“Getting The Wind Up”
Sir, —I read with interest Professor Arnold Wall’s article on Saturday. The doggerel verses quoted were taught to the old-time military drummers and the lines represented “Fourteen, One, Two,” for timing. The two unprintable words in the last line were to keep the drum beatings open. The result was a precision “One, Two, Stop.” Old soldiers will remember, “If the odd numbers do not mark time two paces, how the h, . . can the rest form line?” This was from the tune, “Three Cheers for the Red, White and Blue.” There is the well-known painting of Wellington at I Waterloo issuing the order, “Steady the Drums and Fifes.” They had played the Guards into line and battle was ready to commence. The silence that would* ensue would put the wind up the games! soldier. If any criticism was levelled against the survivors of the Drum Corps after the battle, it is only natural the drummerboys would retaliate with a ditty on their elders.—Yours, etc., DRUMMER. August 9, 1961.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume C, Issue 29588, 10 August 1961, Page 3
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171“Getting The Wind Up” Press, Volume C, Issue 29588, 10 August 1961, Page 3
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