RDMA Dress Manual - Regimental Drum Major Association

Dress Cords
Bugle Cords
Drag Ropes
Drum Major: As prescribed by the Regiment or band
Pipe Major: Not worn
Pipers: Not worn
Drummers: As prescribed by the Regiment or band
• Worn with No. 1 Dress or with Service Dress (No. 2) when on parade; never in shirt
sleeves, patrol jacket, Prince Charlie, or Day Jacket.
• Worn over the right shoulder (under the epaulette) with the trailing end attached to
uppermost doublet button (before buttoning the doublet outer flap). The leading
end attached to a cotton loop sewn under the left shoulder epaulette near the
outside of the shoulder.
• The plait (braided cord) is over the (non-braided) cords.
NOTE: Dress cords are derived from plaited bugle cords. Plaiting was a means of reducing the
length of standard issue cords. Some regiments may have their own colour or combination of
colours
Royal Regiments: Royal Colours (scarlet, blue, and yellow)
Rifles and Light Infantry: Black or Dark Green
Royal Irish: Silver, Dark Green, or Silver/Green
Others: Yellow
Drum Major: Not worn
Pipe Major: Not worn
Pipers: Not worn
Drummers: As prescribed by the Regiment or band
• Worn slung over the left shoulder under the epaulette.
• Shortened from the regulation issue of eight feet by plaiting so that the top of the
bugle is in line with the bottom of the tunic or doublet.
• There is a three-turn knot of the cord at the mouthpiece end and a four-turn knot at
the bell end of the bugle.
• There should be a four inch drop from the bottom of the knot and the crown of the
tassel.
• There are two colours of bugle cords available: royal (scarlet, blue, and yellow) and
green.
• Some regiments do not use plaiting.
Drummers: White, Side Drums and Tenor Drums or as prescribed by the Regiment
• White rope hangs 6” from the ground.
• Drag Ropes have 22” of drummers plait and 11” of plain rope at each end.
• One rope is attached at rod one and four whilst the other is attached at rod five and
eight with a half hitch knot.
NOTE: Drag ropes for side and tenor drums were used to carry the instrument on the drummer’s
back, similar to a knapsack. This allowed the drummer to use his drummer’s sword in battle.
Regimental Drum Major Association © 2004 - 2009 8
Dress Manual for Pipes and Drums v.2.5
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