“A single, isolated battle that ranks in magnificence and courage with Guam, Tarawa, Omaha Beach. A story that should be told to the blowing of bugles and the beating of drums for the men whose bravery made the capture of this crossing over the Waal possible.”

“There’s a fine line between bravery and stupidity, which should never be crossed.”

Lewis Pugh (1969) Environmental campaigner, maritime lawyer and endurance swimmer

“daddy says the world is
a drum tight and hard
and i told him
i’m gonna beat
out my own rhythm”

Nikki Giovanni (1943) American writer and academic

“The essence and significance of our devotions here today are not to be found in the fact that the men whose remains fill these graves were brave in battle. If we met simply to show our sense of bravery, we should find enough on both sides to kindle admiration. In the raging storm of fire and blood, in the fierce torrent of shot and shell, of sword and bayonet, whether on foot or on horse, unflinching courage marked the rebel not less than the loyal soldier.”

Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman

“Small wonder that spell means both a story told, and a formula of power over living men.”

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien book On Fairy-Stories

“I had gone to hear the winner of that year's drum and bugle corps competition. That band played a chord that made every hair on my body stand up. I've been in front of great symphony orchestras, and the greatest bands, but I've never had my hair stand up quite like that. That's when I decided to write for the bugles.”

Clare Fischer (1928–2012) American keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader

“Twenty men crossing a bridge,
Into a village,
Are twenty men crossing twenty bridges,
Into twenty villages,
Or one man
Crossing a single bridge into a village.”

Wallace Stevens book Harmonium

“Nothing beats 2 guitars, drum and bass.”

Lou Reed (1942–2013) American musician

“so that the monotonous fall of the waves on the beach, which for the most part beat a measured and soothing tattoo to her thoughts seemed consolingly to repeat over and over again…”

Virginia Woolf book To the Lighthouse

“In a world become blind,
I beat the drum of the Deathless.”

Gautama Buddha (-563–-483 BC) philosopher, reformer and the founder of Buddhism