The Military Drum-Head Service uses Drums as a Focal Point. (Image: PA)
Illustration: MIRROR NEWS
"I Vow To Thee My Country".
Sir Winston Churchill's Funeral.
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"I Vow To Thee My Country".
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The History of The Drum-Head Ceremony.
Piling, or Stacking, of The Drums.
For Centuries, Soldiers about to go into Battle asked for Divine Help and guidance in what were known to be difficult times ahead.
Because of the distances to be covered, and lacking any means of transport to take the Soldiers to Church, The Regimental Padre conducted The Service in The Field.
"I Vow To Thee My Country".
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This called for a platform, upon which he could place his Bible and other pieces of equipment he required to conduct a Formal Service. Lacking any other Altar, The Regimental Drums were put into service by stacking them in layers, which then served as a temporary Altar.
It was in the 1700s that the first recorded use of The Drum-Head Ceremony for this purpose was documented. Like many things Military, it soon became a Tradition. When Canada formed her first Regiment in the 1800s, the practice was continued and still remains a part of Canada's Military Tradition.
"I Vow To Thee My Country".
The Royal Wedding.
William and Kate.
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It was used not only for Religious Services - it also became the Table for Court Martial Hearings in The Field. Following The First World War, The British Empire Service League adopted The Drum-Head Service in order to foster and keep alive a Centuries-old Tradition.
"I Vow To Thee My Country"
A Tribute to our British Soldiers.
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[Editor: Besides The Canadian Tradition, and other British Commonwealth Traditions, The Drum-Head Ceremony is still, very much, a part of British Military Tradition and British Ceremonial.]
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