Australian Army Museum of Western Australia > Records

Drum Major - Appointment and Uniform

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Overview

A drum major in the military is the individual leading a military band (corps of drums, fanfare band, pipe band or drum and bugle corps). It is an appointment, not a military rank. Military drum majors utilize a ceremonial mace for giving commands while marching. Many drum majors, particularly British-influenced ones, wear a sash that can carry embroidered badges of their home unit and battle honours.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-99-550

Inscriptions and markings

The insignia of appointment is four large point-up chevrons surmounted by a drum worn on the uniform sleeve. The drum major is always referred to and addressed as "Drum Major" and not by his/her rank. Drum majors generally have the rank of a senior NCO. Because of the special nature of the appointment, drum majors are normally entitled to wear an officer's pattern sword.

However, capability is the main qualification for appointment: the most senior or highest-ranked member of the unit is not always the drum major. In British and Australian tradition, a drum major usually wears the same uniform as the rest of the band with the additional of a diagonal sash.
The main task of a military drum major is to control the tempo that the band plays at as well as set the marching pace.

Contextual Information

The Australian Army Museum of WA has in its collection uniforms, accoutrements, sashes and maces worn by drum majors in military bands formed in Western Australia.

Australian Army Museum of Western Australia

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