Pipe Major B. M'Donald, Highland Light Infantry.
An ammunition dump having caught fire he went in under heavy machine gun and shell fire and succeeded in dragging out boxes of bombs and throwing them into a shell crater full of water. By this means he stopped the conflagration. At the time he had just been given a commission, and he received for this action the Military Cross.
16094 Pipe Major Young Gilbert, 17th Highland Light Infantry.
On the 1st July, 1916, the battalion crawled up to within 100 yards of the Leipzig redoubt and rushed the latter when the barrage lifted, and held on. The position was a very perilous one, and the C.O. called on the Pipe Major to play to the men. This he at once did and continued doing so, with the most stimulating effect on the battalion. For this action he was awarded the Military Medal.
5495 Piper James Ritchie, 2nd Gordon Highlanders.
On the 14th July, 1916, the battalion had to attempt the capture of the road from High Wood to Longueval. Advancing beyond the first objective they advanced further and tried to dig in, but came under deadly fire from flank and rear. Of the two leading platoons only one wounded officer and five men ever got back. Piper Ritchie volunteered to carry a message to regimental headquarters and bring up reinforcements. He did this twice. He was awarded the Military Medal.
6349 Pipe Major Charles Anderson, 2nd Gordon Highlanders.
Was awarded the Military Medal. His C.O. writes: "Has done splendid work throughout; his cheerfulness and gallantry have been at all times most marked, and he was a splendid example to all until he was severely wounded at Hulluch on 25th September, 1915."
6863 Piper R. Stewart, 2nd Gordon Highlanders.
From the commencement of the war Piper Stewart's gallantry was repeatedly brought to notice and especially during the fighting in October and November, 1914, and at Ypres. He was specially promoted to Sergeant and awarded the D.C.M. and the Russian Order of St. George for bringing up ammunition under particularly trying circumstances at Ypres. He was killed at Loos.
Pipe Major (Sergt. Major) Angus Maclean, 2nd Gordon Highlanders.
Rejoined his old battalion on the outbreak of war and was transferred from the pipes to a company as sergeant major. He was awarded the Military Medal for "conspicuous courage and ability in organising work under very dangerous conditions."
The 2nd Gordon Highlanders in Italy.
In the summer of 1918 the pipers, during the offensive, were attached for duty to the 23rd Field Ambulance. All the wounded had to be carried across a deep and very rapid burn, which was difficult to get across for a single man. These pipers, however, with four men to a stretcher and four more to steady them, and without their kilts and hose, succeeded in getting large numbers of casualties over. They stood in the water for many hours. Subsequently they went out to look for wounded and brought in many more. "But for the work of the pipers and drummers it would have been impossible to evacuate the wounded that night."
Piper George Paterson, 4th Gordon Highlanders.
In the fighting outside Cambrai in November, 1917, Piper Paterson played the battalion into action and charged in three successive waves; he also played it into Cantanig under heavy fire. Here he was wounded. He was awarded the Military Medal.
Piper William Webster, 4th Gordon Highlanders.
In the face of heavy fire during the retirement in March, 1918, repeatedly brought up ammunition to men in the front line. Was awarded the Military Medal.
| Piper | P. Bowie, | } | |
| Piper | P. Paterson, | } | 4th Gordon Highlanders. |
| Piper | R. Prentice, | } | |
| Piper | G. Davidson, | } |
In the Ypres fighting on 31st July, 1917, Piper Bowie rallied the men at a time when things were looking very bad. He was awarded the Military Medal. At the Marne, too, he and Pipers P. Paterson, R. Prentice, and G. Davidson played their companies into action "and the example set by them roused the troops to further efforts to force the enemy from a difficult position and enabled them to gain a great victory."
1985 Piper Charles Thomson, 5th Gordon Highlanders.
At Festubert Piper Thomson showed great courage as an observer, and repeatedly crossed a heavily shelled zone, which was also under fire by snipers, carrying messages to battalion headquarters.
Piper H. Lunam, 5th Gordon Highlanders.
In the action at High Wood on 18th July, 1916, Piper Lunam "very heroically played his company into action in face of heavy machine gun fire and a heavy enemy barrage. He got no official recognition, but the thanks and respect of his comrades who followed him."
10115 Pipe Major J. Howarth, 6th Gordon Highlanders.
During the fighting at Loos Pipe Major Howarth was acting as orderly to the commanding officer, and, in the course of the advance, was wounded in the feet. A shell had burst and knocked over a dozen of our men and he at once went off to give first aid. On the way he saw Captain —— of the 2nd Gordons lying wounded. As, on account of his own wound, he was unable to carry the wounded officer in, he took off his own puttees, wound them round his knees as a protection, took Captain —— on his back and crawled back on hands and knees to our own line.
Pipe Major Howarth had already received the D.C.M. for his gallantry in tending the wounded at Neuve Chapelle. For his action on this occasion he was awarded a bar to the medal.
10700 Piper W. Bannerman, 6th Gordon Highlanders.
In the fighting at Givenchy on 2nd June, 1915, some of the pipers were employed in the ranks. Piper Bannerman was mentioned in despatches for great gallantry in leading a bayonet charge.
Piper (Sergt.) Peter Dean, 2nd Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
When serving in the ranks as a machine gun sergeant he worked his gun alone in an exposed position when the rest of the gun team had all been killed or wounded. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
3162 Piper William Carlyle, 6th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
After a bayonet charge at Festubert on 16th June, 1915, the battalion was lying on the ground under heavy fire. Near the enemy's line was a wounded man. Piper Carlyle crept out on hands and knees to try and bring him in; just as he reached the man and had started to lift him, he was killed. Piper Carlyle was mentioned in despatches.
Piper John Walls, 7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
Was awarded the Military Medal for devotion to duty as battalion runner through the barrages on 23/24th July, 1915.
Pipe Major J. Wilson, 8th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
On the 8th April, 1916, a German raiding party of considerable strength entered our trenches in the Labyrinth after the explosion of several mines which inflicted heavy casualties. Pipe Major Wilson at once organised a counter attack and drove out the enemy. He received a Divisional certificate of gallant conduct.
266 Piper George Shearer, 9th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
When employed as a bearer on 24th May, 1915, brought in a wounded man out of No Man's Land under particularly difficult circumstances, and was awarded the D.C.M.
4627 Pipe Major Thomas Aitken, 10th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
During the fighting at Longueval in July, 1916, although a man of sixty years of age, Pipe Major Aitken, at his own request, acted as orderly to the commanding officer for the whole day; he was ultimately wounded. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal "for conspicuous gallantry on this and many other occasions."
| 6191 | Piper | J. Dall, | } | |
| 2616 | Piper | D. Wilson, | } | 10th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. |
When the battalion attacked Longueval it was met by heavy machine gun fire, which caused very severe casualties. Part of the enemy wire had been left uncut by our bombardment, and this caused momentary confusion in the ranks, as it was very dark. The advance was held up by some ruined dwellings in the streets of the village which had been turned into machine gun nests. Pipers Dall and Wilson at once started playing, and in spite of the noise of shell fire all round them, they succeeded in rallying the men, and in leading an attack which proved to be irresistible. Piper Dall was wounded. Piper Wilson was awarded a mention in despatches.
569 Piper G. Gamack, 10th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
Received the Military Medal for great gallantry in evacuating casualties during the storming of the St. Quentin Canal, Sept., 1918.
Pipe Major Donald Macfarlane, 11th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
In the action of Loos the Pipe Major was employed as a despatch runner carrying messages back from Hill 70. He continued doing this though severely wounded in the arm. He was recommended for the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
| Piper | Charles Hoey, | } | |
| Piper | J. Barnett, | } | 11th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. |
| Piper | T. Wallace, | } |
In the attack at Loos these men all played their companies into action. Piper Barnett was killed while doing so.
Piper Charles Cameron, 11th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
When the battalion attacked Hill 70 on 25th September, 1915, the pipers led their companies and suffered heavy casualties. The 15th Division hung on to the slope of the hill until next day, but ultimately had to fall back, being heavily counter-attacked. The men of different units got mixed up in the hand to hand fighting which ensued, and it was necessary to rally them in their own units. Piper Cameron stood under heavy fire playing, and rallied the men of the 11th. His bravery resulted in his being known in the division as "The Piper of Loos."
598 Corpl. Piper R. Stevenson, 12th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
Many of the pipers of this battalion were employed as scouts, and Corpl. Stevenson rendered particularly good service in this capacity, especially in August, 1918, when, in spite of heavy enemy fire, he went forward and carried out a successful reconnaissance of the wire on the enemy's trenches. For this he got the Military Medal.
139 Corpl. Piper H. G. Latham, 1st London Scottish.
On account of heavy losses at Messines the pipers of this battalion during the early part of the war were employed in the ranks. Corpl. Latham was a crack shot and had got into the final stage of the King's Hundred at the Bisley Camp in 1914. He was accordingly employed as a sniper with much success. He took a prominent part in the bayonet attack at Messines. He was killed at Zillebeke 16th November, 1914. Was awarded a mention in despatches.
Piper Sydney Wilson, Liverpool Scottish.
This man served in the ranks. He was awarded the certificate for gallantry on three separate occasions.
| 290 | Pipe Major John Wilson, | } | 1st Tyneside Scottish. |
| 1525 | Piper George Taylor, | } |
Both these men received the Military Medal for bravery in playing their battalion into action at La Boiselle on 1st July, 1916. The whole of the pipers of this and the 2nd Battalion took part in this, one of the most spectacular attacks on the Somme; and their behaviour was an inspiration to the men. They were exposed to very heavy fire and to every sort of obstacle on the ground, but went on playing after ten pipers had been killed and five wounded. 1525 Piper James Phillips of the 2nd Battalion, after having his pipes shattered, started bombing the German trenches. He was mentioned in despatches.
Sergt. John Macdonald, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.
At Hooge on 8th May, 1915, after a front trench had been obliterated by shell fire, Sergt. Macdonald dug out two wounded men who had been buried, and carried one on his back and assisted the other to a place of safety under very heavy shell and rifle fire. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. In Sept., 1916, he died of wounds.
24011 Lance Corpl. J. Dyce, 13th Royal Highlanders of Canada.
During the Ypres fighting in April, 1915, Corporal Dyce was employed as a despatch runner and had to cross ground heavily bombarded by the enemy. While doing so he was shot through the chest, and became unconscious; on coming to, knowing the importance of the despatch he was carrying, he started crawling in to deliver it at battalion headquarters, collapsing when he arrived there. He was mentioned in despatches.
29327 Pipe Major James Groat, 16th Canadian Scottish.
In the attack on the Vimy Ridge Pipe Major Groat and the pipers of the battalion played them to the attack, Groat accompanying the commanding officer. They had to advance over a mile under terrific fire. On this occasion he received the Military Medal.
Subsequently, in the attack on Hill 70 on 15th August, 1918, he again led the battalion and was awarded a bar to the Medal; and on 2nd September, 1918, at Arras, he got the Distinguished Conduct Medal for a similar action. He had played the battalion through five successful attacks when he was finally wounded.
28930 Piper James Richardson, V.C., 16th Canadian Scottish.
At Festubert in May, 1915, he showed the greatest gallantry in carrying despatches, and also saved a wounded comrade's life. In the attack on the Regina trench on 8th October, 1916, he played his company to the attack. When they got near the enemy's position very heavy wire entanglements were encountered, which took a considerable time to cut through; while this was being carried out Piper Richardson marched up and down outside the wire playing, while the men were falling all round him. When the wire had been cut he continued at the head of his company, and played the "Reel of Tulloch" on the German parapet, followed by the "Deil in the Kitchen" as the battalion started bombing the dugouts. At this moment the Company Sergeant Major was dangerously wounded and Richardson volunteered to take him out. He successfully accomplished this and then said he must go back to fetch his pipes which he had left behind in the captured trench. He never returned and must have been killed. The Commanding Officer[13] writes of him: "I really think his V.C. performance was one of the great deeds of the war. The conditions were those of indescribable peril and terror. The lad's whole soul was bound up in the glory of piping, and he was only taken into action after imploring his colonel with tears in his eyes. Altogether a most wonderful example of high souled courage and enthusiasm."
A year after Piper Richardson's death he was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.
| 28557 | Piper | Alexander M'Gillivray, | } | |
| 29048 | Piper | Allan Cameron M'Nab, | } | |
| 429603 | Piper | George Paul, | } | |
| 466703 | Piper | John M'Allister, | } | |
| 603174 | Piper | Gordon Cruickshank, | } | 16th Canadian Scottish. |
| 467573 | Piper | Alexander Robertson, | } | |
| 737176 | Piper | John M'Lean, | } | |
| 633179 | Piper | Archibald M'Dowell. | } |
The whole of these men received the Military Medal for playing their companies into action on different occasions. No man was ever recommended for reward unless he had played into action on three different occasions, and every man had to volunteer for the duty. As a matter of fact so keen was the competition that lots had to be drawn to decide who should play.
429603 Piper George Paul, 16th Canadian Scottish.
After winning the Military Medal for his gallantry in playing his company to the attack on Hill 70 on 15th August, 1918, Piper Paul went into action at Amiens playing on top of the tank "Dominion." While doing so he was killed. His action on this occasion roused the wildest enthusiasm among his comrades and contributed greatly to the success of the operation.
59224 Corpl. William Currie, 21st Canadians.
On several occasions Corpl. Currie showed extraordinary gallantry in bringing in wounded men from positions in which any attempt at rescue appeared hopeless, on account of the heavy fire brought to bear on any one trying to approach. The last man rescued by Corpl. Currie had been shot by a sniper and was lying in a trench only a foot deep. Currie succeeded in getting him away although he was badly wounded in the process. He was several times complimented officially and was finally specially promoted and awarded the Military Medal. He subsequently got a Commission and won the Military Cross for gallantry.
60115 Piper Hugh Mackenzie, 21st Canadians.
At Hill 70 volunteers were called for to bring in a man who was lying wounded in No Man's Land. Mackenzie was one of three who volunteered to get him; two of these men were killed. Mackenzie was given the Military Medal.
| Piper | W. Brand, | } | 25th Canadians. |
| Piper | Walter Telfer, | } |
In the attack on the Vimy Ridge 9th April, 1917, these two pipers played their companies into action. Telfer was so badly wounded that his leg had subsequently to be amputated, but continued playing, until he fell. Both of them were awarded the Military Medal.
1246 Piper John Macdonald, 1st Canadian Machine Gun Corps.
During an action the attack was held up and most of the teams of the machine guns were killed. Piper Macdonald succeeded in pushing forward to the objective with a gun and held on until dark. He was the last to leave, carrying the gun on his shoulders. For this he was promoted Quartermaster Sergeant, and was awarded the Military Medal.
| Pipe Major Alexander Grieve, | } | |
| Piper J. Waterhouse, | } | South African Scottish. |
| Piper A. Gray, | } |
When the Germans advanced on the Cambrai front in March, 1918, the pipers were frequently called upon to serve in the ranks in various capacities. At Houdincourt they were suddenly required to reinforce a position and piled their pipes on the ground. A shell burst destroyed the whole of the pipes. For gallantry when acting as despatch runners Pipe Major Grieve got the D.C.M. and Pipers Waterhouse and Gray the Military Medal.
Pipe Major J. Robertson, 2nd Auckland Regiment.
The pipers served in the ranks. Pipe Major Robertson received the D.C.M. for conspicuous gallantry at Bapaume.
| Piper | A. Aitken, | } | 42nd Australians. |
| Piper | R. Gillespie, | } |
These men were employed as scouts and both received the Military Medal for valuable observation work prior to the action at Messines in June, 1917.
Brought in contact as Scottish troops have been with those of our Allies it is not surprising that military pipers have attracted the attention of observers and writers who, before the war, knew nothing of their existence. From the early days of the war the pipes, the tartan and the kilt aroused the liveliest interest in France; and perhaps the sincerest tribute to them is the fact that, in their caricatures of the nations, the Germans usually depicted the British soldier as a particularly unattractive Highlander.
At first the French writers were mildly sarcastic about the players of the "cornemuse," and regarded them as an amiable weakness of the comrades of the "auld alliance"; but gradually they discovered that pipes and tartan were the outward and visible signs of a spirit which won their whole-hearted admiration, and then their attitude changed.
Describing an attack by the 51st Division a French observer wrote:
"Resolutely they crossed what seemed to be impossible ground ... they charged to the shrill sounds of the bagpipes ... they charged like heroes of Walter Scott—leurs bonnets à rubans et leur jupes de danseuses."
Though the Breton bignon, the cornemuse, the German dudelsackpfeife are no longer—if they ever were—instruments of war, the instinctive admiration for the pipes remains in the most unexpected quarters; and in France, Flanders, Italy, the Balkans, and even the occupied portions of Germany, "piob mhor" has aroused race memories long dormant. One effect of this is the demand which has recently arisen in Italy for pipes from this country; another is the fact that the French Government have added a painting of a piper by a French artist to the official collection of war pictures.
American observers were often very ignorant of the mysteries of the bagpipe. A writer in the Boston Evening Transcript, after eulogising the piper as a military institution, informs his readers that in the hands of a really skilled performer the strains of the pipes can be heard for a distance of six miles against the wind or ten miles if the conditions are favourable. The writer may have been of M'Crimmon descent, but his enthusiasm exceeded his powers of observation.
One thing is quite certain, viz., whatever their inmost feelings regarding the musical qualities of the pipes, foreigners generally appreciate their military value in war and share the opinion of the court-martial in 1746 that they must be regarded as an "instrument of war."
The Germans certainly were not slow in forming an estimate of the military value of the piper. From a very early stage in the war they learned to associate the instrument with a type of troops for whose mentality, as exhibited in the attack, they had more respect than sympathy, and the piper at once became a marked man whenever he went over the top. The casualties among pipers while playing would of themselves suggest that this was the case; but the statements of officer prisoners show that orders were given to pick off pipers for precisely the same reason as officers commanding platoons or companies.
Even pipers fall into the hands of the enemy occasionally, but they were never allowed to take their instruments with them into captivity. Gradually, as "comforts," pipes were sent out to individual officers and men; and the following letter from an officer of the Gordon Highlanders who was at Friedberg Camp, indicates how popular pipe music became among his fellow-prisoners of the Allied armies.
"Friedberg, 11/1/1917.
Though only a young player I play here every day and do not find people too hostile to me. The Russians, French and even the Germans greet me with great interest and seem to find pleasure in listening to me—though as I said I am no great player; the most unsympathetic are always to be found among the ranks of the "Sassenach." I learnt to play in 1911, on joining my Regiment, under George MacLennan, who was Pipe-Major at that time. While on leave in Edinburgh I used to have lessons with his father—Jno. MacLennan. Up till now I have only attempted "The Glen is mine" and "Struan Robertson" in Piobaireachd, but having been thoroughly taught by the MacLennans I naturally follow their way of thinking. Yesterday I played to a Russian who is a very good player of the piano. He was delighted with the Pipes and I could not play too many tunes for him. Strathspeys and Reels are greatly appreciated by all our Russian friends. Last St. Andrew's Day we organized an Exhibition of dancing which was a complete success. As the Scottish Colony here is so small we asked the Russians to come and help us. This they did right well with dances and songs, the music being provided, in both cases, by "Balalaika," or Russian national instrument. For our part we danced two foursome Reels (dancing two different sets of steps), a Sword Dance and a Highland Schottische. In the latter dance we each took a Russian as a partner, they having been trained up for the event. We sang "Bonnie Dundee," "Lassies of Scotland," "MacPherson," and finished up with "Auld Lang Syne." For the Reels my Russian friend provided the music on the piano. Our costume was of course improvised. Kilt, shoes and hose we had, we wore white shirts with lace cuffs, a strip of tartan fastened with a brooch at the shoulder to do duty as a plaid and a black velvet band with a lace ruffle, falling down in front, round our necks. Our sporrans, with the exception of one which was made out of a local rabbit, all came from home. I had several pretty compliments paid to me by the Russians and French, both on our costume and dancing. Five of us took part altogether. I wonder if it would be too much to ask you to send me instructions for dancing the "Lochaber Broadswords" and the "Seann Triubhas," in case we have the misfortune to pass another St. Andrew's Day here in Germany. If we do we shall give another Exhibition and I would like to be able to vary it. I only know 12 Strathspey steps and 8 Reel steps. Since I have been a prisoner I have taught over 30 people to dance the Reel—including two Frenchmen and one Russian, and at present I have five pupils on the chanter. We are 16 Scots here, so can you say we are losing our national distinctions? I have only told you this because I thought it would interest you."
In Holland, in the internment camps, an organised pipe band was instituted by the writer of the above letter, and consisted of thirteen pipers of whom two were pipe majors.
In preparing this record of the pipe bands of our Armies during the war the opportunity has been taken of consulting pipe presidents and pipe majors as to the present condition of military piping and the manner in which obvious defects might be remedied. Like other experts they exhibit divergences of opinion, sometimes as regards the nature of the defects, sometimes as to the best method of remedying them. In certain matters, however, there is absolute unanimity, and these are deserving of attention by the military authorities.
"Sergeant piper."—Throughout the Army there is, and has always been, a strong objection to the title of "sergeant piper," which in official parlance is employed instead of "pipe major." No one ever calls a pipe major a sergeant piper, except in returns; and withdrawal of this modern and indefensible title could result in nothing but good. As there is no financial aspect involved in the change, it would be a graceful and inexpensive concession to a body of men to whom the Army and the nation owe much.
Rank of the Pipe Major.—On another point there is absolute unanimity of opinion, viz., the rank of the pipe major. As responsible for a band possibly numbering twenty or more pipers, the pipe major ought to have the same rank as a bandmaster. To limit the career of a piper to the possibility of becoming a pipe major with the rank of sergeant is to prevent good men accepting the position; and many a man, seeing he can hope for no advancement, leaves the pipes and returns to the ranks, thus getting a chance of rising to warrant rank.
This question of rank has a most important bearing on the interests of piping generally, and is therefore a national one. As instructor to his men the pipe major should be a first-class performer himself, and this—although the public appear to be unaware of the fact—involves long and assiduous training. It is useless asking a man to attain the necessary standard of excellence for this purpose and to offer him the pay of a sergeant in return. The consequence is pipe majors are not always the best pipers—from the professional point of view—in their units; and this ought to be remedied, even though it does cost the nation the difference between the emoluments of a warrant officer and of a sergeant in each unit.
The Appointment of "Piper."—Another necessary reform, which also has the merit of costing nothing, is the official recognition of "piper" as an appointment. In the Army "drummer" is an appointment, but a piper is a private.
One result of this is that, on mobilisation, all pipers revert to the ranks, excepting six (including the sergeant piper) per battalion. Apart altogether from the special liability to casualties among the "full pipers" when playing in action, it is evident that so small a band may, under the ordinary conditions of modern warfare, be put out of action; and then great difficulty is experienced in raising another band. In many battalions during the war this happened, sometimes more than once; and it is these battalions which are most insistent on the strength being twelve instead of six pipers.
Lowland regiments.—A grievance which cries for remedy at the hands of the War Office is the treatment of pipers in Lowland regiments. The official view appears to be that the existence of the pipes in regiments such as the Royal Scots, the K.O.S.B.'s and others is an unreasonable concession to a sentiment which is vulgarly called "Scotch," but which, though believed to be nebulous, happens to be too strong for the military reformers to ignore altogether. This view indicates ignorance of the history of the pipes and of the Lowland regiments; the one may be pardoned, the other is inexcusable.
It is absolutely certain that Lowland regiments had pipers before the existing Highland regiments were raised at all; and the pipes were a national instrument all over the Lowlands for centuries before there was any Regular Army at all.
This being so it is quite illogical that the maintenance of their pipe bands should be a greater financial burden on officers of a Lowland than of a Highland regiment. The value of the institution, from a military point of view, is the same in both; and pipe bands should be treated as part of the recognised establishment in one as in the other.
Standardisation of military pipe music.—There is one grave defect in military piping which is capable of being remedied quite easily. Anyone who knows anything of piping knows that each individual piper learns his tunes after the setting of some well-known authority, and is for ever after prepared to maintain that that version alone is the correct one. Unfortunately every battalion has its own setting for every tune played in the band and declines to admit the possibility of any other setting being used in any circumstances. Even in the case of distinctively regimental tunes, e.g. "Cabar Feidh," the two Regular battalions of the Seaforth Highlanders play—or used to play, just before the war—different settings of that tune, and a man transferred from one battalion to another had to learn the slight differences which his new unit preferred. The same remarkable individuality exists in every battalion and makes it very difficult indeed to get a number of pipe bands to play even the best-known tunes together without considerable practice.
This is quite wrong. By all means let the individual piper learn and adhere to the setting of piobaireachd by his favourite authority; but to have as many settings of an ordinary march as there are battalions in the Army is not to the advantage of piping.
The remedy is simple enough,—the standardisation of pipe tunes for military purposes, in precisely the same manner as obtains with the National Anthems and trumpet and bugle calls; and, just as no departure to meet regimental custom or prejudice is permitted in the case of these latter, so the setting laid down for the Army in the case of pipe tunes should be strictly defined and adhered to.
The superiority of one setting over another does not enter into the question; what is essential is uniformity.
Many pipe majors have pointed to this standardisation as one of the most important measures to be adopted after the war, in the interests of piping in the Army.
Neglect of Piobaireachd.—It is open to argument whether the military piper does or does not exert a determining influence on the cause of piping generally. Allowing fully for the great value of the recognised societies and the periodical piping meetings throughout Scotland, in keeping up the standard of the national instrument and offering inducements for its study, it will be readily admitted that, by their mere existence as permanent institutions, military pipe bands keep up the cult of the pipes, at home and abroad, to so marked a degree that any decline in their standard must have a deleterious effect on piping generally.
To what extent, then, if at all, is military piping conducted to the best advantage of the cause of piping, and is there room for reform?
It may be taken as generally the case that, in so far as a military pipe band is regarded as designed for duty on the march, and for various routine military musical duties, it fulfils its functions to the satisfaction of all concerned. It is too much to expect the War Office—or even individual commanding officers—to accept the view that neglect of "ceol mor" is not compensated for by a high standard of excellence in the "middle music" and in dances and marches. Individual pipers in every battalion are players of "piobaireachd"; but any one with experience of regimental or garrison piping competitions knows how small is the number of men who enter for that class of event, as compared with performers of the march, strathspey and reel.
The explanation is simple enough—the men play what their audience demands, and "Leaving Glen Urquhart" or "Duntroon" appeals to more people, military or civil, than the finest piobaireachd. Pipe majors, even when themselves anxious to teach their pipers the higher class of music, recognise that to attempt to do so would often be wasted labour—men come to them too old to make piobaireachd players, and, in any case, the opportunities for playing it in the Army are too few to make it worth while trying to get men to go through the initial drudgery. Being human they naturally turn to march and dance music; and the result is that, except in the case of professional pipers who have enlisted, the soldier piper generally ignores altogether the classical side of his music.
This is a defect in military piping, and it should be remedied by insisting that, before promotion to pipe major, a piper should pass an examination in every branch of pipe music.
A school of piping.—The time has come to establish a school of piping for the army at which likely pipers could undergo refresher courses of instruction in all classes of pipe music, in the correct writing of music—a subject which is lamentably ignored, in the theory of music, and in methods of instruction of recruit pipers. In other words it should fulfil the same functions as regards the training of future pipe majors, and the improvement of the standard of playing in the army, that Kneller Hall does in the case of bandmasters and military musical education generally.
No piper should be promoted pipe major until he has undergone a complete course lasting at least six months, and has passed an examination at the end of it.
Such a school should be open to civilian pipers and should become the Macrimmon school of to-day.
The Piobaireachd Society have already decided to institute a memorial to fallen pipers which shall take this form, and to the necessary endowment the proceeds of this book will be devoted. But the army must contribute towards its maintenance.
These Records are not based on military returns, and are therefore not, in all cases, complete. They have been obtained by correspondence with commanding officers, pipe presidents, pipe majors and many others, but the exigencies of war have prevented the information so obtained being absolutely accurate.
In many cases, units, reduced by fighting to mere cadres, have been absorbed into other units and their pipers scattered; in others, the field records of the units themselves have been lost or have ceased to be available; and, in several, correspondence has been abruptly terminated by the correspondent himself being killed or wounded.
In the circumstances it is satisfactory that so much information has been obtained.
1st Battalion.
During the first few months of the war there were very heavy casualties among the pipers, and the band soon ceased to exist in consequence. It was reconstituted in 1916, but was not again utilised in the front line.
2nd Battalion
There were heavy casualties in the Ypres fighting in Oct. 1914, and by the end of March, 1915, practically no pipers remained. The band was subsequently reconstituted, but like that of the sister battalion, was as far as possible saved from further decimation.