Painting British drums for Colonial infantry

[Rob Herrick]

I am working on painting up some British infantry for the Sudan (specifically the company of the 2nd Essex that rounded out the Royal Sussex), and have hit a bit of a snag. There's plenty of information about uniforms, right down to the proper shade of webbing and whatnot. But the snag is what the drums looked like.

Any advice on what colors to use for the body and rims of the drums? I assume that drum cords were white? Also, will said advice be generalizable to the whole colonial period, or not?

Thanks in advance!

[Tommy20]

Hoops would be red, with a white stripe along the outside, and a blue wavy line inside the white.  At scale, I just paint them red.

The drum shell is half brass, half in the regimental facing color.  Centered on the facing color is the regimental crest (think of the drum as having a regimental colour painted on one side).

Cords and the leather tuning lugs would be white.  Here's an image I found online:



It's post Sudan, but it's the right regiment, and in colonial service uniform.

[Harry Faversham]

Am I right in thinking, that in the field, the drummers covered the shell in a bit of rag dyed khaki?

 

[vodkafan]

Am I right in thinking, that in the field, the drummers covered the shell in a bit of rag dyed khaki?

 

OOh that would make it a lot easier for me to paint ...I hope it's true

[jamesmanto]

I just do red hoops, brass body and white cords.
Can't be bothered to paint a regimental crest between the cords

[dadlamassu]

The painted drums would be in the Regimental facing colour with the badge on the front plus a lot of other detail - mottos, battle honours etc.  Very doubtful if these went into action.  More likely were the brass ones already described (see below) though I've not come across a reference to say they were draped (though it makes sense).  The drums used in action were smaller than the painted type.

Most likely is that the drummers left the drums in camp and used their bugles to sound the orders (just like the film Zulu).  All British army drummers were and still are buglers as well.

Remember that the light infantry and Rifles would use bugles. 

[Rob Herrick]

Thanks for the help, everyone. That makes my painting job so much easier.

As a follow-up, what about sergeants and corporal's chevrons? The Perry print, and my perusal of Simkins' plates, indicates gold fabric piped red for line infantry. Is that correct?