Military side drum

Description

This is one of the silver drums made in memory of the 143 ranks of the Royal Marines Band Service who lost their lives in the First World War (1914-1918). The drums were paid for by voluntary subscriptions from all ranks of the Royal Naval School of Music and were dedicated in Eastney on the 5th March 1921. It is a military side drum with emblazoned sterling silver shell, wooden counterhoops, 14-inch skin heads, and rope-tensioned with British style white leather braces (round edge, white, with vellum lace). The counterhoops have nine drilled holes and silver saddles through which the tensioning rope passes. There is a J-hook screw style snare strainer with gut snares, and the batter head has three silver feet. Embossed on shell: In Memory of the one hundred and forty-three WOs, NCOs and men / of the RM Band Service who lost their lives in the Great War, 1914-1918 / whilst serving in the following ships and theatres of war HMS BULWARK / HMS MONMOUTH / HMS INFLEXIBLE / HMS LION / HMS NATAL / HMS INVINCIBLE / HMS INDEFATIGABLE / HMS QUEEN MARY / [badge] / HMS CORNWALLIS / HMS VANGUARD / HMS GLORY / HMS MONARCH / HMS CARNARVON / HMS CAESAR / HMS PRINCESS ROYAL / HMS BRITANNIA / HMS CONQUEROR / DRAKE BATTN, RND GALLIPOLI / WEST AFRICAN FRONTIER FORCE. / PURCHASED BY VOLUNTARY SUBSCRIPTIONS FROM THEIR COMRADES