The bark of commands and rifle shots will soon be replaced by drum rolls at the Bermuda Regiment.

For Regimental drummers past and present will march into Warwick Camp next month to celebrate Sgt. Wayne Hastings Furbert's 25th Anniversary in the Bermuda Regiment Band.

The Redcoat Reunion -- named after the band's distinctive uniforms -- will take place on December 5 at The Bermuda Regiment Headquarters and Sgt. Furbert predicted that it would be an evening to remember.

"Once a Redcoat, always a Redcoat. We are expecting about 100 drummers to attend,'' he said. "Anything is liable to happen when you get that many drummers together.

"This will be the first time something like this has happened. There have been so many drummers in the band, we really want to get them all together.'' In addition to well known current and former band leaders like Cpl. Horace Gibbons, Maj. Leslie Lowe and Maj. Kenneth Dill, several family members will attend the festivities.

Sgt. Furbert's brother L. Cpl Styles Furbert Sr., his cousin Drum Major Alfred Furbert and his 14-year-old son Stefan are all drummers in the band.

"It is nice to play drums with my father in the band,'' said Stefan who is a volunteer in the Regimental Band.

And the Furbert tradition of military service does not stop with the drums -- Sgt. Furbert's nephew L. Cpl Styles Furbert Jr. is in a rifle company and cousin Warren Furbert is the Regimental Sergeant Major.

"It's a family tradition to serve in the military,'' Sgt. Furbert explained.

"It started with our great uncle William Furbert who was a Band Master with the Bermuda Militia Artillery Band.

"All of his children served in the band and it just filtered down. We just love it and I would almost say that we were born to do it.'' Any former Bermuda Regiment drummers who wish to attend the free December 5 festivities should contact the Band Office at 238-2470.