The
Drum Major of the City of Melbourne Pipes and Drums wears a specially made Drum Major
"baldrick" to commemorate the U.S. astronauts who have died in spacecraft
disasters sacrificing their lives to humanity.The Drum Major baldrick is a sash worn over the left shoulder by Drum Majors of
the British, Scottish and Irish Armed Forces to display the battle honors won by the
regiment. The Melbourne Pipe and Drum band's sash is similar to the regiments
baldrick as it also displays the Queen's crown and her reign (EIIR), miniature drum sticks
signifying a trained Drum Major and its badge and coat of arms -- but in this particular
case, the spacecraft and motto, "Florida's Space Coast". Next comes a
scroll that reads, "In memory of the astronauts who sacrificed their lives for
humanity." Underneath the scroll are 18 single scrolls each bearing the name of
an astronaut. It is interesting to note here that a miniature pin bearing the
likeness of the red on yellow Scottish lion is pinned next to Laura Clark's named
scroll. Laura Clark was very proud of her ancestry and had her wake up call on the
Space Shuttle to the tune of Scotland the Brave.
The Astronaut commemorate sash was designed by Joe
Leonard - Drum Major of the City of Melbourne Pipes and Drums.
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