ALDERSHOT TATTOO

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 37, 12 August 1930, Page 9

ALDERSHOT TATTOO

A POPULAR PAGEANT

FEAST OF COLOUR

(From "The Post's'- Representative.) LONDON, 27t1: Juno.

New Zealanders visiting London have always made a point of seeing the Aldershot Tattoo. This year it is fawn definitely that about 150 of, them went down in the coach parties organised by Captain P. C. Pirani. Many others doubtless went down independently, m j. The period of waiting until the iattoo begins passes quickly with the singing of such old favourites as "Hearts j of Oak," "Annie Laurie," "Minstrel Boy," "John Peel," "My Old Kentucky Home," "Pack Up Your Troubk." "Sweot Geneviove," and ." Tipp;..ivy." In fvjiit, over on the right, is a Castle wall, with great swing doors, Which is far' enough away to appear real. As the light gradually fades She "Retreat" is sounded. A fanfare follows, and the massed drums and fife bands enter from the woods on the opposite side of the arena. Marching and countermarching follow, and then appear the massed bands of the Aldershot Command (over 1000 strong). Searchlights from six different points are directed upon the moving players, and the reflected light from the instruments gives the impression of a vast glittering jewel. Massed mounted bands next' come into the picture. After several evolutions they retire to the shadow of the castle walls and continue to play for the programme of the light cavalry. The troops are equipped as the first light cavalry were in the Seven Years' War. A REGIMENT PURIFIED. Monck's Begiment had its origin in two units of Cromwell's "New Model Army," which mustered in 1643 and 1645. On 14th February, 1661, two officers and two Civil Commissioners drove in a coach to Tower Hill and read to the regiment an address from the King, showing how they could be ceremoniously translated into the Lord General's: (Coldstreain) Regiment of Foot Guards. It was this scene that was staged at Aldershot. Musketeers, with' matchlocks shouldered, were clothed from head to foot in red, and the pikemen wore steel cuirasses which gleamed in the searchlights. The spears they carried seemed a bristling forest. They emerged from the' door of the castle and marched sedately, beaded by the drums and flutes. After various movements the regiment answers to the command: "Take heed-to break your ranks and pay attention to what you hear." The four Commissioners advance a few paces, and divide into pairs. The troops break ranks and run up and form a semi-circle round each pair of Commissioners. The- Commissioners then address the troops.

At the end of the address the pikemen and musketeers give loud cheers, raise their hats and their weapons, and shout "God save King Charles II." They . fire their matchlocks in the air. The Commanding Officer raises his hand for silence and the ensigns, carrying the colours, double back, and take post. The pikemen and musketeers now re-form companies on the colours. The Commanding Officer gives the order, "Lay down your arms," and pikemen and muskeeters ground mus' kcts and spears. The command to retire follows. The three companies turn about and march away, halt, and face the grandstand. The Commanding Officer then orders, "To your arms." The drums beat and each, pikeman and musketeer runs to his arms. Then comes the command, "In the name of King Charles 11., pick up your arms. Shoulder your matchlocks and advance your spears." Thus the regiment was purified. BATTLE OF DETTINGEN. A physical training display follows, recruits after three months' training carrying out their exercises without word of command. "Honouring the Colours" showed the origin of the present ceremony of "Trooping the Colour."

Then we are transferred to 6th June, 1743. The light illumines the field of Dettingen with the gay-eolourea panoply of war that made a battle in those days a fine spectacle. The French Army and the English, under King George 11., face each other. The former aro clad in white, the latter in red. It is interesting to contrast a battle of the past with ono of the present day. The way in which they stood shoulder to shoulder and exchanged shots at close range must have been most unpleasant and unnecessarily wasteful of fires. There are cavalry charges of inspiring speed and fights for the Standards. In the end the French are seen in a rapid retreat, and the lights go out. DRAKE AND THE ARMADA. The most emotional scene of the evening was when the massed pipe bands moved slowly towards the woods playIng "The Eowan Tree." As they approached the woods they were enveloped in an amber glow, changing to a soft green shroud. • The fading music and the beautiful lights left the spectators spellbound. Drake is playine: bowls on Plymouth Hoe. Then a vision of white ships is seen on the horizon —in this case, arrayed a half a mile away on a wooded prominence. Before us are the battlements of Tilbury Tort. Above the walls rise tho tapering masts and emblazoned sails of the guardships that lie at anchor in the Thames. Militia are exorcising in the foreground, and a large group of civilians are watching. Then ; the Eoyal Barge is sighted by the watchers on the walls; the standard at its masthead is sighted by us. The gates open, and through them comes Queen Elizabeth, preceded by trumpeters in scarlet coats and by the Yeomen of the Guard. Sh§ inspoets the assembled troops, delivers her famed, speech—"l have but the bo'"1 of a woak and feeble woman, but I r- the heart of a King \. ." and as si< «nds, a horseman gallops across the arena with dispatches jrtiieh relate the defeat of the Armada. TORCHLIGHT EVOLUTIONS. No Tattoo is complote without the fascinating torchlight evolutions. J?eople saw what seemed like four giant caterpillars with red heads moving in the distance. They met, combined, and moved away in new formations. They wound about, and converged to the tune of "Tho British Grenadiers," to form first a Grenadier grenade and then the Victoria Cross, while; behind in letters of fire, were written the Prince of Wales's memorable title for its holders, "That most enviable order." This is the signal for the final massing of the five thousand performers —British cavalry, massed bands, and French cavalry in tho rear; British and French Dettingen troops, massed drums, and bands on the left of the Victoria Cross; and r'issed bands and Elizabethan troop on the right. The searchlights blaze ut, and the secret of the torchlights is revealed. The Second Battalion Grenadier Guards carry vellum lanterns witk electric globes inside. Thus, they were able to shut off their lights at a signal, and light them up again at will. The blaze of variegated colour and the glitter of the band instruments is a seeno which may long be remembered. AH this, however, is given appropriate balance when modern khaki troops enter to the tune of "John Peel," and take up position in tho front. From Jhe woods at tho back coloured searchlights stream into tho sky, forming tho conventional sunrise- of pictures.