Military Band

What’s the thing on the back of your uniform for? Quirks and traditions of the British Army.

/ welshtrumpeter / 2 Comments

The various Regiments of the British Army have, since their inception, been steeped with customs and traditions, many of which are still observed and implemented to this day. 

Often these “quirks” are unique to certain Regiments or even particular individuals within the Regiment. Take for instance the rule regarding the wearing of beards. The Pioneer Sergeant is one of the few positions within the British Army allowed to have a beard when on parade. Pioneer Sergeants have existed since the 1700s and the tradition began when every British infantry company had one ‘pioneer’ who would march in front of the regiment and that ruling still applies to this day.

Sgt Walters 1st Battalion Royal Welsh Regiment (Rory Lewis Military Portrait Photographer London (2006)

Portrait By Rory Lewis (Soldiery British Army Portraits Book Available from Amazon).https://amzn.to/2VOTxvW

Variations which can also be found within Regiments are the rank titles used, or drill protocols, such as when to salute and how to address senior ranks. Nothing highlights this better than the following short film clip! I defy you not to at least smirk when watching this!

Another tradition for some Regiments is that at Mess Dinners those dining are not required to stand for the “Loyal Toast” as it is taken as read that their loyalty is never in question, therefore there is no requirement to demonstrate it.

For my own Regiment, The Royal Welsh, we too have many of these traditions. One particular quirk relating to our uniform relates to the five silk ribbons found attached to the collar on the back of the Ceremonial uniform called “The Flash” and is unique to the Regiment.
Harking back to the late 1700’s, the soldiers would have their hair tied into a pig-tail and then greased and powdered as opposed to washing it. This however would have marked their tunics, therefore their hair was tied up in a “queue bag” or “flash” so as to protect their uniform.

The “Flash”

The Flash itself consisted of five overlapping black silk ribbons (seven inches long for soldiers and nine inches long for officers) on the back of the uniform jacket at neck level. In 1808, this practice was discontinued when the Army decided that hair for all soldiers be cut close to the neck.

The Officers of the Royal Welch Fusiliers however decided to retain the ribbons on their uniforms and continued wearing the Flash. In 1834 however, whilst inspecting the 23rd Foot, a less-than-impressed General  complained about the “superfluous” decoration on the collar of the coat and the matter was referred to none other than the King himself. The General’s main objection being that the Flash presented a potential target to the enemy. King William IV however took a difference stance to the General and was keen to approve its use, stating that no Welshman would turn his back on the enemy, therefore such a problem would never exist! Therefore the Flash was approved as “a peculiarity whereby to mark the dress of that distinguished Regiment”.

The Flash as seen on the uniforms of the Regimental Band and Corps of Drums of The Royal Welsh

This was worn up until 1900, only by Officers, Warrant Officers and Colour Sergeants, but then was extended to all ranks of the Royal Welch Fusiliers when in full dress, and then in 1924 was further approved for wear on Ceremonial Parades and when walking out.

Queen’s Birthday Party – Rome 2019

Many of you by now will be shouting out loudly at my lack of care and proof-reading in spelling Welch as I did, therefore cue the next explanation.

The use of Welsh and Welch has over the centuries been used side by side, either accidentally or deliberately and as a result, regiments maintained tradition and identity and dug their heels in by sticking resolutely to their preferred spelling. Following the Great War, two senior ranking Officers made an official application to the Army Board for official sanctioning of the spelling of “Welch”. This was granted by the War Office in 1920.  

Since then and as various Regiments have amalgamated, the more conventional spelling “Welsh” has been adopted and the current Regiment (that has been in existence since 2006) is known as “The Royal Welsh”.

These are just a handful of the many traditions that make the British Army so unique and special and I hope that you’ve enjoyed reading about them, as much as I have researching them.

Thanks for reading the blog. For further information regarding the Regimental Band and Corps of Drums of The Royal Welsh please click on the link.

 

A new challenge. My story could be your story!

/ welshtrumpeter / Leave a comment

As I write this latest Blog, we are in some form of lock-down, due to the Corona virus. Our daily routines and activities have certainly changed beyond all recognition and many people have used this enforced spare time, to invest in projects and activities that they’ve often thought about doing, but never really got round to, due to lack of time or inclination. Attics, gardens and garages everywhere have never been so tidy!!! It’s also been an opportunity for people to re-evaluate what is really important to them in their lives e.g. friends and family, good health, the ability and freedom to come and go as you please, job satisfaction and career choices, as well as hobbies and pastimes. Having something that is precious taken away from you only highlights how much we value it.

Lock-down has also given people time to think and assess what they want from life post Covid-19, when we can return to some semblance of normality and this period of reflection will perhaps ignite a desire for change and the pursuit of a new challenge?

I had one of these “Saul on the road to Damascus” moments some 14 years ago, at the grand age of 39, I decided that I needed something new, something different and something that would kick-start my enthusiasm for life in general. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t doing too badly for myself. I had a nice house, a job that I really loved doing and was managing to pay the bills each and every month. So what was the problem? The answer was, that I simply needed to be doing something that I’d never experienced before, that took me away from the “same old, same old” and perhaps out of my comfort zone, to where I couldn’t put my feet on the bottom of the pool and had to swim a little harder to stay afloat.

From a somewhat pessimistic and negative viewpoint, I felt I had ticked as many boxes as was possible in terms of my music-making experiences (particularly on a professional level) and that there were no more “Everests” remaining that I was capable of climbing and that I should be happy with what I’d already achieved. “So what changed?” I hear you ask.

Following a chance encounter with a friend I was encouraged to consider joining the Army Reserve as a Musician. I’d always been interested in all things Military ever since I was young, but the concept of playing in a Military Band – no change that to a Military brass band (as at the time it was the ONLY brass band in the British Army! – and getting paid for it fried my brain somewhat. Over the years, I’d been used to the concept of attending band twice a week (increasing in the run up to a major competition) and getting zilch for doing it, other than the huge amount of pleasure of performing at a high level and at some of the top venues around Europe.

The Principality Stadium, Cardiff

Having done my research and then attending a few rehearsals at the Barracks (to get a feel of what I was potentially letting myself in for) and asking hundreds of questions such as “what if…?”, “how many…?”, “will I have to do this….. will I have to do that?”, I was reassured that this was a good move and would be a decision that I wouldn’t regret.

Fast-forward 14 years and I now can say that this was one of the best decisions that I ever made. I discovered not only a new “Everest” to climb, but my “K2”, “Kilimanjaro” and many more peaks, with new ones still emerging even now. This new challenge brought a new dimension to not only my musical world, but to my personal and life experiences too and at the same time, I got paid for doing it and it brought me new career pathways too, as all these years later, not only am I a Sergeant and a musician, I am now the Recruiter for that Band – the Regimental Band of The Royal Welsh.

Corps of Army Music Short Term Training Team – Uganda 2015

Words cannot begin to describe the new horizons that I’ve encountered over these 14 years, but suffice to say that if you’re currently bored, feeling unfulfilled, craving something new or just plain curious to know “what if…..?” then go for it! Ask the question and see whether it is for you.

Whether it’s learning a new language, deciding to do a triathlon or joining a Regimental Band in the Army Reserve, then follow your dream and see where it takes you!

WW1 Commemorations, Thiepval Memorial – France 2016

For more information about the Regimental Band and Corps of Drums of The Royal Welsh, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/royalwelshband/

Last Post – Belgium 2019

Thanks for reading the Music for You blog.