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97-601: The band participates the following activities: It is part of the Ceremonial and Investigation Division of the JDF. It consists of a parade band (which can be configured into a concert band) and a corps of drums , as well as soloists with specific duties. It is one of only three musical units in the world (the others being the nouba of the Tirailleurs of the modern French Army and the Band of

194-607: A fife and drum corps or simply field music , is a traditional European military music formation. Historically, a Corps of Drums' primary role was communication. Today, the primary role of a Corps of Drums is ceremonial, performing in parades and military ceremonies. Besides drums, this formation may contain a variety of instruments, including trumpets, bugles, and fifes. Instruments, particularly drums , have been used on battlefields as signaling devices across many different cultures. Unlike army musicians who form bands and are usually limited to auxiliary duties in wartime, drummers in

291-744: A sidearm or ancillary weapons . Infantry with ranged or polearms often carried a sword or dagger for possible hand-to-hand combat. The pilum was a javelin the Roman legionaries threw just before drawing their primary weapon, the gladius (short sword), and closing with the enemy line. Modern infantrymen now treat the bayonet as a backup weapon, but may also have handguns as sidearms . They may also deploy anti-personnel mines, booby traps, incendiary, or explosive devices defensively before combat. Infantry have employed many different methods of protection from enemy attacks, including various kinds of armour and other gear, and tactical procedures. The most basic

388-463: A Corps of Drums are principally fully trained infantry soldiers , with recruitment as drummers coming after standard infantry training. Its history can be traced back to Swiss mercenaries in the early Renaissance . By the early 16th century, each company of infantry soldiers had a single drummer and a single fife player. These two musicians would march at the head of the company, and when not providing uplifting marching tunes, they would be used by

485-521: A Corps of Drums in each infantry battalion except for the Scottish , Irish , and Rifle regiments ( The Rifles and the Royal Gurkha Rifles ) which have pipes and drums and bugles, respectively. Each battalion of a regiment of line infantry maintains a Corps of Drums, which may be massed together on certain occasions. All corps-of-drums soldiers are called drummers (shortened to 'Dmr') regardless of

582-610: A few exceptions like the Mongol Empire , infantry has been the largest component of most armies in history. In the Western world , from Classical Antiquity through the Middle Ages ( c. 8th century BC to 15th century AD), infantry are categorised as either heavy infantry or light infantry . Heavy infantry, such as Greek hoplites , Macedonian phalangites , and Roman legionaries , specialised in dense, solid formations driving into

679-512: A full suit of attack-proof armour would be too heavy to wear in combat. As firearms improved, armour for ranged defence had to be made thicker and heavier, which hindered mobility. With the introduction of the heavy arquebus designed to pierce standard steel armour, it was proven easier to make heavier firearms than heavier armour; armour transitioned to be only for close combat purposes. Pikemen armour tended to be just steel helmets and breastplates, and gunners had very little or no armour at all. By

776-417: A hundred meters wide and a dozen rows deep. Maintaining the advantages of heavy infantry meant maintaining formation; this became even more important when two forces with heavy infantry met in battle; the solidity of the formation became the deciding factor. Intense discipline and training became paramount. Empires formed around their military. The organization of military forces into regular military units

873-465: A liaison role. In armies where Corps of Drums remained as bodies within infantry battalions, Corps members have assumed additional jobs such as delivering mail or designating billets, and are often given the role of assault pioneers or supporting-fire ( machine gun ) platoons. Eventually, as the use of musical instruments on the battlefield diminished, the Corps of Drums looked to fill specialist roles within

970-638: A modern alternative. The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) maintains a Corps of Drums, and as such is the only such sub-unit in an artillery unit in the British Army. Although the Honourable Artillery Company now fulfills an artillery role, it was historically an infantry regiment, with two battalions fighting during the Great War. The last infantry battalion was disbanded in 1973, but the Corps of Drums remained. Just as in other Corps of Drums of

1067-605: A permanent fixture in military events where the HMLI and RMA were present. In 1903, when the RM began operating the Royal Naval School of Music (RNSoM), they too implemented this formation. The formation would inspire those utilized by modern military bands of countries such as Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei. In 1950, the RNSoM became today's Royal Marines School of Music (RMSoM), and

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1164-399: A problem. This can be avoided by having shield-armed soldiers stand close together, side-by-side, each protecting both themselves and their immediate comrades, presenting a solid shield wall to the enemy. The opponents for these first formations, the close-combat infantry of more tribal societies , or any military without regular infantry (so called " barbarians ") used arms that focused on

1261-556: A regular part of life. The Royal Navy in the 19th century was short of manpower in both the HMMF-RM and the RMA. For this, Army units joined the HMMF-RM as replacement units, carrying not only their drummers and fifers but also buglers. In 1855, during the units' service in the Crimean War, the HMMF-RM's foot units became one under the unified title of Royal Marines Light Infantry , later known as

1358-440: A return to body armour for infantry, though the extra weight is a notable burden. In modern times, infantrymen must also often carry protective measures against chemical and biological attack, including military gas masks , counter-agents, and protective suits. All of these protective measures add to the weight an infantryman must carry, and may decrease combat efficiency. Early crew-served weapons were siege weapons , like

1455-463: Is personal armour . This includes shields , helmets and many types of armour – padded linen , leather, lamellar , mail , plate , and kevlar . Initially, armour was used to defend both from ranged and close combat; even a fairly light shield could help defend against most slings and javelins, though high-strength bows and crossbows might penetrate common armour at very close range. Infantry armour had to compromise between protection and coverage, as

1552-419: Is a specialization of military personnel who engage in warfare combat . Infantry generally consists of light infantry , irregular infantry , heavy infantry , mountain infantry , motorized infantry , mechanized infantry , airborne infantry , air assault infantry , and naval infantry . Other types of infantry, such as line infantry and mounted infantry , were once commonplace but fell out of favor in

1649-735: Is first noted in Egyptian records of the Battle of Kadesh ( c.  1274 BC ). Soldiers were grouped into units of 50, which were in turn grouped into larger units of 250, then 1,000, and finally into units of up to 5,000 – the largest independent command. Several of these Egyptian "divisions" made up an army, but operated independently, both on the march and tactically, demonstrating sufficient military command and control organisation for basic battlefield manoeuvres. Similar hierarchical organizations have been noted in other ancient armies, typically with approximately 10 to 100 to 1,000 ratios (even where base 10

1746-532: Is led by a drum major and a bugle major serves as the principal player. The Drummer's Color, also known as the Wilhelmsthal Color, is a unique color held by 1st Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers . A drummer, usually the youngest in the battalion, is detailed to carry it when it is on parade. At the battle of Wilhemstahl in 1762, the 5th Foot led the center column under the command of Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick . During this action, they captured

1843-543: Is typically paraded only on St. George's Day , unlike the other colors of the regiment, which are used more frequently. On this day, it is decorated with red and white roses, in keeping with regimental custom (which sees all members of the regiment wear the roses in their headdress on this day). The drums of the Corps of Drums and the drum major 's staff are also similarly decorated. When the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers combined with other regiments to form

1940-524: The Barbados Regiment ) that still wear the traditional uniform of the zouaves . The band celebrates its anniversary every 26 February. It plays a central role in the Independence Day celebrations at National Arena . It has performed through many media outlets, including at one point Jamaica's only radio station, ZQI (now Real Jamaican Radio ). Musicians are drawn from all music establishments in

2037-642: The British Army —which in the 18th century was led by the War Office, the Board of Ordnance, and the Commissariat—marines were naval units. Royal Navy officers were at one point part of the marines. Due to two laws that regulated them and other army and navy units, marine drummers faced confusion over what drum calls to perform, for what branch, and on what occasion they might be required to drum. In 1755, this issue

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2134-909: The Freedom of the City being given by the City of Kingston. That same year, it visited the United Kingdom , taking part in Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II . In 1985, the horn from the band performed in the Bob, Peter, Bunny & Rita album by Bob Marley & the Wailers . In early July 2015, the JMB took part in a two-day information-sharing program with the 257th Army Band of the District of Columbia Army National Guard . Corps of drums A corps of drums , sometimes known as

2231-583: The Northumberland Fusiliers , Quo fata vocant (Go where divine providence leads), is displayed on the upper scroll, and 'Northumberland' on the lower. Above the lower scroll is a large 'V' with 'Regt' below, both in gold, indicating that the Northumberland Fusiliers were the 5th Regiment of Foot at the time of the battle. A laurel wreath with red berries surrounds the central elements, and Tudor roses surmounted by crowns are featured in

2328-1133: The Royal Dragoon Guards , Royal Lancers , and King's Royal Hussars . Similarly, motorised infantry have trucks and other unarmed vehicles for non-combat movement, but are still infantry since they leave their vehicles for any combat. Most modern infantry have vehicle transport, to the point where infantry being motorised is generally assumed, and the few exceptions might be identified as modern light infantry . Mechanised infantry go beyond motorised, having transport vehicles with combat abilities, armoured personnel carriers (APCs), providing at least some options for combat without leaving their vehicles. In modern infantry, some APCs have evolved to be infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), which are transport vehicles with more substantial combat abilities, approaching those of light tanks . Some well-equipped mechanised infantry can be designated as armoured infantry . Given that infantry forces typically also have some tanks, and given that most armoured forces have more mechanised infantry units than tank units in their organisation,

2425-589: The Royal Marine Light Infantry (HMLI). Bugles replaced drums as signalers and order beaters, but the latter would be still useful for drills. They were then known as drummers and buglers , and from 1867, the HMLI/RMA drummers were called "buglers" only. These buglers served individually in ships, the Royal Navy's shore establishments, and artillery units, and were massed into Corps of Drums for their units on

2522-686: The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in 1968, the tradition of carrying the Drummer's Color was maintained by the 2nd Battalion. When this battalion was dissolved in 2014, as a result of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010 , the Drummer's Color was passed to the 1st Battalion. The Drummer's Color is of gosling green silk edged with gold. St. George and the Dragon are embroidered in the center, with red scrolls edged with gold above and below. The motto of

2619-442: The ballista , trebuchet , and battering ram . Modern versions include machine guns , anti-tank missiles , and infantry mortars . Beginning with the development the first regular military forces, close-combat regular infantry fought less as unorganised groups of individuals and more in coordinated units, maintaining a defined tactical formation during combat, for increased battlefield effectiveness; such infantry formations and

2716-411: The " Last Post " (or " Taps ") at funerals. As the musical role of a Corps of Drums became more ceremonial in the 19th and 20th centuries, more instruments were added for a more musically complete sound. A modern Corps of Drums may include a range of percussion instruments such as a bass drum , tenor drums , cymbals , and occasionally glockenspiels to fill out the sound. While the Corps of Drums in

2813-629: The 12 drummers placed on the Royal Waggon Train (RWT) in 1803. There are reserve soldiers within the Corps of Drums of 157 Regiment RLC, based in Cardiff in Wales. This is not a conventional Corps of Drums, as it has no flautists and comes under the command of the regimental headquarters of the RLC, rather than forming a separate entity. It frequently plays with the Band of the RLC but often performs in isolation. At

2910-469: The 1800s with the invention of more accurate and powerful weapons. In English, use of the term infantry began about the 1570s, describing soldiers who march and fight on foot. The word derives from Middle French infanterie , from older Italian (also Spanish) infanteria (foot soldiers too inexperienced for cavalry), from Latin īnfāns (without speech, newborn, foolish), from which English also gets infant . The individual-soldier term infantryman

3007-522: The American all-purpose lightweight individual carrying equipment (ALICE). Infantrymen are defined by their primary arms – the personal weapons and body armour for their own individual use. The available technology, resources, history, and society can produce quite different weapons for each military and era, but common infantry weapons can be distinguished in a few basic categories. Infantrymen often carry secondary or back-up weapons, sometimes called

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3104-527: The British Army often parade in combat uniforms and other forms of dress, they will sometimes parade in the full dress uniform , being one of the few formations which regularly wear full dress. During the 18th century, most British Army drummers were distinguished by wearing their regimental uniforms in "reversed colors," so an infantry regiment wearing red coats with yellow facings would clothe its drummers in yellow coats with red facings. This practice tended to make drummers targets in battle. After 1812, it

3201-447: The British Army, its personnel carry out a soldiering role as their main function. Since the HAC is the oldest unit in existence in the British Army, and as drummers were employed at the establishment of infantry units at the latest during the 16th century, it may be assumed that the Corps of Drums of the HAC is the oldest in the British Army, though it has not been in continuous existence. As

3298-747: The Commander of the British Army in Jamaica (now the residence of the British High Commissioner ) in the presence of Prince Albert the Duke of York and the Duchess of York . On 8 December 1926, the then-Mayor of Kingston Hubert Simpson brought forward in the Legislative Council a motion for the retention of the Band. This was passed and on 26 February 1927, officially forming a fully domestic military band in

3395-400: The Corps of Drums known as the 'Musik'. In this capacity, more basic fifes and larger rope-tension drums are used, and 17th-century uniforms are worn in keeping with the rest of the company. The Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) also maintains a Corps of Drums in the form of several side drummers, drawn from soldiers who serve a short tour as drummers before returning to a field unit. They stem from

3492-472: The HMLI, Lieutenant George Miller, asked his fellow bandmasters to find buglers for his band for the review. At a church parade the next day, he asked 30 HMLI buglers to front the HMLI Massed Bands. They then marched to his arrangement of "Onward Christian Soldiers". The formation used in this march would become an HMLI and RMA standard formation, and the precision stick drills that Miller implemented became

3589-623: The Light Infantry, which have a Corps of Drums with only bugles and no fifes. The corps of the Combined Cadet Force , Royal Marines Volunteer Cadet Corps , and the Sea Cadet Corps use the RN/RM naval- and ship-style corps (snare drums, bugles, bass-, and tenor-drums, cymbals, and glockenspiels) and may be either attached to the main band or separate formations. This formation is also used by

3686-494: The Metropolitan Police restarted a Corps of Drums when the central youth engagement unit purchased drums and sent cadets to a "band camp". It is the first band in the Metropolitan Police to be composed of members of the Metropolitan Police since 1988. It is also the first band in the name of the Metropolitan Police since 1997, when the civilian Metropolitan Police Band was disbanded. Infantry Soldier Infantry

3783-484: The RMBS are primarily musicians; however, they also carry out secondary roles such as medics, drivers, and force protection when required to, like their Army counterparts. RM buglers have a history similar to Army 'drummers' in that they were used to convey orders on a ship on drums and bugles, and would then mass onshore into a Corps of Drums, though they were still expected to work as individual soldiers, also known in slang by

3880-841: The Royal Marines Band Service (RMBS) would also feature buglers. By the 1990s, however, only five RM Corps of Drums remained. After the Deal Depot and the Chatham band dissolved in 1996 and the 1940s respectively, three Corps remained at the Royal Navy bases in Portsmouth , Plymouth , and at the Britannia Royal Naval College , as well as one in the RMSoM, and another one in Scotland at HMS Caledonia . Today there are six RM Bands (plus

3977-488: The Royal Marines and the entire Royal Navy. In the British Army, military snare drums (MSD) are the principal instrument of the Corps of Drums; however, the bugle serves an important role as well. Bass drums are often used during parades and drum displays, while cymbals and single tenor drums are used during parades and ceremonies only. Herald Fanfare trumpets (natural trumpets) are also performed on some occasions. The Corps

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4074-561: The Royal Naval bands were dissolved. Annual, triannual, and eventually biannual beating retreats for both the Royal Marine bands and the RM Corps of Drums buglers began at Horse Guards Parade , Portsmouth , and other venues. By the 1950s, only the band carried the corps at the lead, as a separate Corps of Drums, which played only bugles alongside the drums, were discontinued altogether. By 1978,

4171-461: The Royal Navy as drummers. These drummer-buglers trace themselves back to the raising of the Royal Marines in 1664 as a maritime foot regiment, with six drummers attached to its battalions. In 1664, drums were assigned in the raising of the Duke of York's and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot , the Admiral's Regiment . The regiment's 1,200 personnel had six snare drummers per company, the ancestors of

4268-585: The Royal Navy. They joined their units in the American War of Independence, and a drummer was at James Cook's service during his sea travels. At Admiral John Jervis's insistence, by King George III's order of 1802, the HMMF was transformed into the HMMF-Royal Marines (HMMF-RM). Two years later, bomb vessel crews and gunners became part of the newly created Royal Marine Artillery (RMA), in which bugle calls became

4365-503: The Swiss, English, Aragonese and German, to men-at-arms who went into battle as well-armoured as knights, the latter of which at times also fought on foot. The creation of standing armies —permanently assembled for war or defence—saw increase in training and experience. The increased use of firearms and the need for drill to handle them efficiently. The introduction of national and mass armies saw an establishment of minimum requirements and

4462-443: The arms they used developed together, starting with the spear and the shield. A spear has decent attack abilities with the additional advantage keeping opponents at distance; this advantage can be increased by using longer spears, but this could allow the opponent to side-step the point of the spear and close for hand-to-hand combat where the longer spear is near useless. This can be avoided when each spearman stays side by side with

4559-441: The battalion while still retaining their original role for ceremonial purposes. In some armies, drummers were absorbed by bands and ceased to be infantry soldiers, becoming full musicians. The main instrument featured in a Corps of Drums is the side drum . These were originally of a rope-tension design with wide wooden hoops, a wooden shell, and an animal-skin head. In the British Army, this model has been continuously upgraded, with

4656-518: The bugle, drum, and herald and fanfare trumpets. Musical skills are refined and supported with additional lessons in music theory and aural perception. Parade work forms a large part of the curriculum and considerable time is spent developing personal drills and bearing. Today's RM Corps of Drums consists of approximately 60 buglers who carry out duties ranging from repatriation services ( Last Post and Reveille ), mess beatings (drum displays), beating retreats (marching displays), and concerts on behalf of

4753-593: The campaigns in North America during the Napoleonic era. The drums had drag ropes purchased from unit funds. Whilst drummers carried the bugle, the common instrument for the "Waggoners" was the fanfare trumpet , on account of their cavalry traditions and inclusion in the light cavalry. During that period the Corps was then divided between the foot soldiers, who used drums and fifes, and the mounted soldiers, with cavalry fanfare trumpets as signaling instruments. The drum sling

4850-411: The carrying burden is spread across several infantrymen. In all, this can reach 25–45 kg (60–100 lb) for each soldier on the march. Such heavy infantry burdens have changed little over centuries of warfare; in the late Roman Republic, legionaries were nicknamed " Marius' mules " as their main activity seemed to be carrying the weight of their legion around on their backs, a practice that predates

4947-528: The color of an opposing French regiment and took a large number of prisoners. After this date, the regiment carried a small green silk banner in addition to their usual stand of colors to commemorate the one they captured. This was destroyed along with the Regimental Color by a fire in the Officer's Mess in 1833. Despite representations made to King William IV , a request to replace the Drummer's Color following

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5044-495: The colors on parade are continued in most units. Due to the specialist duties and ceremonial aspects of a drummer's life, a Corps of Drums may be the unofficial custodian of regimental customs and traditions. Because the Corps of Drums' role on the battlefield was originally to signal orders, some units are organized into signal platoons for operating radios. Drummers would also accompany officers to meet officers of an opposing army to parley . Therefore, some Corps of Drums perform

5141-405: The company commander to convey orders on and off the battlefield. The drummers would be more aptly described as signalers than musicians, as shouted orders were very hard to hear over the din of battle. Later, the bugle would become the preferred means of communication on the battlefield, and the drummers adapted; they started training on bugles and carrying them in battle while retaining the drum and

5238-671: The corps of drums of the Royal Marines Band Service . The Holland Regiment soon came after them. They were later to be called The Buffs , the Old Buffs , and Howards' Buffs . The 1702 formation of the marine and sea-service foot regiments saw the drummers' greatest action at Gibraltar, when they played the drums to support their regiments. The War of Jenkins' Ear saw into action ten British marine regiments and an all-American marine regiment, all were units whose drummers and fifers played alongside their units. Even though part of

5335-574: The country did achieve its independence from the West Indies Federation , the band became disassociated with the shared military band of the WIF and became a separate entity. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the JMB began its traditions and activities that it still holds on to today. The band's golden jubilee was celebrated in 1977 with honours being given by the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation and

5432-538: The country, including the National Youth Orchestra. The band is a descendant of the Band of the West India Regiment , and was formed on 26 February 1927. This makes it the oldest continuously serving unit in the JDF. The regimental band was 131 years old when it was disbanded the previous year. Its final performance in that form was at Trafalgar Park House near Liguanea , the then official residence of

5529-536: The country. While the country was still part of the British Empire , the band played during the visit of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Premier Joey Smallwood from Newfoundland . Just weeks before the country gained Independence in 1962, the JMB was the first to publicly perform Jamaica, Land We Love , with the performance taking place at the Lyndhurst Methodist Church Hall. When

5626-463: The distinction between mechanised infantry and armour forces has blurred. The first military forces in history were infantry. In antiquity , infantry were armed with early melee weapons such as a spear , axe , or sword , or an early ranged weapon like a javelin , sling , or bow , with a few infantrymen being expected to use both a melee and a ranged weapon. With the development of gunpowder , infantry began converting to primarily firearms . By

5723-400: The drum, but some would also play a fife in order to provide melody to accompany long route marches when not in combat. This has been replaced in the modern British Army by the five-key flute . When the bugle replaced the drum mid-way through the 19th century as the most common means of battlefield communication, it was sounded on parade to give certain orders, to offer salutes, or to play

5820-494: The drummers) was appointed to be in charge of the drummers and organize training in the emerging discipline of military drumming. When off duty, the Corps of Drums would carry out various roles within the battalion, such as administering military justice and ensuring soldiers' billets were secured. The Corps would deploy with the rest of the battalion and would often form specialist platoons such as assault pioneers , supporting fire, or force protection . The British Army maintains

5917-455: The enemy to prepare for the main forces' battlefield attack, protecting them from flanking manoeuvers , and then afterwards either pursuing the fleeing enemy or covering their army's retreat. After the fall of Rome, the quality of heavy infantry declined, and warfare was dominated by heavy cavalry , such as knights , forming small elite units for decisive shock combat , supported by peasant infantry militias and assorted light infantry from

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6014-442: The eponymous Gaius Marius . When combat is expected, infantry typically switch to "packing light", meaning reducing their equipment to weapons, ammunition, and other basic essentials, and leaving other items deemed unnecessary with their transport or baggage train , at camp or rally point, in temporary hidden caches, or even (in emergencies) simply discarding the items. Additional specialised equipment may be required, depending on

6111-400: The existence of any organised military, likely started essentially as loose groups without any organisation or formation. But this changed sometime before recorded history ; the first ancient empires (2500–1500 BC) are shown to have some soldiers with standardised military equipment, and the training and discipline required for battlefield formations and manoeuvres: regular infantry . Though

6208-434: The expected duration of time operating away from their unit's base, plus any special mission-specific equipment. One of the most valuable pieces of gear is the entrenching tool —basically a folding spade —which can be employed not only to dig important defences, but also in a variety of other daily tasks, and even sometimes as a weapon. Infantry typically have shared equipment on top of this, like tents or heavy weapons, where

6305-457: The fire was refused. However, the regiment continued to parade a replacement and was granted specific permission to do so by King George V in 1933. Since then, a drummer has been entrusted with carrying the color. This is unique within infantry regiments of the British Army , since colors are normally only entrusted to commissioned officers , except when they are in the custody of sergeants to convey them to an ensign . The Drummer's Color

6402-524: The four corners. In addition to Army and Navy/Royal Marines Corps of Drums, there are also cadet -civilian corps in the United Kingdom who base their music on the military traditions of the country. The Army Cadet Force corps uses the Army-style formations and instrumentation (flutes, bugles, snare-, bass-, and tenor-drums, cymbals, and glockenspiels ), save for those with Scottish and Irish links, which have pipe bands instead, and those affiliated with

6499-474: The ground. Fifes eventually disappeared in usage. By then, a bugler playing both the drum and bugle to sound orders and calls was a common sight in the HMLI and RMA. By the 1890s, buglers also trained in herald and fanfare trumpets became commonplace in HMLI and RMA bases and facilities. A 1902 incident changed the buglers forever. A Coronation Review at Aldershot was due soon, and the Senior Bandmaster of

6596-402: The inclusion of snares, more modern metal rod-tension, nylon hoops, and plastic heads. The side drum was increasingly decorated throughout the 19th century, until it bore the fully embellished regimental colours of the battalion, including its battle honours . As such, a regiment's drums are often afforded respect. Historically, all members of a Corps of Drums would beat the various calls on

6693-889: The individual – weapons using personal strength and force, such as larger swinging swords, axes, and clubs. These take more room and individual freedom to swing and wield, necessitating a more loose organisation. While this may allow for a fierce running attack (an initial shock advantage) the tighter formation of the heavy spear and shield infantry gave them a local manpower advantage where several might be able to fight each opponent. Thus tight formations heightened advantages of heavy arms, and gave greater local numbers in melee. To also increase their staying power, multiple rows of heavy infantrymen were added. This also increased their shock combat effect; individual opponents saw themselves literally lined-up against several heavy infantryman each, with seemingly no chance of defeating all of them. Heavy infantry developed into huge solid block formations, up to

6790-468: The instrument they play, similar to the use of the term "sapper" for soldiers of the Royal Engineers . Corps of Drums are recruited from the whole battalion and are usually attached to the battalion headquarters. Each Corps of Drums is commanded by a drum major , a senior non-commissioned officer, who usually reports to the adjutant of the battalion. Historical duties such as uncasing and casing of

6887-422: The introduction of special troops (first of them the engineers going back to medieval times, but also different kinds of infantry adopted to specific terrain, bicycle, motorcycle, motorised and mechanised troops) culminating with the introduction of highly trained special forces during the first and second World War. Naval infantry, commonly known as marines , are primarily a category of infantry that form part of

6984-707: The lower classes. Towards the end of Middle Ages, this began to change, where more professional and better trained light infantry could be effective against knights, such as the English longbowmen in the Hundred Years' War . By the start of the Renaissance , the infantry began to return to a larger role, with Swiss pikemen and German Landsknechts filling the role of heavy infantry again, using dense formations of pikes to drive off any cavalry. Dense formations are vulnerable to ranged weapons. Technological developments allowed

7081-417: The main enemy lines, using weight of numbers to achieve a decisive victory , and were usually equipped with heavier weapons and armour to fit their role. Light infantry, such as Greek peltasts , Balearic slingers , and Roman velites , using open formations and greater manoeuvrability, took on most other combat roles: scouting , screening the army on the march, skirmishing to delay, disrupt, or weaken

7178-447: The main force of the army, these forces were usually kept small due to their cost of training and upkeep, and might be supplemented by local short-term mass-conscript forces using the older irregular infantry weapons and tactics; this remained a common practice almost up to modern times. Before the adoption of the chariot to create the first mobile fighting forces c.  2000 BC , all armies were pure infantry. Even after, with

7275-487: The mid 17th century began replacement of the pike with the infantry square replacing the pike square. To maximise their firepower, musketeer infantry were trained to fight in wide lines facing the enemy, creating line infantry . These fulfilled the central battlefield role of earlier heavy infantry, using ranged weapons instead of melee weapons. To support these lines, smaller infantry formations using dispersed skirmish lines were created, called light infantry, fulfilling

7372-632: The military band of the Duke of York's Royal Military School . Another example of a military-style Corps of Drums is that of the Royal British Legion , whose bands are modeled on the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Band Service. While the Royal Air Force does not have a Corps of Drums, the Royal Air Force Air Cadets are active, utilizing a formation similar to those of the RN and RM. In 2011,

7469-595: The mission or to the particular terrain or environment, including satchel charges , demolition tools, mines , or barbed wire , carried by the infantry or attached specialists. Historically, infantry have suffered high casualty rates from disease , exposure, exhaustion and privation — often in excess of the casualties suffered from enemy attacks. Better infantry equipment to support their health, energy, and protect from environmental factors greatly reduces these rates of loss, and increase their level of effective action. Health, energy, and morale are greatly influenced by how

7566-400: The others in close formation, each covering the ones next to him, presenting a solid wall of spears to the enemy that they cannot get around. Similarly, a shield has decent defence abilities, but is literally hit-or-miss; an attack from an unexpected angle can bypass it completely. Larger shields can cover more, but are also heavier and less manoeuvrable, making unexpected attacks even more of

7663-458: The raising of large numbers of light infantry units armed with ranged weapons, without the years of training expected for traditional high-skilled archers and slingers. This started slowly, first with crossbowmen , then hand cannoneers and arquebusiers , each with increasing effectiveness, marking the beginning of early modern warfare , when firearms rendered the use of heavy infantry obsolete. The introduction of musketeers using bayonets in

7760-597: The regiment still maintains the privilege granted to it by King William IV in 1830, that the HAC should dress in similar uniforms as the Grenadier Guards, except wearing silver where the Grenadiers wear gold, the Corps of Drums of the HAC dresses in a very similar fashion to that of the Corps of Drums of the Grenadier Guards. In addition, the HAC's veteran unit, the Company of Pikemen and Musketeers , maintains an early form of

7857-1041: The same multiple roles as earlier light infantry. Their arms were no lighter than line infantry; they were distinguished by their skirmish formation and flexible tactics. The modern rifleman infantry became the primary force for taking and holding ground on battlefields as an element of combined arms . As firepower continued to increase, use of infantry lines diminished, until all infantry became light infantry in practice. Modern classifications of infantry have since expanded to reflect modern equipment and tactics, such as motorised infantry , mechanised or armoured infantry , mountain infantry , marine infantry , and airborne infantry . Beyond main arms and armour, an infantryman's "military kit" generally includes combat boots , battledress or combat uniform , camping gear , heavy weather gear, survival gear , secondary weapons and ammunition , weapon service and repair kits, health and hygiene items, mess kit , rations , filled water canteen , and all other consumables each infantryman needs for

7954-457: The seams down the sleeves, around the collar, and over the seams on the back of the tunic. The crown-and-inch lace itself is about 1 ⁄ 2 inch (13 mm) thick with a repeating crown pattern. The Guards Divisions drummers have the old-style "Christmas tree" pattern, featuring a fleurs-de-lis instead of crowns. In some regiments, it has become customary for the percussion rank to wear leopard skins over their uniform. This protects both

8051-723: The soldier is fed, so militaries issue standardised field rations that provide palatable meals and enough calories to keep a soldier well-fed and combat-ready. Communications gear has become a necessity, as it allows effective command of infantry units over greater distances, and communication with artillery and other support units. Modern infantry can have GPS , encrypted individual communications equipment, surveillance and night vision equipment, advanced intelligence and other high-tech mission-unique aids. Armies have sought to improve and standardise infantry gear to reduce fatigue for extended carrying, increase freedom of movement, accessibility, and compatibility with other carried gear, such as

8148-464: The time of Napoleonic warfare , infantry, cavalry and artillery formed a basic triad of ground forces, though infantry usually remained the most numerous. With armoured warfare , armoured fighting vehicles have replaced the horses of cavalry, and airpower has added a new dimension to ground combat, but infantry remains pivotal to all modern combined arms operations. The first warriors, adopting hunting weapons or improvised melee weapons, before

8245-572: The time of Waterloo, in the period of deployment to the Low Countries, the RWT introduced drums made of brass. These originated on the Indian subcontinent. The size is 14 by 12 inches (360 by 300 mm). They weighed 16 pounds (7.3 kg). They were faced in blue and carried the cypher of King George, with the title below. A few drums from the period survive today. The drumsticks were of Canadian maple, following

8342-445: The time of the musket, the dominance of firepower shifted militaries away from any close combat, and use of armour decreased, until infantry typically went without wearing any armour. Helmets were added back during World War I as artillery began to dominate the battlefield, to protect against their fragmentation and other blast effects beyond a direct hit. Modern developments in bullet-proof composite materials like kevlar have started

8439-401: The title of drummer. As time went on, the individual drummers and fife players would be organized at the battalion level instead of the company level. Thus, the Corps of Drums became attached to the battalion headquarters. They retained their role in each company in battle but would form one body of men at the head of a battalion on the march. A Drum Major (the equivalent of a Sergeant Major for

8536-875: The training company, RMSoM Junior Musicians and Buglers) remaining in the UK. They are located in Portsmouth (three in HMS Nelson , which includes the RMSoM), Fareham (HMS Collingwood ), Plymouth (HMS Raleigh ), Lympstone (Commando Training Centre Royal Marines), and Scotland (HMS Caledonia ) for a total of seven bands and attached Corps of Drums. All members of the RMBS are trained at the Royal Marines School of Music (HMS Nelson ). Buglers' training lasts two years. Basic military skills are taught during four months of initial military training and, if successful, trainee buglers are instructed on

8633-526: The tribal host assembled from farmers and hunters with only passing acquaintance with warfare and masses of lightly armed and ill-trained militia put up as a last ditch effort. Kushite king Taharqa enjoyed military success in the Near East as a result of his efforts to strengthen the army through daily training in long-distance running. In medieval times the foot soldiers varied from peasant levies to semi-permanent companies of mercenaries, foremost among them

8730-610: The uniform and the instrument, as cymbals have to be muffled against the chest, which may leave marks on the cloth, and the drums may be scratched by uniform buttons. Modern "leopard skins" are made from synthetic fur. Other regiments opt for a simple leather or cloth apron. Drummers have traditionally been armed with "drummers' swords", a shortsword with a simple brass hilt bearing the Royal Cypher . The practice of wearing swords has been discontinued by some regiments, though many still do carry swords, whilst some use an SA80 bayonet as

8827-596: The weapon speciality; examples of infantry units that retained such names are the Royal Irish Fusiliers and the Grenadier Guards . Dragoons were created as mounted infantry , with horses for travel between battles; they were still considered infantry since they dismounted before combat. However, if light cavalry was lacking in an army, any available dragoons might be assigned their duties; this practice increased over time, and dragoons eventually received all

8924-452: The weapons and training as both infantry and cavalry, and could be classified as both. Conversely, starting about the mid-19th century, regular cavalry have been forced to spend more of their time dismounted in combat due to the ever-increasing effectiveness of enemy infantry firearms. Thus most cavalry transitioned to mounted infantry. As with grenadiers, the dragoon and cavalry designations can be retained long after their horses, such as in

9021-510: Was not coined until 1837. In modern usage, foot soldiers of any era are now considered infantry and infantrymen. From the mid-18th century until 1881, the British Army named its infantry as numbered regiments "of Foot" to distinguish them from cavalry and dragoon regiments (see List of Regiments of Foot ). Infantry equipped with special weapons were often named after that weapon, such as grenadiers for their grenades , or fusiliers for their fusils . These names can persist long after

9118-399: Was not common), similar to modern sections (squads) , companies , and regiments . The training of the infantry has differed drastically over time and from place to place. The cost of maintaining an army in fighting order and the seasonal nature of warfare precluded large permanent armies. The antiquity saw everything from the well-trained and motivated citizen armies of Greece and Rome,

9215-404: Was replaced by less conspicuous distinctions. These often consisted of lace decorating the standard uniform in various patterns. Many early patterns consisted of a "Christmas tree" pattern in which the chest was covered in horizontal pieces of lace decreasing in width downwards and chevrons of lace down each sleeve. The modern infantry pattern in the British Army is "crown-and-inch" lace sewn over

9312-449: Was resolved. The Admiralty took over what was then called His Majesty's Marine Forces (HMMF). At first Royal Navy officers filled the officer ranks, with lieutenant-colonel being the highest relevant rank; in 1771 a promotion to colonel occurred for the first time in the HMMF. After their formation, the HMMF's drummers and fifers of the three marine divisions played alongside their fellow soldiers in various landings worldwide on behalf of

9409-571: Was still that of the hook. Royal Marines Bands are led by 'buglers', who are trained on both the side drum, the bugle, and the Herald Fanfare Trumpet (natural trumpet). This section of the band is referred to as "the Corps of Drums", which since 1903 is now situated at the front of the band. Whilst similar to the Army Corps of Drums, these are members of the Royal Marines Band Service (RMBS), and they retain their own rank structure. Members of

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