Bandmaster William John Brown wears his dress tunic, scarlet with white collar and cuffs. The Norfolk Regiment had white facings from 1881 until 1905 when they were permitted to revert to yellow facings. His status is indicated by the gold lace along the top of the collar and the cuffs. Bandmasters normally were 1st Class Staff Sergeants, the most senior, like the RSM, were, in 1882 elevated to the status of Warrant Officer.
Bandmaster Brown does not have gold shoulder cords, the distinction that can be seen in the photo of Bandmaster Elford. But his appointment is clearly shown by the embroidered band badge on his right forearm. It has a Victorian crown over the lyre and wreath. The undress forage cap was blue with a black silk cap-band. The embroidered badge of Britannia on the front was worn after 1881. Before that date the badge was smaller and had the number 9 below.
There is no information on William John Brown and the date of the photo is not known to me (probably c1890), or his battalion. The photo shows that he has two medals which look like the Egypt medal and the Khedive’s medal both for the Egyptian war of 1882.
Regimental Details | Band and Drummers
