DUTIES OF A ROYAL ENGINEER BUGLER
The following is a description of the duties of a Boy Bugler at Chatham as related by Captain Henry Corke, R.E., an ex-Bugler:
"Reveille was blown at 0600 hours in the summer months at
0630 in the winter. Defaulters paraded a quarter of an hour after
reveille, in full marching order and at the call of the bugle.
Breakfast followed shortly after when, again to the sound of the
bugle’s clarion call, everyone paraded and marched to the
cookhouse. Within an hour the main morning parade took place. For
this a sustained ‘G’ was blown five minutes before
parade time, followed by the ‘Fall In’ which brought
all the troops on to the parade square at the same time! Another
call summoned the sick to sick parade and yet another for
‘Orderly Room’. This was held at 1000 hours if there
were any disciplinary cases to be heard by the CO (Saturdays and
Sundays excepted).
At Brompton Barracks, the bugle heralded the start and
finish of recruit drill and training sessions; mail distribution
once a day; fire alarms and fire drills. The first appearance of
the CO, at 0900 hours, was recognized by the duty bugler, when
all personnel on or near the square were brought to attention
until dismissed by the CO with a ‘Carry on, please!’
The duty bugler was also in attendance when the main guard was
called out by the sentry on post for every call made officially
on its services. In fact, the bugler was used to communicate
every instruction of a general nature. There was a call for
everything we did. After the ‘Tea" call at, say
1630-1700 hours, the main defaulters parade of the day was held
when all those on jankers (defaulter’s punishment) paraded
in full marching order. There was ‘officers dress’ and
‘officers mess’ at 2000 hours followed by the
‘First Post’ at 2130 hours and ‘Last Post’ at
2200 hours. The main guard turned out and stood with arms
presented for the duration of the playing of the Last Post.
Lights out ended the normal round of calls for the day.
At Brompton, it was the practice for the orderly officer to inspect the main guard at odd times during the silent hours so there was little or no respite for the duty bugler. It was a very long and busy day on main guard duty, for a bugler more than anyone. Erring buglers found guilty of misdemeanors were given additional duty with the main guard.
Thus, it was not until one looked back upon one’s recruit days in Chatham that one realised how busy buglers were and how the establishment depended upon their efficiency for the running of the unit."
REFERENCE:
COCKERILL, A.W. Sons of the Brave: The Story of Boy Soldiers. Leo Cooper, London, 1984, pp. 157-158.