116-664: The Holyoke Caledonian Pipe Band is a pipe band based out of Holyoke, Massachusetts . Founded in 1910, it is the oldest pipe band in continuous existence in the United States. A regular feature in the Holyoke Saint Patrick's Day Parade since the first in 1952, the band also performs at Smith College's annual commencement, as well as charity and private events. The pipe band was first founded by two Scottish immigrants Bob Ramsay and Jim Robbie, soon after arriving in Holyoke, and
232-477: A biniou braz (Breton bagpipes), a bombarde section, a drum corps , and any additional musical instruments the band wishes to add. Common additions are clarinets, brass instruments (often trumpets or saxophones), guitars, and other forms of binious . Royal Scots The Royal Scots ( The Royal Regiment ), once known as the Royal Regiment of Foot , was the oldest and most senior infantry regiment of
348-547: A feather bonnet . Competition is a primary focus for many pipe bands throughout the world. Every year, mainly in the period from spring to autumn, pipe bands around the world compete against each other at various venues, often at Highland festivals. For many, this usually culminates in the World Pipe Band Championships, held on the 2nd weekend of August. A typical season for many competing pipe bands might include ten or more of these competitions. Europe (especially
464-523: A labour battalion was formed. In total, the Royal Scots raised some thirty-five battalions of infantry and over 100,000 men during the course of the First World War, of which fifteen battalions saw active service. 11,000 soldiers serving in the regiment were killed, and over 40,000 wounded. Among other decorations and honours, the regiment won six Victoria Crosses . The 1st, on returning from India,
580-471: A Medley event, which consists of a short selection of music chosen and arranged by the band. The rules for the medley contest are very open, requiring only a minimum and maximum time frame (between 5:30 and 7 minutes) and a minimum of different time signatures that must be played as well as two 3 pace rolls played at the beginning of the tune (also known as an attack). In addition to performing at 'The Worlds', most internationally competitive bands participate in
696-430: A block colour. In competition, appearing smart in uniform is essential; some competitions have dress codes, for instance certain types of jackets only, ties must be knotted at the collar and so on. Pipe bands often vary the uniform worn, depending on the formality of the occasion. Very formal occasions require jackets to be worn, whereas less formal occasions do not, and only the waistcoat is worn. On semi-formal occasions,
812-884: A cadre in April and disbanded shortly afterward. The 2/10th was originally mobilised as bicycle infantry , but never served in this role. It was the only second-line battalion of the regiment to be sent overseas, moving to Archangel in August 1918, and serving in the North Russia Campaign until June 1919, when it returned to Scotland to disband. The remaining battalions all remained in the UK on Home Service, and did not see active duty. However, six saw significant periods of service in Ireland, where they served as garrison units, and were often involved in local security – armed patrols, mobile columns to 'show
928-434: A constant volume, it is the drum corps which adds dynamic effect to the ensemble by varying the weight of playing and the number of players playing at any given time. While standard practice in pipe bands is for the pipe section to perform the traditional or standard arrangements of the melodies, including gracenotes , drum scores are very often composed by the lead drummer of the band. The bass section (also referred to as
1044-412: A different role in the music. Generally speaking, the pipers deliver the melodic and harmonic material, while the side drummers provide a rhythmically interactive accompaniment part. The tenor drummers provide rhythmic pulses and the bass drummer anchors the rhythms, providing a strong and steady beat. The bagpipers are responsible for providing all melodic material in the music. Generally speaking, all of
1160-556: A few hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor; after bitter fighting, the garrison surrendered on Christmas Day. The newly formed 12th Battalion was disbanded and reformed as the 2nd Battalion in May 1942. In April 1942 the 1st Battalion, Royal Scots was moved to Bombay, and then to Chittagong in December, still with 2nd Infantry Division . It fought in the Burma Campaign , first seeing action in
1276-560: A further four-month tour of Northern Ireland, where three soldiers were lost in a roadside bomb attack. They moved to Münster in mid-1976 as the Nuclear Convoy Battalion charged with the protection of 8 Regiment RCT . In this role, the Battalion was equipped with Land Rovers, a change from the normal equipment used by previous and subsequent NCB units, which were armoured infantry battalions. Returning to Scotland in 1979, C Company
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#17328591751551392-646: A garrison. It was withdrawn to England with the end of the fighting and disbanded at Dover in 1816. The 1st battalion was sent to Ireland after the end of the Napoleonic wars, and stationed there from 1816 until 1825, when it was moved to the West Indies, where it remained until 1835. The 2nd battalion, however, had a more active time; based in India, it was involved in the Third Anglo-Maratha War , where it fought at
1508-550: A local Holyoke mill. From 1962 until today the band has worn the Royal Stewart tartan . Early in the band's history, it inspired the creation of the now second-oldest continuously operating pipe band. The Manchester Pipe Band , was established in 1914 after a visit from the Holyoke Caledonians and their bandmaster, which was said to have inspired several students in that city to start their own. Members of both bands have in
1624-462: A machine gun or mortar platoon , or are Assault Pioneers or as a rifle platoon. (This is similar to corps of drums in an English or Welsh infantry regiment although their tradition of fifes and drums is quite separate from that of the Highland bagpipes). As a result, in addition to being musicians, members of the pipes and drums must also be qualified fighting soldiers. Unlike musicians, who belong to
1740-477: A merge between harmony and melody known as ' counter-melody ' has been aired. A counter-melody is similar to a harmony part, but is distinguished because it has a melodic line of its own. Counter-melody can take a completely different thematic approach and can dramatically change the flow and atmosphere of the melodic unison. This technique is relatively new in the pipe band circuit, and in most cases require skill and timing to achieve in full unison. The drum corps of
1856-406: A midsection) consists of a section of tenor drummers and a bass drummer . Their role is to provide rhythmic support to the entire ensemble. In this respect, the bass section allows the drum corps to delegate their timekeeping responsibilities and allows more freedom in the drum scores. Generally, the bass drum provides a steady pulse, playing on the downbeat and on the strong beats of the bar, and
1972-433: A pipe band consists of a section of drummers playing highland snare drums and the bass section. In the early days of pipe bands, rope tension snare drums were common, but as bagpipe tuning pitches became higher, a brighter tone was demanded from the drum corps. Pipe band drummers now play on drums with very tight, knitted kevlar heads, designed for maximum tension to create a very crisp and strident sound. Since today's drum
2088-462: A pipe band setting can be extremely effective. Pipe band harmony is sometimes referred to as 'seconds', although this simply refers to a second part and not to the interval of a second. In fact, intervals of a second are rarely found in pipe band harmony parts, except in passing. Instead, it is the consonant intervals which are stressed, such as perfect fourths and fifths, and even more commonly, parallel thirds and sixths. In contemporary arrangements,
2204-516: A season of events that are generally held during Scotland's summer months. While events of this type are usually held at Highland Games , band competitions in Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland are often large enough to be held as events unto themselves. The grading and organization of these events is generally consistent with the World Championships and the events are typically administered by
2320-445: A soft harness, or sling, instead of the typical marching harness used by the snare drums, but shoulder harness tenors are now used by several pipe bands. Competing bands must adhere to minimum numbers requirements. Typically, a band must consist of a minimum of 6 pipers, 2 snare drummers, and 1 bass drummer with numbers varying slightly for different grades (see more on grades below). Pipe band uniforms vary from band to band. However,
2436-745: A three-year spell in Germany with the British Army of the Rhine . 1970 to 1974 was spent in Britain as part of the Allied Command Europe Mobile Force, with the battalion undertaking two four-month tours of duty in Northern Ireland. The battalion was then posted to Cyprus in early 1974. Unfortunately, Turkey invaded the island and created the "Green Line", which still partitions the island. During
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#17328591751552552-465: A year, until January 1939, when it became part of the 4th Infantry Brigade , 2nd Infantry Division . Some sources suggest the 1st Battalion was briefly reorganised as a machine-gun battalion during this period. With the re-armament program in the late 1930s, the Territorial component of the regiment was heavily altered; one of the two battalions was converted into an anti-aircraft role in 1938 whilst
2668-516: Is augmented to include additional instruments (such as additional percussion instruments or keyboard instruments), but this is typically done only in concert settings. Pipe bands started in Scottish Regiments of the British Army, in the nineteenth century. The tradition then spread to former British colonies such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, as well as constituents of
2784-539: Is given as to which pitches to use and at which times. The pitches help provide melodic or harmonic accompaniment to the bagpipes; creating a more dynamic flow between the drum corps and the pipe corps. In some cases, five or six tenor drummers have been used, providing a palette of individual pitches for use in a variety of musical situations. The swinging also known as flourishing has developed somewhat into an art form, with drummers playing and swinging in unison or sequential flows. Tenor drums are also still commonly played on
2900-400: Is so facile as a result of its design, players are often able to execute extremely complicated and technically demanding rudimentary patterns. The pipe band drum corps is responsible for both supporting the piping with a solid rhythmic foundation and sense of pulse, often creating an interesting contrapuntal line unto itself. The line played by the drum corps (referred to as the 'drum score')
3016-416: Is usually based on rudimentary patterns and can often be quite involved, with solo, unison and contrapuntal passages throughout. A popular pattern in many scores is for the lead drummer to play a phrase, and the section to play in response. This technique is known as seconds (sometimes referred to as chips, or forte). The drum corps is also responsible for the dynamics of the band. Given that the bagpipes are at
3132-667: The 52nd (Lowland) Division . Whilst the division was mobilising, the 1/7th was involved in the Quintinshill rail crash , which killed 210 officers and men and wounded another 224. They fought at the Battle of Gallipoli before being moved to Egypt in 1916 and serving in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign . They were sent to France in April 1918 for the Second Battle of the Somme , and remained there until
3248-461: The 61st (2nd South Midland) Division and 15th (Scottish) Division in 1918. The 11th, 12th and 13th were raised in August 1914 in Edinburgh, with the 11th and 12th allocated to 9th (Scottish) Division and the 13th to 15th (Scottish) Division , and moved to France in mid-1915. They first saw action at the Battle of Loos , where the 11th was almost wiped out, and spent the remainder of the war on
3364-561: The Anzio Campaign and on the Gothic Line , with the 66th Infantry Brigade , which was part of the 1st Infantry Division . The 2nd Royal Scots were serving in 66th Brigade alongside the 1st Hertfordshire Regiment and 11th Lancashire Fusiliers . In January 1945 it moved to Palestine with the rest of the 1st Infantry Division, where it was active in security duties in October and November, and
3480-590: The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to form the Royal Regiment of Scotland . In April 1633, Sir John Hepburn was granted a warrant by Charles I to recruit 1200 Scots for service with the French army in the 1618–1648 Thirty Years War . The nucleus came from Hepburn's previous regiment, which fought with the Swedes from 1625 until August 1632, when Hepburn quarrelled with Gustavus Adolphus . It absorbed other Scottish units in
3596-658: The Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming , in Edinburgh , Scotland. To be qualified as a pipe major or drum major in the pipes and drums of a regiment of the British Army, candidates must successfully pass a series of courses at the school. The music played by pipe bands generally consists of music from the Scottish tradition, the Irish tradition and the Breton tradition, either in
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3712-468: The Battle of Cook's Mills (1814). In February 1812, the regiment was retitled as the 1st Regiment of Foot (Royal Scots) , the first official appearance of the popular name. Two new battalions were raised in late 1804, at Hamilton , the 3rd and 4th Battalions. The 3rd served in the Peninsular War from 1808 to 1809, fighting at the Battle of Corunna in 1809 before being withdrawn by sea and sent to
3828-444: The Battle of Egmont op Zee in the 1799 Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland , before fighting in the 1801 Egyptian campaign at the Battle of Aboukir and the Battle of Alexandria . Both battalions were subsequently dispatched to the West Indies, the 1st from 1801 to 1812, and the 2nd from 1803 to 1806. The 1st occupied Saint Thomas in 1801, fought at the capture of Saint Lucia , as well as of Demerara and Essequibo in 1803, and
3944-586: The Battle of France . The BEF were heavily hit by the German Army 's breakthrough, however, and fell back towards the coast; the battalion was deployed at Le Paradis , near Béthune , on 25 May to protect the flanks of the Dunkirk evacuation . After being heavily hit by armoured attacks, the battalion ceased fighting on the afternoon of 27 May. The adjacent unit, the 2nd Battalion, Royal Norfolks, had almost one hundred men taken prisoner and later shot by their captors in
4060-551: The Battle of Vinegar Hill , one of the more important engagements of the rebellion. Subsequently, the regiment gained a new regimental song: After the rebellion was over in Ireland they were used in minor raids on the coast of Spain in 1800. Meanwhile, from 1793 to 1801, the 2nd Battalion was based in the Mediterranean. It fought at the Siege of Toulon (1793) and the capture of Corsica (1794), returning briefly to Northern Europe for
4176-620: The Bolsheviks , and returned to Edinburgh in May 1919. The 2nd was part of the 3rd Division , one of the first units of the British Expeditionary Force to be sent to France. It first saw action in the Battle of Mons , and thence at almost all of the major actions on the Western Front , before returning to Scotland in 1919. The 1/4th (Queen's Edinburgh Rifles) and 1/7th mobilised in Edinburgh in August 1914, and were assigned to
4292-686: The Commonwealth of Nations . In addition, a number of other countries have adopted the tradition, notably in areas with Celtic roots: Ireland (circa 1900), Brittany in Northwestern France (1940s), and the regions of Galicia , Asturias and Cantabria in Northern Spain. The pipe band's origins are in the military, but are obscure as contemporary historical regimental records had no direct interest in piping, giving only hints at details. The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association maintains that
4408-655: The General Strike . Under the Cardwell system, it was common for one battalion to remain at home while the other one served overseas, and accordingly in January 1926 the 2nd Battalion moved to Egypt, then to China in 1928. In 1930, they moved to Quetta , then Lahore in 1934, and finally Hong Kong in January 1938. At the same time, the 1st Battalion was deployed to serve in the 1936–39 Arab revolt in Palestine , where it would remain for
4524-733: The Hundred Days , and fought in Picton's Division (the 5th) at the Battle of Waterloo (1815). After two years in the Army of Occupation, it was disbanded at Canterbury in 1817. The 4th was deployed to the Baltic in 1813, being involved with the recapture of Stralsund , and fought in the Netherlands in 1814, where it was captured and exchanged. It was then dispatched to Canada as part of the War of 1812 , where it served as
4640-699: The Le Paradis massacre . Recent research has suggested that around twenty Royal Scots suffered a similar fate. The remnants of the battalion were reconstituted in Bradford in June. After Dunkirk, the battalion spent nearly two years on home defence preparing for a potential German invasion of the United Kingdom . The 1st Royal Scots, along with the rest of the 2nd Division, was sent to British India in April 1942 to train for jungle warfare . The two Territorial Army units,
4756-616: The New Model Army but refused to fund replacements. It remained in France until 1679, apart from a period during the 1664-67 Second Anglo-Dutch War when it was based at the naval dockyard of Chatham . The diarist Pepys met George Douglas in Rochester and recorded that "Here in the streets, I did hear the Scotch march beat by the drums before the soldiers, which is very odde." In 1667, the regiment
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4872-639: The Normandy beaches, and the crossing of the Rhine. The Calgary Highlanders went into action for the first time at Hill 67 in Normandy with company pipers playing; it was the only time the Regiment did so. Military pipers have also served in both Gulf Wars. Pipe bands have long been part of military tradition, most notably in the United Kingdom and its former colonies. Many of the same standard tunes are found in both
4988-658: The Persian Gulf in 1990 for Operation Desert Storm . In 1994, the battalion gained a company of Gurkhas , who were later transferred to The Highlanders . Deployment in the 1990s included a further one-year tour to Northern Ireland. The Battalion was deployed to Bosnia for the first time as part of SFOR in September 2002 for six months prior to their deployment in November 2003 to Iraq as part of Operation Telic for six months, returning to Iraq again in January 2006. Until 2004,
5104-670: The RSPBA , and bands can be downgraded or upgraded at the annual regrading, which takes place at the end of the competition season. A band can apply for downgrading, but will have to compete in two further contests in their existing grade. Because of time constraints, the RSPBA uses "A" and "B" designations in Grade 3, 4, and Novice Juvenile for major competitions. In doing so, bands are grouped based on prior-years' performances, and can receive promotions within their respective grade. These vary slightly throughout
5220-579: The Royal Corps of Army Music , the pipers and drummers belong to the regiment in which they serve and are combat soldiers first and foremost. Pipers in particular uphold a centuries-old tradition of inspiring soldiers in the field and this can be traced back into Scotland's clan system to the 16th century at least. In other parts of the world, military pipe bands are generally part of reserve regiments, and also draw civilian members into their ranks. The British Army runs its own pipes and drums training facility,
5336-719: The Régiment de Dumbarton in 1675, after George Douglas was made Earl of Dumbarton. The 1678 Treaties of Nijmegen required the repatriation of all Scots and English units from France; reluctant to lose veteran troops, this was made as hard as possible. Dumbarton's was posted to the Dauphiné in Southern France before being disbanded and its men prevented from travelling for 30 days thereafter; many chose to remain, while those who arrived in England did so without money or possessions. The regiment
5452-574: The Second Battle of the Odon and Operation Bluecoat . They then fought in the North West Europe Campaign , from Paris to the Rhine , until the end of the war; it entered Belgium in September, crossed the Rhine in March 1945 and advanced to Hamburg by the end of the war. In February 1949, the 2nd Battalion disbanded, leaving the regiment with only a single regular battalion for the first time since
5568-693: The Seven Years' War in 1756, the 2nd Battalion moved to Nova Scotia in 1757, fighting at Louisburg , Guadeloupe and Havana , then returning home in 1764. Until American War began in 1775, both served as garrisons in the Mediterranean , the 1st in Gibraltar , the 2nd in Minorca . Sent to the West Indies in 1781, the 1st Battalion helped capture St Eustatius ; it surrendered at St. Kitts in January 1782 but
5684-505: The Siege of Namur . When the Treaty of Ryswick ended the war in 1697, it was transferred to Ireland. During the War of the Spanish Succession , the regiment served under Marlborough at Schellenberg , Blenheim , Ramillies and Oudenarde . At Malplaquet in 1709, its members included William Hiseland , an 89-year-old reputed to be the last serving veteran of the First English Civil War . Both battalions spent 1715 to 1742 in Ireland, but after this were normally separated. The 1st
5800-424: The Walcheren Campaign with the 1st Division. It returned to Portugal in 1810 with the 5th Division, fighting at the Battle of Buçaco (1810), the Battle of Fuentes de Onoro (1811), the battles of Badajoz , Salamanca and Burgos (1812), the Battle of Vitoria , capture of San Sebastián , Battle of Nivelle , and the Battle of Nive (1813), before advancing into France in 1814. It was sent to Belgium during
5916-411: The first day on the Somme . The 1/6th had mobilised at the same time and been dispatched to Egypt in 1915 for the Western Frontier Force ; it too was withdrawn to France for the Somme. The two heavily depleted battalions were amalgamated in July 1916, and spent the remainder of war on the Western Front as the 5/6th. After the war, it remained in Belgium until January 1919 when it moved into Germany, and
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#17328591751556032-431: The 'bass section' (or in North America as the 'midsection'), and the entire drum section is collectively known as the drum corps. The band follows the direction of the pipe major; when on parade the band may be led by a drum major, who directs the band with a mace. Standard instrumentation for a pipe band involves 6 to 25 pipers, 3 to 10 side drummers, 1 to 6 tenor drummers and 1 bass drummer. Occasionally this instrumentation
6148-491: The 17th century. The 7th/9th (Highlanders) and 8th Battalions were reconstituted in the Territorial Army in 1947. Both battalions remained until 1961, when the latter was absorbed and the single battalion retitled the 8th/9th Battalion. In 1967 this was disbanded and reconstituted as two separate companies, A Company (The Royal Scots) of the 52nd Lowland Volunteers , and A Company (8th/9th Royal Scots) of The Royal Scots and Cameronians Territorials. By 1971, both companies were in
6264-501: The 17th in February 1915, in Edinburgh. The 15th and 16th were assigned to the 34th Division and the 17th to the 35th Division , moved to France in early 1916, and first saw action at the first day on the Somme ; all three spent the remainder of the war on the Western Front. The 15th and 16th were reduced to cadres in May 1918 and disbanded in August; the 17th was based in Belgium after the armistice, and provided internal security in France and Belgium in early 1919, before being reduced to
6380-406: The 1840s, when Queen Victoria's enthusiasm for all things Highland was instrumental in the War Office 's decision that each battalion of the Highland regiments be allowed five pipers and a pipe major, which continues to be all that the British Army provides funds for to this day. Any additional pipers in the battalion pipe band were and are equipped today by funds from the officers' mess fund of
6496-499: The 2nd Battalion was sent to Ireland for service in what would later become the Anglo-Irish War ; they would remain there until January 1922. When the Territorial Force was reconstituted as the Territorial Army in 1920, all seven Territorial battalions of the regiment were reconstituted. At the beginning of 1921, the regiment was formally retitled The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) , and comprised two regular battalions, one Supplementary Reserve battalion, and four battalions of
6612-454: The 2nd, which moved back to the UK; they remained stationed there until 1914. At the outbreak of the First World War, the 1st was in India, and returned to the UK in November; the 2nd was immediately deployed with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), arriving in France on 14 August and seeing action on the afternoon of the 23rd. The Special Reserve had been mobilised, with the 3rd Battalion activated at Weymouth, and all seven battalions of
6728-424: The 4th/5th Battalion, The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) (52nd Searchlight Regiment). It was later transferred to the Royal Artillery in August 1940 as the 52nd (Queen's Edinburgh, Royal Scots) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery. The 1st Battalion moved from Rangoon to Secunderabad in 1922, then to Aden in 1925. They finally returned to the UK in 1926, barracked at Maryhill in Glasgow, where they saw duty in
6844-406: The 52nd Division served with distinction, and then participating in Operation Blackcock and the advance to the Rhine; it crossed the Rhine in March 1945 and advanced to Bremen by the end of the war. The 8th Battalion, Royal Scots was raised on 2 August 1939 as a 2nd Line duplicate of the 7th/9th Battalion. They remained in the United Kingdom as part of 44th (Lowland) Infantry Brigade , alongside
6960-411: The 6th Royal Scots Fusiliers and 6th King's Own Scottish Borderers. The brigade was a part of the 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division , which would gain an excellent reputation in the campaign, and itself was formed a 2nd Line duplicate of the 1st Line 52nd Division. In June 1944, they landed in Normandy as part of Operation Overlord and fought in the Battle for Caen in Operation Epsom and later at
7076-421: The 7th/9th, which was the 7th and 9th battalions merged, and 8th Battalions, mobilised in Scotland in September; the 7th/9th was briefly deployed to France with the 155th Infantry Brigade , alongside the 4th and 5th King's Own Scottish Borderers , of the 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division before the collapse of the French government, but was quickly withdrawn. The regiment raised a fifth battalion in June 1940; it
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#17328591751557192-411: The Arakan operations from March to May 1943, and then withdrawing into India. It later saw action at the Battle of Kohima in 1944 and the Battle of Mandalay in 1945. It was withdrawn to India to rest and refit in April 1945, and moved to Singapore in December. The new 2nd Battalion was moved to Gibraltar in April 1943, and moved to Italy in July 1944, where it saw action in the Italian Campaign , in
7308-442: The Battle of Nagpore (1817) and Battle of Mahidpur (1818), and in the First Anglo-Burmese War of 1824–26. It moved to Scotland in 1830, and to Canada in 1836, where it was involved in the Rebellions of 1837 . The regiment fought at the Battle of Saint-Denis (1837) , but was running low on ammunition as the British officers had underestimated the amount of insurgents, and with the enemy beginning to flank, Colonel Charles Gore gave
7424-399: The July 4th parade of 1910, with 8 pipers, 2 snares, and a bass drummer led by pipe major Ramsay, who went on to serve the band in this capacity until 1930. In their first appearance the pipe band wore no special uniforms or tartan. Within the next year the band had taken up the Ramsay Tartan , which it wore until 1935 when the Gordon tartan was adopted, as this tartan was readily produced by
7540-406: The November 1688 Glorious Revolution ; Dumbarton followed him into exile and one of William's subordinates, Frederick Schomberg , was appointed Colonel. While awaiting transport from Ipswich to Flanders , it mutinied on 15 March 1689, a combination of not being paid and dislike at being commanded by a foreigner. However, the mutineers were treated with leniency and later agreed to the move. At
7656-488: The Swedish army, as well as those already with the French and by 1635 totalled around 8,000 men. Sir John was killed in 1636 and succeeded as Colonel by his brother George, then, after his death in 1637, Lord James Douglas ; following the custom of the time, the unit became known as the Régiment de Douglas . James died in a skirmish near Douai in 1645 and was replaced by his elder brother Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus , who remained in Scotland and had little contact with
7772-496: The Territorial Force had mobilised and raised an additional second-line battalion by the end of 1914. A further seven battalions of the New Army were formed in 1914, including two Pals battalions By the end of 1914, the regiment stood at a strength of 24 battalions; another six Territorial battalions and three New Army battalions (one of bantams ) were formed in 1915. In 1916, one service and one reserve battalion were formed by merging depleted Territorial battalions, and in 1917
7888-444: The UK and Ireland), North America, Australia, and New Zealand have active competitive pipe band communities, but there are competing bands from throughout the world. Since 1930, when the Scottish band association (today known as the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association or RSPBA) was formed, there has been a World Pipe Band Championship competition, known as 'The Worlds' held annually in Glasgow during August. For competitive bands,
8004-454: The Western Front. The 11th and 12th moved to Germany after the armistice; the 12th was reduced to a cadre in April 1919 and disbanded in the UK in June, whilst the 11th was reduced to a cadre and disbanded at Cologne in November. The 13th remained in Belgium, being reduced to a cadre in March 1919 and disbanded in the UK in June. The 15th was raised in September 1914, the 16th (which came to be known as McCrae's Battalion ) in December 1914, and
8120-435: The Worlds are awarded in the following nine categories: In the Novice Juvenile and Juvenile categories, band members must be under the age of eighteen, with the exception of one "adult" player, often an instructor, who may serve as the Pipe Major or Pipe Sergeant. The remaining categories have no age restriction, and are instead based on proficiency. Grading and eligibility are overseen by the National Council and Music Board of
8236-420: The action of moving service families and holidaymakers to safety from Limassol , Piper Malcolm Halliday played at the roadside becoming known as "The piper of Cyprus". This had put the Regiment on a war footing and they were involved in riots attacking RAF Akrotiri and protection of the Sovereign Area Base of Episkopi . They were relieved in early 1975 returning unexpectedly to Kirknewton near Edinburgh and did
8352-583: The ambitious Childers Reforms were passed by the War Office. Among many changes was the merger of the many numbered regiments of foot into un-numbered 'county regiments'. Because the regiment already had two battalions, it fared much better than the many other regiments which lost their identities and merged into new two-battalion regiments. Under the February 1881 proposals, the regiment was due to be redesignated as The Lothian Regiment (Royal Scots) , however under
8468-472: The battalion. By this time, pipers were already playing together with drummers, probably modelling themselves on the fife and drum bands which had existed in Switzerland since the 15th century. Drumming itself is as ancient as the concept of formed military units, and their original purpose on the battlefield was to signal tactical movements and keep cadence on the march. By the time World War I broke out,
8584-717: The battalions of the 52nd Lowland Volunteers, and though the Royal Scots name was retained in the title the regiment no longer had a Territorial Army element. The 1st Battalion briefly saw service in the Korean War in 1953, as part of 29th Infantry Brigade ; after a brief spell in Egypt, they deployed to Cyprus from June 1955 to February 1956. They then spent two years in England, two in Berlin , one in Scotland, two in Libya , and four in England. In 1964, they deployed to Aden , then back to England and
8700-402: The capture of Guadeloupe in 1810. The 2nd then moved to India, where it would remain until 1826, whilst the 1st was sent to Quebec with the outbreak of the War of 1812 . It fought in the battles of Sackett's Harbor and Buffalo & Black Rock , as well as the capture of Fort Niagara (1813), the battles of Longwoods , Chippawa , and Lundy's Lane , along with the Siege of Fort Erie and
8816-601: The depot battalion and the 2nd moved out to India. With the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Boer War , the 1st was quickly earmarked for service in South Africa, and sailed in late 1899. It remained there until 1903, being joined by the 3rd from 1900 to 1902 – the first time a non-regular unit of the regiment had been activated. The bulk of the time in South Africa was spent patrolling and in mobile columns, with neither battalion engaged in any major battles. The 2nd battalion
8932-429: The divisional pioneers , and disbanded in March 1919 at Haddington The 1/9th mobilised at Edinburgh in August 1914, and moved to France in February 1915 with the 27th Division ; when this moved to Salonika in November they remained in France, transferring to the 5th Division , and then to Third Army reserve. They were assigned to the 51st (Highland) Division in March 1916, with whom they fought for two years, then to
9048-465: The end of the war. Both battalions were reduced to a cadre in March 1919, and returned home to disband in May. The 1/5th (Queen's Edinburgh Rifles) mobilised in Edinburgh in August 1914, and were assigned to the 29th Division . A poignant Christmas card was produced by the Edinburgh artist Walter Balmer Hislop who served with 'D' Company of the 5th (QER) Battalion . They fought at the Battle of Gallipoli , then to France via Egypt, and saw action on
9164-417: The exploration of non-traditional repertoire, and serves as another means by which piping and drumming can present itself to the public in a modern fashion. A lesser-known type of pipe band that has already expanded the pipe band genre is the bagad , a Breton cultural phenomenon. Bagads began in the thirties to counter the widespread decay of the living Breton folk tradition. A modern-day bagad consists of
9280-448: The final July reform, the regiment became The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment) . Under the previously mentioned reforms, the regiment became a county regiment, encompassing the following: City of Edinburgh ( Midlothian ), Haddingtonshire (East Lothian), Linlithgowshire (West Lothian), and Berwickshire (later transferred to the King's Own Scottish Borderers on 1 May 1887). In addition to
9396-474: The first examples to survive. On its return, the unit was renamed His Majesty's Royal Regiment of Foot in June 1684. When James II succeeded Charles in 1685, the regiment fought at the decisive Battle of Sedgemoor that ended the June Monmouth Rebellion ; a second battalion was raised in March 1686 and posted to Scotland. It was the only unit where the majority remained loyal to James during
9512-506: The flag', and the like. The regiment was reduced sharply in size following the Armistice ; during 1919, the 3rd Battalion disbanded, as did all bar one of the Territorial battalions (the one exception being the 2/10th, which was finally disbanded in February 1920). In September 1919, the 1st Battalion again embarked for imperial service, taking up garrison duties in Rangoon , and in August 1920
9628-465: The form of traditional folk tunes and dances or popular music that has been adapted for pipes. Examples of typical pipe bands forms include marches, slow airs , jigs and reels , and strathspeys . In recent years there has been a great deal of emphasis placed on new forms, especially the suite . A good example of a suite for pipe band is Don Thompson's composition Journey to Skye (1987). In conventional pipe band music, each section of instruments has
9744-431: The governing Pipe Band Association . In addition to the World Pipe Band Championships, the RSPBA also typically hosts four other major championships throughout the year. These are the Scottish, British, UK, and European Pipe Band Championships. Despite their naming, these events are not limited to entrants from the region after which they are named and it is common for bands from outside these regions to enter. Prizes at
9860-399: The jacket is not worn, but a long-sleeved shirt is worn under the waistcoat. This increases the formality of the outfit, but decreases the comfort. On occasion, no waistcoat is worn, in which case the shirt sleeve must be of long length. Pipe Major uniforms are usually different, to distinguish them from the other members of the band. More traditional highland dress may be worn, sometimes with
9976-653: The line of the British Army , having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I . The regiment existed continuously until 2006, when it amalgamated with the King's Own Scottish Borderers to become the Royal Scots Borderers , which merged with the Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment) , the Black Watch , the Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) and
10092-455: The military and civilian pipe band repertoires, and many similarities exist in terms of musical style, historical and musical influences, and dress and deportment. Military bandsmen as full time musicians in British Army bands are normally required to take on a secondary role in the battlefield as medics. However, in most cases, soldiers in the pipes and drums in a Scottish or Irish infantry regiment are fully trained infantrymen who constitute
10208-512: The newly renamed Territorial Army, all four of which were activated during the 1921 coal strike. In January 1922, reductions in the military led to the amalgamation of the Territorial component into two battalions. The three battalions not retained in 1921 were converted to support units outside the regimental structure. The 4th/5th Battalion was later, in 1938, transferred to the Royal Engineers and converted into an anti-aircraft role, becoming
10324-463: The order to withdraw. A move to the West Indies in 1843 was complicated by half the regiment being shipwrecked and delayed several months, but was successful, and the regiment finally returned to Scotland in 1846. Both battalions saw active service in the Crimean War , with the 1st fighting at the battles of Alma and Inkerman (1854), and both fighting in the Siege of Sevastopol (1854–55), where
10440-399: The origin of military pipe bands are traced back to the early 1800s as soldiers tasked with keeping pace and morale on long marches with their respective regiments. The global spread of piping can also be directly attributed with British colonial expansion. Pipers and drummers in the employ of the British Army and Scottish emigrants brought with them traditional music and the culture surrounding
10556-527: The other formed a duplicate 8th Battalion on 2 August 1939. At the outbreak of the Second World War on 3 September 1939, the 1st Battalion, Royal Scots was at Aldershot as part of 4th Infantry Brigade , alongside the 1st Border Regiment and 2nd Royal Norfolk Regiment , 2nd Infantry Division ; accordingly, it deployed to France with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). It moved to Lecelles in September, and in May 1940 moved into Belgium during
10672-664: The past competed jointly in Scotland in the Cowal Games . Pipe band A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers. The term pipes and drums , used by military pipe bands is also common. The most common form of pipe band consists of a section of pipers playing the Great Highland bagpipe , a section of snare drummers (often referred to as 'side drummers'), several tenor drummers and usually one, though occasionally two, bass drummers . The tenor drummers and bass drummer are referred to collectively as
10788-543: The pipe band represented a popular image of Scotland, both internally and externally. Military pipers were killed and injured in significant numbers in the Great War, before the practice of playing in the trenches was banned. The ban was often not observed; Canadian piper James Richardson was awarded the Victoria Cross for playing in action in 1916. Pipes have occasionally played into battle, notably at El Alamein , Dieppe ,
10904-471: The pipers play a unison melody on their chanters , with their drones providing the harmonic support and filling out the sound. When harmony is written within the pipe section, it is usually a two-part harmony, and is usually scored in a 2:1 ratio (with two-thirds of the players on the melody and one third of the players on the harmony part). Because of the limited range of the chanter, the harmonic possibilities are somewhat limited, but well-written harmony in
11020-462: The practice. It is known that pipers served in regiments from the earliest times; the Royal Scots have records referring to pipers dating back to the early seventeenth century. During this time, soldiers specially employed as pipers were employed by the officers of the regiments as private pipers, although countless others were certainly trained in piping while serving. This situation continued until
11136-584: The regiment's first VC was won. After the war, the 1st battalion moved to Ceylon in 1857 and thence to India, returning home in 1870, whilst the 2nd battalion moved to Hong Kong, and saw action in the Second Opium War , fighting at the capture of the Taku Forts (1858) and Pekin (1860), and returning home in 1861. In 1881, following comprehensive reforms following the Crimean war ( Cardwell Reforms of 1870 ),
11252-501: The regiment, other than supplying recruits. In 1653, he assigned the Colonelcy to his younger half-brother, George Douglas, later Earl of Dumbarton . In 1660, Charles II was restored as king; in January 1661, Douglas's was sent to England in response to Venner's Rising , an attempted coup by Fifth Monarchists . The revolt was quickly crushed and it returned to France, since the recently elected Cavalier Parliament quickly disbanded
11368-481: The start of the 1688–1697 Nine Years War , Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Robert Douglas commanded the first battalion at the Battle of Walcourt in 1689. After Schomberg was killed in Ireland, he was promoted Colonel in July 1690. The second battalion arrived from Scotland in 1690 and both battalions fought at the Battle of Steenkerque in 1692, where Sir Robert was killed. They then fought at the Battle of Landen in 1693 and at
11484-478: The tenors support that pulse, often adding supporting beats, accents and dynamic interest. Tenor drums in their modern form are a relatively new addition to the pipe band. While pipe bands of the past would often include tenor drummers, they would usually be "swinging tenors", players who would swing their sticks for elaborate visual effect but who would rarely play. They are more known as flourishing tenors. Today's tenor drummers play pitched drums, and careful thought
11600-459: The title of World Champion is highly coveted, and this event is seen as the culmination of a year's worth of preparation, rehearsal and practice. Traditionally, the entirety of the World Championships had taken place on one day in August, on Glasgow Green . However, in more recent years, the competition has been spread over Friday and Saturday, with Friday hosting a qualifying event for the Grade 1 final. Typically, several hundred bands attend across
11716-458: The two days, traveling from all over the world. Bands arrive early and, in most grades, are required to perform in a qualifying round which takes place in the morning. The top bands at the end of the qualifying round play in a second event in the afternoon to determine an aggregate winner. To win, Grade One bands must perform in two events, a March, Strathspey & Reel event (known as a "set" or "MSR") which consists of three pre-arranged tunes, and
11832-461: The two regular battalions and depot, the regiment now took control of the various militia and infantry (rifle) volunteers based in the above counties. This left the regiment with the following structure: In 1881, the 1st was in the West Indies; it moved to South Africa in 1884, when it saw action in the Bechuanaland campaign, and remained there until 1891, when it moved back to the UK to serve as
11948-417: The typical uniform consists of a glengarry (cap), shirt, tie, waistcoat (vest), jacket, kilt , hose and ghillie brogues . Many pipe bands wear a tartan that may reflect the area the band originated from or the history of the band. Jackets and waistcoats are usually black, and shirts are often short-sleeved for comfort. Each band also has its own tie, which can match the kilt tartan, or is sometimes merely
12064-699: The world. For example, in the Republic of Ireland and North America, Grade 4B is known as Grade 5, and in Australia and New Zealand there is no Novice grade at all. Many pipe bands perform in parades and other public events as a primary activity. These bands are sometimes referred to as "street bands" or "parade bands". Some military bands fall into this category as well, playing for regimental functions in lieu of, or supplemented by, competitions and/or concerts. In recent times, concert performances have become increasingly popular. The purely musical nature of these venues enable
12180-790: Was accused of looting after the Raid on the Medway and ordered back to France; while awaiting transport, over 700 of the 1,500 men deserted. During the 1672-74 Third Anglo-Dutch War , Douglas's was part of the British Brigade that fought with the French, commanded by the Duke of Monmouth . It served in the Rhineland throughout the Franco-Dutch War , even after the Anglo-Dutch war ended in February 1674; it became
12296-574: Was based in Flanders during the War of the Austrian Succession , where it fought at Fontenoy in 1745. After returning from Puerto Bello in 1743, the 2nd helped suppress the Jacobite rising of 1745 , before being posted to Ireland once again. In the army reforms of 1751, the unit was ranked as the most senior infantry line regiment and titled the 1st (Royal) Regiment of Foot . On the outbreak of
12412-536: Was created as the 50th (Holding) Battalion in June 1940 where it would 'hold' men who were medically unfit, temporarily homeless or on a course etc. but redesignated the 12th Battalion in October 1940. Also raised were the 10th and 11th ( Home Defence ) battalions, raised in late 1939 specifically for defensive duties in the United Kingdom. Both battalions, like most others of the same type, would have consisted mainly of older and less fit men, with previous military experience, together with younger soldiers. The 11th, however,
12528-528: Was detached as 'C Battalion' providing administrative support to the Edinburgh Tattoo. In 1980, they undertook a two-month tour in Northern Ireland, and moved there under 39th Infantry Brigade in 1981 for a two-year deployment. In 1983, they returned to Kirknewton for two years and during this time they were deployed to the Falkland Islands for four months. In 1985, they returned to Germany, deploying to
12644-469: Was disbanded in 1940 and, in 1941, the 10th dropped the 'Home Defence' subtitle and was redesignated as the 30th Battalion but was disbanded in 1943. Most of 1941 passed without active duty for the regiment, and with growing concerns about the stability of the Far East, the 2nd Battalion, still based at Hong Kong , moved into defensive positions around the colony. On 8 December, the Battle of Hong Kong began
12760-579: Was initially connected to the Holyoke Caledonian Benefit Club. The Caledonian club, established in 1879, was a benefit society dedicated to granting charity to their fellow Scots "in times of sickness and distress" and for the cultivation of Scottish culture , through the promotion of literature and the arts. The band would hold regular rehearsals on the top floor of their namesake Caledonia Building in downtown Holyoke until 1966. The band would make its first official appearance in Holyoke in
12876-558: Was later exchanged. The 1st Battalion had returned to the West Indies as a garrison in 1790, and served there until 1797, with a brief period of combat in the Haitian Revolution . The West Indies were hotbeds of disease, and the battalion lost more than half its strength to disease in this period. It was reformed from militia volunteers in Ireland in 1798: This year saw a major rebellion erupt in Ireland after years of simmering tension. The Lothian Fencibles fought with distinction at
12992-674: Was listed on the English military establishment as the First Foot or Royal Scots , a temporary measure during the Exclusion Crisis of 1679–1681. Four of its twenty-one companies joined the Tangier Garrison in April 1680, with another twelve in September. It was awarded a battle honour for 'Tangier' in 1908, but the colony and its garrison was evacuated in 1684. A war diary for 1680 was kept by its commander, Sir James Halkett, allegedly one of
13108-419: Was placed in the 27th Division , a division made up of regular units that had been recalled from garrison duty, and arrived in France in December 1914. It saw combat in the action of Saint-Éloi and throughout the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915, before the division was withdrawn and moved to Salonika in November, where it spent the rest of the war It was sent to Georgia in December 1918 for operations against
13224-620: Was posted in India in 1891, and stayed there until 1909. The battalion had various postings around the sub-continent, including Poona until late 1902 when it moved to Kamptee . In 1908, the Volunteers and Militia were reorganised nationally, with the former becoming the Territorial Force and the latter the Special Reserve ; the regiment now had one Reserve and seven Territorial battalions. The 1st moved back to India in 1909, relieving
13340-424: Was reduced to a cadre in October 1919 and sent home to be disbanded. The 1/8th mobilised at Haddington in August 1914, and arrived in France in November – the first Scottish territorial unit to arrive in France – with the 7th Division , though they did not see action until the Battle of Neuve Chapelle . After the Second Battle of Ypres , in August 1915, they were transferred to the 51st (Highland) Division as
13456-644: Was then redeployed to the Suez Canal Zone in December 1945. The 7th/9th Battalion was still part of the 155th Infantry Brigade and was attached to the 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division, which was trained for mountain warfare and airlanding operations, but was never used in this way. In October 1944 they moved to the Netherlands , fighting in the Battle of the Scheldt as part of the First Canadian Army , where
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