Drum Majors of The 1st Bn The Green Howards
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
D/Maj (WOII) A Birbeck
By Ex Drum Major's P, McCarthy & A Birbeck
D/Maj K Donnelly 1930-1932 His Corps was one of the best in England at the time
D/Maj A. Balchin 1932-1939 From the Coldstream Guards, Sgt Wood took over during the out break
of WWII.
D/Maj J. Gates 1947 He formed a small Corps in Schoningen Germany
D/Maj W. Noble 1947-1948 First sizeable Corps in Sept 1947
D/Maj J. Woodcock 1948-1949 Was D/M with the 2nd Bn. from India to Khartoum. Remembering that the 2nd Bn (Khartoum) became the present 1st Bn. When reducing infantry levels the 1st Bn in UK was disbanded and the 2nd Bn (difficult to de-kit in Khartoum) renamed the 1st Bn. Both sets of Colours made the necessary 'swop' sea journeys, one set to be laid up. This caused endless squabbles - Topper Brown was one because he was 2nd Bn - when the 2nd Bn was re-raised in 1952, being called the '2/2nd' Bn by such people as the late Lt Col Don Stowe.
D/Maj A. Birbeck 1949-1952 After the Amalgamation of 1st & 2nd Bns. 1st Bn went to Malaya
D/Maj J. Bryan 1952-1953 (He transfered to York & Lancs)
D/Maj J. Ripley 1953- For three months
D/Maj A. Birbeck 1953-1957 Promoted to WOII
D/Maj D. Brown 1957-1969 Better known as Topper (Died 17th March 2008)
D/Maj J. Peacock 1969-1973 Joe's Dad was the RSM
D/Maj B. Stephenson 1973-1976 Transfered in from the Guards
D/Maj W. Drake 1976-1982 WOII went to be HQ CSM.
D/Maj P. McCarthy BEM 1982-1989 Posted to N/Ireland as Ops WO
D/Maj R. Purvis 1989-1993 Posted to Jnr. Soldiers Harrogate, until discharge.
D/Maj A. Daniels 1993-1994 Posted in from The Guards.
D/Maj R. Williamson 1994-1996 Richard left to serve for a year at the Infantry Gunnery School and then
left the Army.
D/Maj S. Perkins 1996-2002 Promoted to CSgt whilst still in the post, posted to B (KH) Coy as p Plt
Comd then CQMS HQ Coy, CQMS Kings Div at ITC Catterick and now at
RRT 1GH ( 2 YORKS as of 6th June 2006).
D/Maj D. Portass 2002-2005 Dave a Sgt was posted to do Army recruiting Middlesborough
D/Maj S. Elstob 2005- to present Sgt D/Maj.
From: Dennis Brown (ex DM 1957-1969)
1940 (Depot) [Richmond] DM 'Ginger' Gates
1947 (2nd Bn) [India] DM Smales
1948 (2nd Bn) [Khartoum] DM Baldwin
D/Maj A. Balchin 1932-1939 From the Coldstream Guards, Sgt Wood took over during the out break
of WWII.
D/Maj J. Gates 1947 He formed a small Corps in Schoningen Germany
D/Maj W. Noble 1947-1948 First sizeable Corps in Sept 1947
D/Maj J. Woodcock 1948-1949 Was D/M with the 2nd Bn. from India to Khartoum. Remembering that the 2nd Bn (Khartoum) became the present 1st Bn. When reducing infantry levels the 1st Bn in UK was disbanded and the 2nd Bn (difficult to de-kit in Khartoum) renamed the 1st Bn. Both sets of Colours made the necessary 'swop' sea journeys, one set to be laid up. This caused endless squabbles - Topper Brown was one because he was 2nd Bn - when the 2nd Bn was re-raised in 1952, being called the '2/2nd' Bn by such people as the late Lt Col Don Stowe.
D/Maj A. Birbeck 1949-1952 After the Amalgamation of 1st & 2nd Bns. 1st Bn went to Malaya
D/Maj J. Bryan 1952-1953 (He transfered to York & Lancs)
D/Maj J. Ripley 1953- For three months
D/Maj A. Birbeck 1953-1957 Promoted to WOII
D/Maj D. Brown 1957-1969 Better known as Topper (Died 17th March 2008)
D/Maj J. Peacock 1969-1973 Joe's Dad was the RSM
D/Maj B. Stephenson 1973-1976 Transfered in from the Guards
D/Maj W. Drake 1976-1982 WOII went to be HQ CSM.
D/Maj P. McCarthy BEM 1982-1989 Posted to N/Ireland as Ops WO
D/Maj R. Purvis 1989-1993 Posted to Jnr. Soldiers Harrogate, until discharge.
D/Maj A. Daniels 1993-1994 Posted in from The Guards.
D/Maj R. Williamson 1994-1996 Richard left to serve for a year at the Infantry Gunnery School and then
left the Army.
D/Maj S. Perkins 1996-2002 Promoted to CSgt whilst still in the post, posted to B (KH) Coy as p Plt
Comd then CQMS HQ Coy, CQMS Kings Div at ITC Catterick and now at
RRT 1GH ( 2 YORKS as of 6th June 2006).
D/Maj D. Portass 2002-2005 Dave a Sgt was posted to do Army recruiting Middlesborough
D/Maj S. Elstob 2005- to present Sgt D/Maj.
From: Dennis Brown (ex DM 1957-1969)
1940 (Depot) [Richmond] DM 'Ginger' Gates
1947 (2nd Bn) [India] DM Smales
1948 (2nd Bn) [Khartoum] DM Baldwin
When Drum Major Birbeck joined the 1st Bn. there was no Corps of Drums as such within the Bn, during the war Ginger Gates started to form one, then he was demobbed.
Nobby Noble was drafted in and carried on until 1949, he was transferred as D/Maj to the York & Lancs, we were sent to Khartoum as the 1st Bn. Cadre. When they arrived the great majority of the Drums were due for repatriation, so except for D/Maj Woodcock and six drummers that's all what was left.
After posting to Malaya he was asked to assist Woodcock to reform the Drums, rightly or wrongly he refused as he had gone to Khartoum to be the Drum Major.
However after a few months he was confirmed as Drum Major from 1950. In 1952 he committed a "Faux Pas" in other words he was drunk on a retreat beating in Malacca, the Drum Sgt G Bryan took over in 1952 until 1953, he was also transfered to the Yorks & Lancs. A Birbeck returned to the 1st Bn. in Minden and resumed the roll as D/Major. He was promoted to C/Sgt as D/Maj and then to WOII, when D/Maj Topper Brown took over in 1957, this explains the reason A. Birbeck pops up now and again.
Nobby Noble was drafted in and carried on until 1949, he was transferred as D/Maj to the York & Lancs, we were sent to Khartoum as the 1st Bn. Cadre. When they arrived the great majority of the Drums were due for repatriation, so except for D/Maj Woodcock and six drummers that's all what was left.
After posting to Malaya he was asked to assist Woodcock to reform the Drums, rightly or wrongly he refused as he had gone to Khartoum to be the Drum Major.
However after a few months he was confirmed as Drum Major from 1950. In 1952 he committed a "Faux Pas" in other words he was drunk on a retreat beating in Malacca, the Drum Sgt G Bryan took over in 1952 until 1953, he was also transfered to the Yorks & Lancs. A Birbeck returned to the 1st Bn. in Minden and resumed the roll as D/Major. He was promoted to C/Sgt as D/Maj and then to WOII, when D/Maj Topper Brown took over in 1957, this explains the reason A. Birbeck pops up now and again.
D/Maj Topper Brown
1957-1969
1957-1969
D/Maj Joe Peacock
1969-1973
1969-1973
D/Maj Steven Stephenson
1973-1976
1973-1976
 |
D/Maj William A Drake
1976-1982
1976-1982
D/Maj Peter McCarthy BEM
1982-1989
1982-1989
D/Maj Richard Williamson
1994-1996
1994-1996
D/Maj Steve Perkins
1996-2002
with Topper Brown
1996-2002
with Topper Brown
D/Maj Robert Purvis
1989-1993
1989-1993
Updated 13th April 2009
D/Maj Dave Portass
handing over D/Major to
Stephen Elstob
Aug 2005
handing over D/Major to
Stephen Elstob
Aug 2005
 |
.(Died 12th January 2009)