chaz Posted 1 February , 2020 Share Posted 1 February , 2020 a heads up. BBC2 are showing Pipers from the trenches at 5pm today , documentary about the pipers who led the Highland regiments over the top during WW1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 1 February , 2020 Admin Share Posted 1 February , 2020 Watching now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyacinth1326 Posted 4 February , 2020 Share Posted 4 February , 2020 not just the highland regiments ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 4 February , 2020 Share Posted 4 February , 2020 Was this a new programme, or a repeat of one we discussed at length a while ago? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 4 February , 2020 Share Posted 4 February , 2020 Just answered my own question by looking in the Radio Times: a repeat. Interesting blurb - '2,500 pipers ...served in the First World War. Within a year of signing up, a thousand of them had been killed'. Really? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 4 February , 2020 Share Posted 4 February , 2020 Probably another instance of casualties being confused with killed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 4 February , 2020 Share Posted 4 February , 2020 It seems it’s not known exactly when the piping started prior to an attack but Peter Barton thought it might have started before going over the top. Wouldn’t that forewarn the enemy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Abbott Posted 4 February , 2020 Share Posted 4 February , 2020 3 hours ago, Steven Broomfield said: Just answered my own question by looking in the Radio Times: a repeat. Interesting blurb - '2,500 pipers ...served in the First World War. Within a year of signing up, a thousand of them had been killed'. Really? For the period of the 'entire' Great War there were at least 500 pipers from the British Army, and possibly more who lost their lives. These are men that are documented as having been pipers (whether officially on the establishment as pipers or utilised unofficially as such). There may also have been some others who were killed whilst serving not as pipers but in some other capacity, or who had perhaps been commissioned as officers. As for Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa etc. there were also losses however I am not up on the specific details. But 'within a year of joining up'? I think that's taking the claim a bit far, although perhaps not if we are talking casualties rather than deaths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 4 February , 2020 Share Posted 4 February , 2020 Here is another thread on the programme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 4 February , 2020 Share Posted 4 February , 2020 6 hours ago, PhilB said: It seems it’s not known exactly when the piping started prior to an attack but Peter Barton thought it might have started before going over the top. Wouldn’t that forewarn the enemy? According to the recent book Those Bloody Kilts (and other sources), pipers playing the blokes 'Over The Top' was uncommon. Indeed, apart from, allegedly, the 16th CEF, it was pretty-well unknown after 1915. Certainly, the London Scottish didn't do it - pipers were far too important for morale - meeting units returning from action, concerts behind the Lines, etc, etc - to be set up as targets in an attack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 4 February , 2020 Share Posted 4 February , 2020 Piper Laidlaw is said to have walked along the parapet playing the pipes. Even if he had started piping in the trench, he`d have to stop to get up on top? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyacinth1326 Posted 4 February , 2020 Share Posted 4 February , 2020 (edited) 'Indeed, apart from, allegedly, the 16th CEF, it was pretty-well unknown after 1915'. The Tyneside Brigades of 34 Division were played over the top 1.7.16. Here is some info on 'Aggie' Fyfe. http://www.newmp.org.uk/article.php?categoryid=99&articleid=1632&displayorder=4 Edited 4 February , 2020 by Hyacinth1326 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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