5 1 r Canadian e t p a h military drum C and bugle corps by Richard F. Allen In 1867, Canada became a country separate Canadian activity was vastly different. There or buglers. from Great Britain and, although still were a few Boy Scout groups, the most famous There were, however, a number of units that maintaining strong ties to the powerful British being, of course, Preston Scout House. utilized the drum/bugle, drum/trumpet Empire, it was beginning to develop into a The great Toronto Optimists evolved from a instrumentation. Infantry and rifle regiments strong nation standing on its own two feet. Scout Troop, but the real developers of the used the term bugle band while cavalry and The British influence was very evident, activity were the military. In Canada, we have mounted units had trumpet bands. These especially in the matters of the military and militia or reserve units similar to the U.S. terms related to the original valveless national defense. Everything was patterned National Guard. Most of the Army units have instruments used by these units. after the British Army, from the types of ties to a parent regiment in Britain and would The early years uniforms worn to the weapons used. Afterall, wear a uniform patterned after the British unit. As most of us know, the drum, bugle, fife, the Canadian troops were still British subjects, Many of these regiments had bands whether etc. were used by the military in the early years “Soldiers of the Queen,” sworn to defend Queen they were brass/reed, brass, pipes and drums, as signaling devices to signal troops in the field and country. bugle and drum, drum and trumpet, fife and and on board ship. It is interesting to note that Many of the Officers and NCOs were drum. Many of the larger regiments, like the the bugle was used as late as the 1950s by the ex- Imperial troops who had served with the 48th Highlanders of Canada, Queens Own Rifles Chinese to coordinate attacks during the British Army in Canada or had retired to of Canada and the Royal Hamilton Light Korean War. Marine Barracks, Washington, Canada and were pressed into service to train Infantry, had two or even three bands. D.C., is the only U.S. military base where a the new fledgling Canadian Army. In actual They could play what is known as “live” bugler still sounds the daily calls. fact, British troops were garrisoned in Canada combination marches, for example, Auld Lang The daily routine of a soldier or sailor many years after Confederation (1867). Syne and Amazing Grace, with a brass reed revolved around bugle calls and drum beats. Unlike our U.S. neighbours, where the drum band and pipe band combination. They were The bugle told him when to get up, when to corps activity started with the American Legion, very moving to hear. The bugle call Sunset is eat, when to go to bed, etc. The drum beats VFW, clubs, Scouts, CYO, churches, etc., the very effective with a brass reed band and a bugle were similar, but the main function was to beat 367 rcscc temerairie, ONT (approx. 1955). hill park sea cadets trumpet band, ONT (year unknown). 48th Field squadron, royal canadian engineers, ONT (1960). Photo from the collecton of Ron DaSilva. Photo from the collection of Ron DaSilva. Photo from the collection of Ron DaSilva. cadence on the long, dusty marches. In order for us to understand the military link present-day drum and bugle corps have with the activity, you must understand the structure of military music of the 18th century. The regiment or ship consisted of two very distinct organizations, the band and the drums. The band The 3rd Batallion Royal Canadian The band was comprised of highly-trained, Regiment Bugle professional musicians whose chief duty was to and Drum Corps at an inspection provide music for social events at the fort or of the 1st aboard ship. When engaged in battle, these Batallion Royal musicians became stretcher bearers, medical Canadian Regiment in Toc orderlies, etc., a duty that kept them free and Chon, Korea on clear of the horror of battle, thus keeping the March 28, 1953. (Photo by casualty rate of these valuable troops to a George minimum. Whittaker, Public Archives of It was very costly to import new musicians if Canada, from the any were killed or went AWOL, which many did collection of Ron in a new land. DaSilva) However, the British did put their infantry bandsmen in white tunics in 1828, doing away with the tradition of reversed colors, where non-royal regiments had band tunics in various they became of age. WWI brought to an end the formal warfare of shades of yellow, buff, green, blue and violet. The average age of a member of a corps of opposing armies. Regiments and ships became The drums drums was between 12 and 16 years, truly “boys smaller. There was also a shortage of musicians The drums, or corps of drums as they were learning music.” willing to take part in the military, making sometimes called, were set apart from the band. When the regiment or ship went into battle, bands expensive to maintain. Each Battalion had a drummer/bugler/fifer/ these young musicians were responsible for the During WWII, many regiments maintained piper to sound the various calls. It was signal system from the command to the troops. small corps of drums and/or bands, as did the common practice to merge all the battalion This took place over the roar and confusion of a Navy. The commanding officers realized -- as drummers, buglers, fifers, etc. to form a corps full-blown battle! They took very high casualty did their predecessors -- that music was good of drums. rates as they were prime targets for enemy for troop morale and again the command staff More often than not, they were snipers who took pride in disrupting enemy looked the other way, but did wholly approve of unauthorized, but existed on the initiative of signals. the setup. the commanding officer who realized that The buglers had to memorize dozens of There were official bands stationed at all the music was important to troop morale. The bugle calls in order to know what to play when major bases. They were there to provide command staff usually looked the other way. ordered. Disaster might take place if the wrong musical support to the base and troops, public As well, the corps of drums was funded by call was sounded by the bugler! The troops also relations for the military and a very important regimental or ship funds (usually from the had to memorize the calls in order to know issue of morale. Many of these bands played for officers, sargeant’s mess or wardroom in the what to do on the battle field. If you had a “tin not only the troops, but the civilians as well. Navy) at no cost to the government. ear,” you could really be in trouble. Many a Saturday night the band would be The members were sometimes young sons On major ceremonial occasions, it was playing for dances on the base or in the town of soldiers or young orphans with no home. sometimes common to merge the drums with nearby. They would be taught to play an instrument by the regimental band. There were special There were also numerous “volunteer” corps either the drum major, bugle major, fife major marches composed for this type of setup. of drums, bugle bands, trumpet bands, pipe or pipe major, depending on what type of corps An excellent opportunity to see a 19th bands, etc. of drums was being used at the time. Century military corps of drums in action today These were staffed by servicemen and The most common in the British Army was is of the Fort Henry Guard from Kingston, ONT. women who wished to play in a musical unit. the infantry fife and drum corps with the It is an excellent re-creation of music of the Many had played previously in a cadet band, drummers or fifers doubling as buglers. These 1867 period. They have a superb corps of town band, scout band, etc. More often than musicians were classed as semi-professional. drums as part of the re-creation of life in a not, this was the only musical unit on the base Some later trained to become bandsmen, but British garrison in Canada at that time. or in the area and was kept busy with various many of them joined the ranks as soldiers when The extensive use of the machine gun in engagements, both on and off the base, much 368 combined 11th and 44th Field regiment, Guelph, ONT (1957). toronto signals trumpet band, Toronto, ONT (approx. 1985). hmcs sea cadets, ONT (1985). Photo from the collection of Ron DaSilva. Photo from the collection of Ron DaSilva. Photo from the collection of Ron DaSilva. to the delight of the members, as it got them Bandsmen were trained as drivers and first Charles Thiele a noted bandmaster and owner out of the regular mundane duty. aid personnel, but your trade in the military of one of Canada’s greatest music companies, This was also the norm during the Korean was as a drummer, bugler, piper, etc. If these Waterloo Music. Conflict. Many units involved brought over obligations were met, the band was left to In a little town in southwestern Ontario, corps of drums, drum corps, etc. They were a operate on its own.