach the officer status but PLEASE modertors change my rank to Drummer. Been there done that and still bear the scars! Any others who joined as a boy drummer or were in the Corps of Drums not P&D's those were another lot:-))) Maybe they may want to write direct especially the ex flute players out there? oakleaves@gmx.net

Cheers Neil.

You have been very lucky. Most of us join as fieldmarshals and only slowly work our way up to private after years of overseas service and zillions of posts.

To give you a trade rank would be an acknowledgement of some worthwhile skill or aptitude. Forum ranks do no such thing!

Drummer was an appointment for a private soldier and not a trade!

Carried an extra 1d per day so one can see that it might be a desirable forum appointment.

Well Neil, with that sort of career background, you won't want to be a Field Marshal. Transfer to the RAOC and become a Conductor.

In aswer to both....thanks, I never met very few officers who could make an on the spot decission, so as you wrote to aspire to the Pte well done. As for the skill at arms I'll settle for "boy" then, surely that would put me even further down the pecking order:-)))) You'll only need to reply once more on this and you'll be a Field Marshall perhaps:-))))) Drummers were appointments, not a trade rank & as such rc'd a small pitttance more than the other lowly types. Which was duly spent on keeping all the extra kit cleaner than the rest of the Bn. Need to get the bugle dusted and sound the alarm or stand to on this ..... me thinks:-)))

Now there's me writing officers know very little...Thanks Grumpy just wrote what you've confirmed. Maybe the suggestion of an extra rank then will be taken up? I can now see everyoine wanting to be the WVS lady, I was there before they were Royal, there being in not in if you understand:-)))

As for a Conductor... I hope I'm not putting my fingers into electrical sockets here & ruffling long hair:-)))
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As W S Gilbert said "when everybody's somebody, nobody's anybody"

So is this a trade badge or not?

Only if you are a drum maker.

That is some dream of an Indian reproducer of badges in my opinion. Nothing like that was issued as far as I know. There were two types of brass,....the rope tensioners were triangular on the early ones and then eared later and also on the stay bright versions this is neither nor....The cloth badges followed the same pattern only the colours changed.

However your question.....perhaps these days for recruiting purposes it is shown as a trade? But still the myth continues that the drums can do.....everything, but sadly it is in the death throws from what I've seen over this last number of years here in De.
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Never been in touch with so much top brass, pretty lonely down here in the OR's beer bar alone:-)))

One of the trades exempt from War Service was the trumpet and Bugle makers....important instruments back then. The Drum fell out of favour going over the top & of course could not be heard above it all.....not sure about bagpipe makers if they were exempt?

We really need a ruling from that grumpy chap. Is it a trade badge or not?

Neil, your wish to be anything other than a private..has come true mate.....
you are a Lance-Corporal!

keep up the posts and you will be visiting Skindles in no time!

Ivan.

I reckon you should replace the pic on your signature with one showing a dog with a bone:-)))

I am contemplating going awol....I heard that also!

You qualified to be a drummer when the Drum Major thought you could play well enough and then you got the rank, unless of course you started as a boy and then you arrived as a drummer. The DM was also an appointment. All this has changed of course and am only writing from past experience.

Trying to sort out some medal probs on another section of this, and lo and behold an Uncle who was a drummer & the Co's bugler in the 1/8 ASH. On his medal card shows his rank as a Pte....now that is a real blow so to speak!

As for Grumpy he seems to have his fingers on the holes, maybe he was a drummer also, is it he who can now demote me from L/Cpl to Drummer or even a boy? (Soon be up there with you at this rate, Sir:-)))
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:-))) I noticed that also Ivan,

although PII orders have not been sounded or pinned up. Not sure who Skindles is... as we down here in the Cpl's mess onyl visit Rosies on pay day, hate that queue it's always longer than the cookhouse line

Cheers Neil.
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No it is not a trade badge!

Dealers loosely lump together the following:

skill-at-arms
appointment
qualification
trade

and one or two other sub-sets.

Do I see a taradiddle in there somewhere?

nah! its a flam and a ruff, innit!

Can you drop me an eMail of forum please ref calls your book?

Skindles is a sub forum which pals with a certain rank can see and post in, if they feel inclined. It is for off topic subjects and can be reasonably daft. It's like the officer's mess after a Regimental do. Rank is solely controlled by posts. You can't be demoted.

Them & us.....what about reverting that is a bit different to being bust:-))) Or attached to the drums would get me out of this dilemma? Maybe when your in your club you can bring this up?

There used to be a telly programme where they asked Bob for a Pee or due to your rank do you lisp?As the space between the two on the keyboard is as vast as you & I are on the pecking order. Or has your monacle dropped off whilst.... :-)))

W.S.Gilbert again:
"Taradiddle, taradiddle, tol lol lay!" [sung by chorus of Peers and Fairies in Act I of Iolanthe]. Dictionary gives "a fib or lie". Make of that what you will.
Daggers

Need to get the explanation then from the writer if he misspelled or is sticking a dagger in? I thought ref the theme about the Drums, however the only bit of that opera I know is the slaves chorus (read batman for all of those exalted positions answering:-)))

I did write at the beggining "not sure if I was posting in the correct part of the forum".....seems this is the extension of Skindles & I am not going to find any drummers here:-)))

Drum & Flute Duty for The Infantry Branch of the Army 1887

For the extra pay of a penny a day, I can certainly make you a Drummer. A penny at 1914 value...what's that...about £20 in today's money, isn't it?

Skindlers can be identified by the soubriquet Old Sweats under their Member details. An Old Sweat is one who has reached exalted rank, but has foregone the flesh pots, free drink and banter.

Tom is, however, being slightly reticent: reasonably daft is not a true description. Unreasonably daft would be more suitable.

Don't know how that penny would work out these days I'm still trying to pass a 10/- note without any luck:-))) Thanks then Chris, I'll revert from the rank I am now and go backwards in some eyes to being a drummer. Thanks for the consideration given. As for the higher men involved in this thread I will be only to pleased to sound "general salute" for them if and when needed, or perhaps due to the "about turn".... the last post.
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I don't know whether my PM got to you? However this is one I don't have, as I wrote....If your not a curator but a collector I have a spare copy of the 1914 book for Trumpet and bugle calls plus all the Regt calls for the army. Any chance you could send a Pte eMail as this flute aspect is of interest? Henry Potters (Or is that Harry:-))) produced a book containing all the flute and drum calls for duty but the format of your extract was the clue that it was new to me:-)))
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Plenty of corporal drummers called corporal!

Your problem at sergeant will be whether to be the correct 'sergeant drummer [for 1914] or the previous title 'drum major'.

Herein lies the problem. I don't want to leave the Drums:-))) I met a few who did and came back.....as the leader and still knew eff all, the reason why they left for a stripe or two or three.
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