Our People in WA
Ray Hingston - Army drum major marches to a new beat
Ray Hingston has marched a long way since joining the Army Cadets in the Perth suburb of Girrawheen. The 37-year-old leads the Australian Army Adelaide Band.
The former Girrawheen Senior High School student loves marching so much he privately commissioned his own ceremonial drum-major staff. Adelaide will get to see it for the first time on Anzac Day when Warrant Officer (WO) Hingston leads the Band as Drum Major for the Australian Army Band Adelaide.
WO Hingston is new to Adelaide as he takes up his position as the Band Sergeant Major.
On Anzac Day he will be proud to display and use the staff that was five years in production. A gift from his wife, the staff was made by Melbourne jeweller Ken Gray, a founding member (and fellow) of The Gold and Silversmiths Guild of Australia.
Ken has combined elements of the Australian Flag, the Australian Army, the Australian Army Band Corps and the symbol of the monarchy in his design of this piece. The staff features a sterling silver Lyre bird gilded in yellow gold, the Corps symbol, with wings sweeping dramatically upwards to the gilded title ‘Australian Army Band Corps’. Also featured are the five stars of the Southern Cross with the Army Rising Sun badge. Overarching the dome is the seven pointed Commonwealth Star, topped with a crown set with red, green and white gems, representing the colours of the Corps.
While this is the staff’s first public appearance in Adelaide, it has already been demonstrated in a marching display for the King of Tonga’s Birthday in 2011 and has regularly appeared at Kapooka for the weekly graduation ceremonies of the Army Recruit Training Centre. Whilst in Tonga, the staff was the envy of Drum Major’s from other countries represented there for the King’s birthday Parade. The staff has been evaluated by an approved valuer for the Australian Government Cultural Gifts Programme. Ray is proud and honoured to wield such an iconic item in front of his own members and before the public.
As an ornamental item, the staff was initially displayed at the Australian Gold and Silversmiths guild Exhibition in 2010 shortly after it was completed. Here it was well received and acknowledged for its individual, distinctive and exceptional design.
WO Hingston said the piece is a wonderful symbol of collective Aussie endeavour.
“It has been designed and created by Australian artisans, displaying uniquely Australian motifs with particular significance for the Australian Army Band Corps,” he said.
“All those who view it recognise it not only as a work of exceptional art but also as a meaningful, important and significant piece of Australian Army memorabilia. On parade, its functions may be seen as the equivalent of a conductor’s baton. It leads music. Here is an object d’art that is unique and is unlike other army memorabilia or “trophies”, in that is not directly war or battle related,” he said.
“It is a positive symbol of the people, the serving and retired members of the Australian Army that have served and continue to serve our nation,” WO Hingston added.
And, when feeling brave and the sun’s not shining in his eyes, WO Hingston not only twirls it but may even toss it in the air.