Barrow man reunited with his marching drum 64 years later

David Wallis, 81, started his journey as a drummer for Barrow Sea Cadets in 1959 when he was 15 years old. His collaboration with the band would come to an end at the age of 17.

However the paths between the marching bass drum and David crossed again this month when he played them again.

READ MORE: Piece of Barrow maritime history restored on national television

The drum was restored in 2021 by percussion expert Pete Woods on the BBC One programme The Repair Shop.

He got his first job at the very same manufacturers in London that produced the drum - though sometime later than when it was produced.

Mr Wallis was invited by the Barrow Sea Cadets to have a look at the restored drum on the band's practice night. He said the feeling of playing them again was 'amazing'.

Mr Wallis playing drums after 64 years (Image: Submitted)

"I could not believe it. I never thought that would happen," he said. "I actually played the tune. It just came back to me."

Mr Wallis joined the Sea Cadets in Barrow when he was 12. Due to the weight of the drum, he was only able to join the band at 15.

When he was in the band, there were eight people on the drums and six on the burgles.

The drum was repaired on The Repair Shop (Image: Mail archive)

He said: "At the time the Barrow Sea Cadets was the thing to join and it was a fantastic group. When I joined the Sea Cadets and then the band there were three of us leading the parade: me on the bass, another lad on the side drum who led the parade and there was another lad with the mace.

"When everybody stopped playing I had to carry on beating the march so everybody marched to my beat.

"It was amazing leading the parades to the Cenotaph."