It is believed that nearly every black family on the Island has had at least one member serve in the Militia Artillery or its offspring, the Bermuda Regiment. In fact, there are those which can trace five generations of unbroken service. Drum major Alfred Furbert is one such example. His grandfather Bill Furbert was a drum major and bandmaster in the BMA until his death in 1951. His father, Llewellyn, and uncle, Maurice, were both Sergeants and also in the BMA band. Both were present at the amalgamation of the Bermuda Militia and the Bermuda Rifles in 1965 which led to the birth of the Bermuda Regiment. Sgt. Maurice was a trombone and Eb bass player, while Sgt. Llewellyn played the bass drum. At one point, as many as nine of his uncles were band members at one time. It was only just last year that his cousin Larry, a base drummer, retired from the Regiment band. Drum Major Furbert who has led the Regiment band for the past eight years, initially intended to volunteer for service. The tumult generated by the hanging of Erskine (Buck) Burrows and Larry Tacklyn in 1977 thwarted that decision, but he was conscripted in 1979.

And in 1981, he joined cousing Larry in the Band. "Both the Regiment and the BMA have given us a legacy we can look back on and be proud of. These are two of the traditions that we can look back on and hold up with pride.'' He said his family connections give him an extra incentive to perform well. "There is a feeling I get every time I wear the uniform that I can only describe as pride. I think that the anniversary should have a high priority in our lives.

We should be talking to our offspring about it because our younger generation do not know their own history. Traditions are very important; they tie the present generation to their past.''