*
military uniform background: drummer boys historical examples Briotain
Drummer Boys: Historical Examples: Britain
Figure 1.--Here we see uniforms worn during the late-19th century. The photograph here was probably taken in the early-20th century. The drummer boy is identified as Boy Parson. He looks very young, perhaps 10 years old. The photograph was taken in Ireland and comes from a collection compilyed by a reader's grandfather. At the time Ireland was part of the United kingdom and the population somewhat restive. In the years before Workd war I, Irish Home Rulke was the most serious problem that confronted Parliment. We are notsure to what extent Britain ibcreased its troop deployment in the Catholic south.
We note several accounts of British drummer boys throughout the 19th century. There are, however very few actual images. Theis mnay redlect the fact that the early American photiographic record is more extensive that that of Europe. We have found some paointings, but few 19th century photographs. We have found photigraphs British drummer boys in paradeground uniformas from the early-20th century. Perhaps the most famous British drummer boy is the unammed boy who energed on the ramparts of the British lines at Yorktown after the fall of Redount 9 and 10 to signal the surrender of Lord Corwallis (1781). By bthe French Revolutionay/Napoleooiv Wars', the British Army began using Scottish pipers. Because of the lung power requirement, these were adults. They continued to use biy drummers. Another notable named British drummer boy was unammed boy at the Siege of Sevastopol during the Crimean War (1855). The British 77th Regiment of Foot with drummers launched a bayonet attack on Russian rifle pits being used for sniping.
The British drummer saw a Russian boy trumpeter trying to flee. He caught hold of him and beat him 'in truly British fashion' causubg him to surrendered. The British drummer boy then presented the Russian trumpet to Sir George Brown. He was rewarded by General Lord Raglan, the British Crimean commander. Two drummer boys were recognized durung the Indian Mutiny (1857). At the Siege of Lucknow , 12-year-old Drummer Ross of the 93rd Highlanders beat out a signal of the the arrival of his Regiment to the besieged garrison. He somehow climbing the high point of the Shah Najaf Mosque and blew the regimental march on his bugle, while under heavy fire. Apparently British drummer boy training included the buggle. Subsequently at the Second Battle of Cawnpore, 15-year-old Thomas Flynn, a drummer with the 64th Regiment of Foot, was awarded the Britain's highest military medal--the Victoria Cross. The waward read, "During a charge on the enemy's guns, Drummer Flynn, although wounded himself, engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter with two of the rebel artillerymen". He is the youngest recipient of the Victoria Cross. The saddest example is the fate of a drummer boys at the Isandlwana during the Zulu War (1879). The last War we see drummer boys in the field is the Bohr War (1899-1900).
