Military band on the Green at Norton. Date unknown. Photograph courtesy of Jack Marriott. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Military band on the Green at Norton. Date unknown. Photograph courtesy of Jack Marriott.
Tim marsh, quite correct and you should definately know Bugle Major.
The regiment is the Light Infantry Band and Bugles. The reason for the Bugle on the sash is because it represents part of the Cap Badge of the LI. The RGJ Bugle major would wear a cross belt which had the Maltese Cross this was the anticedent regiment of the RGJ IE the KINGS ROYAL RIFLE CORPS.
tjm
Definitely Light Infantry, the Bugle Major has not got a dustbin lid on his chest.
Judging by the Bedford CF and other familiar vehicles in the background it must be post 1968, which means it must be the band of the Light Infantry who were formed from the County Regiments in 1968. I dont think its the RGJ band as the drum major has a silver bugle on his sash, not a Cross like the RGJ has. Plus he is wearing his sash over his right shoulder which is pure LI (I think)
From this photo it is difficult to say whether it is a Rifle Corp regiment or a Light Infantry regiment as the uniforms are very similar, you would need to see the cap badge or insignia to be sure. The accolade of the fastest marching regiment in the British army belonged to the D.L.I. at 160 steps per minute, I have done it. My national service was in the DLI, and after basic training at Brancepeth and then weapon training at Strensall, I went on to become a drill and weapon training instructor and was posted back to Brancepeth. From Brancepeth Camp to Durham Cathedral is 5 miles and takes about an hour to march, we did this on Armistice Sunday and on other formal occasions and then marched back after the service! Wish I could do it now.
In 1960 we had a DLI weapons instructor seargant for a month, to show us `how a real regiment marches`and he took us up to 160 after a month\s training, (we were 54 coy RASC), boy were we glad to see him return to regiment at the end, (even though he was a good bloke).
250 miles in six days?… awesome. Plus of course they would be in the equivilent of the present day full service marching order(FSMO). Whilst taking part in the Nijmegen Marches in Holland in 1959 we covered 100 miles in four days. I thought that was quite enough. They certainly were iron men in the nineteenth century. I shall view the Sharpes tv dramas in a different light.
The regular in fantry pace was 120 per minute,the light-infantry was 140 per minute so it would appear that they both share the same step,double-time was 180 paces per-minute. The Royal Green Jackets was formed in 1966 by the amalgamation of The Ox and Bucks(43rd and 52nd) and the KRRC. Their motto is The Swift and The Bold. It marched to Talavera in 1809(250 miles)in six days.
THE BAND OF THE RIFLES, AS THEY ARE NOW KNOWN SINCE THEIR AMALGAMATION IN 2007, MARCHES AT A PACE OF 140 BEATS PER MINUTE, IT PERFORMS MUCH OF THE TIME WITH THE BUGLE PLATOON OF THE RIFLES IN STUNNING MARCHING BAND ROUTINES AT A DOUBLE TIME PACE.
I”m glad someone has picked up on this one. My father was DLI during the war and always claimed the quickest marching time for them. He used to recall marching from Brancepeth Castle to Durham Station, but I can”t remember how long he said it took them.
I”m not disputing the claim that it”s the band of the KRRC but I think that former members of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) will dispute the claim that the KRRC had the fastest marching step in the Army.
Check that John Duncan, as the highest cadence (marching step) I was always under the impression that belonged to the Durham Light Infantry. Any other views??
I do believe that it is the band of the KRRC.(Kings Royal Rifle Corp)They did have the fastest marching step of any British regiment. The band did appear at an international match at Wembley against the Italians but played the Fascist Anthem by mistake.
Twas the band of the Light Infantry during the Queens Silver bash in 1977 If I remember right
I believe this was taken in 1980. It shows the Marching Band of the Light Infantry, they were accorded the Honour of “Beating The Retreat”,on Norton Green but not sure why. They also have the quickest marching Speed of any British Regiment.
I don”t think that I can fix the date of this picture but I do remember a similar occasion in 1953 when there were considerable celebrations on the Green for the Coronation of Elizabeth II. I remember clearly that the Guides performed a long and complicated maypole dance which we had practised for weeks and we had a May queen, whose name was Pauline…? We were also trained in marching by some poor professional soldier from the TA, I think, who nearly had a nervous breakdown. A simple order like “Left Wheel!” produced chaos worthy of Dad”s Army. So there was probably a military parade on the day as well. And it was sunny!