HEAVY CAVALRY UNIFORMS, ARMS & EQUIPMENT - DRAGOON GUARDS & DRAGOONS
TRUMPETS, BUGLES AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
The cavalry mounted bands had less members than in an infantry marching band and its percussion group consisted of the kettledrums and cymbals (although some bands did have snaredrums). Otherwise, the instruments were the same. The trumpeter in a cavalry regiment performed the same duties as a bugler/drummer in the infantry. The main difference was that he carried both a trumpet and a bugle. The cords that carried trumpet and bugle followed the same rule as that in other branches of the army – Royal regiments had mixed red/blue/yellow cords and non-Royal regiments green. Thus it was for Dragoon Guards and Dragoons but, as usual, there were differences. The mixed red/blue/yellow cords were used by the 1st, 4th & 6th Dragoon Guards with the 1st & 2nd Dragoons. The use of ‘Royal’ cords by the 6th Dragoon Guards was obviously an exception. Green cords were used by the 3rd, 5th & 7th Dragoon Guards with the 6th Dragoons. The 2nd Dragoon Guards had white cords.
Ceremonial trumpet banners were not carried by all regiments but, as they were mostly a matter of presentation, they did not seem to be ubiquitous until the 20th century was well under way.
The trumpet banners carried by the Royal Scots Greys were presented in 1887 for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria and seem to have been carried ever since. Those of the Queen’s Bays are shown in photographs later in the 19th century. I have not seen much photographic evidence of other heavy cavalry regiment banners during this period,
When dismounted, cavalry bands carried the same percussion instruments as the infantry. This included the snare drums and the bass drum often painted with the regimental devices and battle honours, such as this one of the 4th Dragoon Guards in 1898.
