The first copy of Drummer’s Call was published in April 1978, some 8 months after the inaugural meeting of the founding Society members.
Here are some cover pages from past copies. Please remember that reprogarphics in the early 1980s were not what they are today. One of the start up costs for the Society was £18 to get Phil Williams’ typewriter refurbished!
We are hoping to have the content scanned soon so that it can be made available to members in an electronic format.
Issue No 1. April 1978. Drum Major of 1st Bn. The Queen’s Regiment at their Presentation of New Colours in 1974.
Issue No 2. September 1978. Side Drummer of the Guard’s Depot Corps of Drums.
Issue No 3. January 1979. Simon Hill, Drum Major of Whitgift School CCF Corps of Drums 1977-8.
Issue No 4. March 1979. Illustration of Grenadier Guards by the late Chris Collins. Left: Time Beater 1925. Centre: Side Drummer Time Beater pre-1914. Right: Bass Drummer 1960s onwards.
Issue No 5. June 1979. Fort Henry Drummer by Chris Collins.
Issue No 6. September 1979. Brass shell rope tension drum of the Guards Depot Corps of Drums 1960.
Issue No 7. COMING SOON.
Issue No 8. March 1980. Drummers of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry circa 1927. Illustration by Chris Collins.
Issue No 9. June 1980. Drummer 33rd Foot (Duke of Wellington’s Regiment) circa 1864. Illustration by Chris Collins.
Issue No 10. September 1980. Drummer, 1st Foot Guards circa 1745. Illustration by Chris Collins.
Here’s the winning entry to the caption competition published in issue 10.
Issue No 11. December 1980. The Bank of England Picquet. Illustration by Chris Collins.
Issue No 12. March 1981. 3rd Bn Royal Anglian Regiment (The Pompadours) marching through Hertford having been given Freedom of the Town in 1980.
Issue No 13. June 1981. Drummer in Marching Order, 19th (1st York, North Riding) Regiment of Foot 1834. (This regimenmt became The Green Howards).
Issue No 14. September 1981. Goat and Goat Major, Royal Regiment of Wales. Illustration by Chris Collins.
Issue No 15. Winter 1981/2. Illustration by Chris Collins of Drummers, Fifers, a Grenadier and a soldier of the 18t (Royal Irish) Regiment of Foot, circa 1758.
Issue No 16. Spring 1982. Two Boy Buglers of the Chatham Division, Royal Marine Light Infantry circa 1900.
Issue No 17. Summer 1982. Illustration by Chris Collins of the mascot of The Parachute Regiment 1982.
Issue No 18. Autumn 1982. Drummer Boy of the Northumberland Fusiliers writing home from South Africa. Illustration by Chris Collins.
Here’s a photo published in the magazine journal “With the Flag to Pretoria” which could well have been Chris’ inspiration. The photo lacks the regimental detail which Chris added and was famous for.
Issue No 19. Winter 1982/3. Phot of Leading Side Drummer D Swindells and Drummer P Fisher of the 1st Bn. The Cheshire Regiment.
Issue No 20. COMING SOON.
Issue No 21. Summer 1983. Illustration by Chris Collins of a Fifer of the 35th Regiment of Foot circa 1754.
Issue No 22. Winter 1983. Illustration By Greg Tunesi. Boy Drummer, Coldstream Guards wearing white drill jacket & pillbox cap circa 1875.
Issue No 23. Winter 1983/4. Illustration of a Coldstream Guards Drum Major by Chris Collins, based on an oil painting by H C Gritten (1818-1873).
Issue No 24. COMING SOON.
Issue No 25. Summer 1984. Illustration by Greg Tunesi of a Scots Guards time beater wearing No 2 Dress.
More to come soon!