51HD PIPING & DRUMMING
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| Massed Bands at Aldershot 1939 |
While drummers have had an established place in all British infantry from the raising of the first regiments, the bag pipes had a special place in the Scottish Regiments.
"Like the clans before them, the Highland regiments treated the music of the Great Highland Bagpipe as a normal part of regimental life in war and peace. The pipers were expected to play on the march, to rouse the spirits of men in battle, and to provide music off duty."
Taken from Queen's Own Highlander (Seaforth & Camerons)
"An Illustrated History" by Angus Fairrie.
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| Massed Bands at Aldershot 1939 |
While the establishment of pipers varied over time, a pipe major for each battalion and at least one piper per company has usually been recognised. Unlike military bandsmen (as distinct from drummers) who are military musicians with a secondary military role (usually medics), pipers and drummers are soldiers first and pipers and drummers second. They were integrated into companies, fought with them and were brought together to perform.
This section, as it develops, will cover the pipers and drummers, their music and the part that they played in the 51st Highland Division.
> We aim to publish more content here in early 2010...
Two pictures of the Massed Pipes and Drums of the 51st Highland Division in Aldershot in 1939 from the collection of Pipe Major A Duthie, formerly The Black Watch.