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The Regimental Replicas Story
Bill Baddeley, by trade a printer, founded
the company in the late 1960's because of his long standing military
connections. Bill joined the TA (Territorial Army) as a boy soldier in
1937, with pay of one shilling a day (5 pence in today's money!). In 1938
he received his only 100% payrise, when he became an adult soldier on two
shillings a day! Bill served throughout World War Two and continued as a
TA soldier afterwards, returning to his original trade. In the mid-60's
defence 'cuts' were announced, including the amalgamation of many of the
South East's regiments (The Buffs, The Royal West Kents, The Royal Sussex,
The Middlesex, The Queen's Royal Surreys and the East Surreys) to form 3
regular battalions of The Queen's Regiment.
The Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment is
the oldest regiment of foot in England followed by the Buffs - East Kent
Regiment, and thus the second oldest regiment of foot in the British Army,
the senior being the Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment), raised in 1632 in
Edinburgh, one of their nick-names being "Pontious Pilate's
Bodyguard"!
Bill formed part of the Board of Officers
tasked with the disposal of the Regimental property of the Royal West Kent
Regiment and many friends who had served with them rang him to ask if
there might be and old drum 'going spare' and needing a good home!
Eventually the Regimental Council decided to give all the drums to an Army
Cadet Force for their Corps of Drums - but the seeds of an idea were sown
in Bill's mind.
Full-size drums, traditionally emblazoned
by hand, are very expensive, because of the hours it takes a painter to
emblazon one with paint and with gold and silver leaf. Bill experimented
with miniature replica drums - and our proudest possession is the first
one he ever made, and exact miniature replica of a drum of the Royal West
Kent Regiment. This somewhat larger than today's drum ice buckets, made of
plywood so that a plastic ice bucket would fit inside, and beautifully
printed, using goldleaf. Shortly
afterwards, Bill came up with the design we all know, love - and still
make today! In 1984 on retirement Bill sold Regimental Replicas and,
in the following years, it changed hands several times. In 2006 the
company was bought by Rosie-Anne Yates and is today based on the
Dorset/Somerset border between Gillingham and Wincanton.
Regimental
Replicas' move from Kent to Somerset took place in January 1995. We
discovered that all the written records had been destroyed but the amazing
Central Artwork Record was intact, enabling us to continue producing these
detailed and accurately scaled drum emblazon designs.
We
worked initially to produce the new emblazons resulting from Regimental
amalgamations announced in the 1991 defence 'cuts'. Of particular interest
was the emblazon for The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)
where we worked very closely with their Regimental Secretary in Inverness
and the President of the Pipes and Drums, 1st Battalion, then stationed in
Northern Ireland. The four antecedent regiments held, between them, a
total of 91 emblazoned Battle Honours - a great many to fit into a small
space! Full-size emblazons were printed first, to fit their side, tenor
and bass drums and these were first seen by the general public at the
Festival of Remembrance, in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen at the
Royal Albert Hall in November 1996. The incredibly intricate design was
then scaled down to fit the 6.5" high drum ice buckets!
Since
then a number of emblazons have been revised, following the announcement
of Battle Honours for the Gulf War in 1991, including the unique Battle
Honour "IRAQ 1991" awarded only to the SAS.
We
were also aware that a few of the emblazon designs were incorrect,
although all would have been originally commissioned by the Regiment or
Corps concrned. Work is currently underway to revise and correct the
emblazon of the Army Air Corps where Regimental Replicas are working with
their Regimental Colonel, following the decision of the Army Air Corps'
Regimental Council that the design must be accurate!
With
all the present-day Regiments and Corps of the British Army included in
our list of designs (with the exception of the Royal Army Veterinary
Corps), we look abroad for further commissions and challenges. Regimental
Replicas' old-fashioned screen printing skills must be retained, to
enable us to continue these unique items. As example, we screenprint the
Royal Marines emblazon in 14 colours to fit their Bands' side, tenor and bass
drums, and we then scale down the emblazon to just 6" x 4" to
make their Bandsmens' March (backing) Cards, seen on their instruments to
hold their music in place.
In the last two years the company has been asked to
produce several new designs for both the military and civilian markets e.g.
Ipswich Football Club, and welcomes new projects and commissions. |