Side Drum bearing Battle Honours of 21 Battalion AIF, used at Ambon and Hainan Island by 2/21 Battalion

Gold painted wood and vellum side drum with steel frame, wires and adjustment screws. A small gold and enamel badge, in the shape of a shield surmounted by a king's crown, is attached to the side of the drum. It bears an enamelled black and red colour patch for 21 Battalion, AIF, and a black and red scroll with lettering '21ST BATTALION ASSN 1914 1918'. Beneath is an embossed list of the battalion's First World War battle honours 'GALLIPOLI 1915, POZIERES, BAPAUME 1917, BULLECOURT, PASSCHENDALE (sic), BROODSEINDE, AMIENS, HINDENBERG LINE, MONT ST QUENTIN, BEAUREVOIR'. A larger engraved stainless steel plate has been screwed to an adjacent panel and reads '2/21 ST. BATTN. A.I.F. presented by 21ST. BATTN. ASSN. 1.2.41.'

This is one of the original drums of the band of 21 Battalion, AIF. Members of 21 Battalion Association presented the drum to 2/21 Battalion in 1941. It was carried by Drummer 'Sam' Kissick at Albury and Darwin. As a member of Gull Force he was captured, together with his drum, on Ambon. He and the drum were later moved to Hainan Island, where the drum was used to play drum rolls at prisoner of war burials.