Following an outstanding performance at the Rorkes Drift concert in Wales earlier in the year, 23 cadets and 9 instructors were highly recommended to attend this musical extravaganza which even included the high honour of playing before ‘Queen Victoria’ and ‘Prince Albert’!  Our contingent represented the 30^th Regiment of Foot – our direct ancestors from the Victorian era.

 

The group were involved in the four main parades held each day, and took an active part in the ‘sunset ceremony’ held on Saturday evening as well as entertaining the crowds with a magnificent static display during Sunday afternoon. The youngest cadets on parade were just 13 years old - and five of the cadets were playing at their first ever public performance.

Cambridgeshire Corps of Drums march back from a parade

The purpose of the event was to provide an educational and historically interesting spectacle of military life in Victorian times and to raise funds for the well established charity ‘Help for Heroes’ to support our brave servicemen and women currently serving abroad in the harshest of war conditions.

 

The 30^th Regiment of Foot was formed in 1702 and originally saw service as Royal Marines (entitled the 1^st Regiment of Marines) and changed back to being an army Infantry regiment in 1714. The County title of ‘Cambridgeshire’ was added in 1782. Today the traditions of the Regiment are remembered through a strong affiliation honoured by Cambridgeshire Army Cadet Force.

 

Other re-enactors at the event represented the 8^th Kings Royal Irish Hussars, the 11^th and 15^th Hussars, The Royal Artillery and the 19^th, 24^th and 57^th Regiments of Foot. As well as taking part in the parades in the fort they provided displays outside showing how Victorian troops would have lived in battlefields. One display graphically showed medical instruments and procedures of the time – now horrific by today’s standards - and another a representation of an Officers Mess displaying fine silver to demonstrate how officers once lived in the field.

 

Commanding Officer of the Corps of Drums, Captain Lynn Herriot, was full of praise for the cadets. "This has by far been the biggest and most prestigious event our Corps of Drums has taken part in to date” she said. “The Cadets rose magnificently to the occasion and provided music of exceptional standard and quality”.  “We are extremely proud of them”.   A particularly rousing moment came on the final parade when the assembled re-enactors gave ‘three cheers’ to Cambridgeshire Corps of Drums for the invaluable part they had played over the weekend. They then left the event late Sunday afternoon to a massive round of applause from everyone present.

Event Organiser - Major John Hurst (Retd)

Speaking after the weekend, event organiser Major (Retd) John Hurst, formerly of The Connaught Rangers, said “It has been a joy to work with Cambridgeshire ACF. The whole Corps of Drums have been spectacular in their performances and County Drum Major John Shaw and his cadet Drum Majors could not have been more helpful”.