'The Piper in No-Mans Land'

[Guest mruk]

I came across this piece while looking for the lads of the 10th West Yorks, and thought it would appeal to the Pals with an interest in the Tyneside Scottish. It was taken from The Yorkshire Evening Post, Weds, July 19, 1916 [p.5], and relates to Piper Boyd's experience on the First of July.

'The Piper in No-Man's Land"

Piper A. Boyd, a Newcastle man, claims to be the man who played the Tyneside Scottish into action when the British advance commenced. In his letters to his mother Piper Boyd states: " The only thing the matter with me is, I have a finger blown off, and will be home on leave before long. The only thing that is disabled up to now is the pipes. I got them blown away when I was playing the charge. You would see in the papers about a piper playing in No-Man's Land--that is between our trenches and those of the Germans. It was I. I was playing "Tipperary", and all the boys were singing and shouting. I could see them falling all around me. It was a lucky day for me that I was not blown away. I shall never forget it as long as I live. I have always been told I would go to ____, but I was in it on July 1'

I'm hoping someone can perhaps tell me what happened to Piper Boyd. Does anyone Know?

Kind Regards,

Dave

[SMG65]

Many Pipers played the Tyneside Scottish into battle on the 1st July, 20/290 Piper Major John WILSON won the MM for his actions in playing the pipes as he advanced towards the German lines. His uncle, 20/237 Lance Corporal Piper, Garnet Wolsley FYFE was killed on July 1st as he piped into No Mans Land.

21/230 Piper William Alexander SCOTT piped all the way into the German trenches and was killed, still holding his pipes in the German lines. 21/558 Piper George GRIFFITHS piped to the German barbed wire where he abandoned his pipes and took up a rifle. Piper James PHILLIPS of the 21st had his pipes shattered in No Mans Land, he took up a rifle and then proceeded to bomb the Germans out of their trenches.

22/751 Piper Alexander BOYD wrote this piece from the First Eastern General Hospital in Cambridge to his mother. The newspaper version is not the same as he wrote to his mother but its about 90% there.

He was sent to 3 Casualty Clearing Station on 2nd July with a wound to his hand and then evacuated. I know no more of his war but I believe he survived.

Sean

[Graham Stewart]

Dave,

One if this games research mysteries - no Medal Index Card, not in the N.F. Medal Roll Books. Not a clue what happend to him, although I heard form an inside source some years back that there was a disaster transporting the MIC's to the NA, and thousands were lost when sacks fell to the ground and burst in high winds. To this day NA doesn't know how many cards were scattered to the four winds.

Graham.

[John84]

Dave,

One if this games research mysteries - no Medal Index Card, not in the N.F. Medal Roll Books. Not a clue what happend to him, although I heard form an inside source some years back that there was a disaster transporting the MIC's to the NA, and thousands were lost when sacks fell to the ground and burst in high winds. To this day NA doesn't know how many cards were scattered to the four winds.

Graham.

As Graham advised me before, this must have been the the case for 26/694, Pte. John Tones, 26th Tyneside Irish...for he has no medal index card. He was wounded on the 1st July.

John

[Guest mruk]

Many Thanks Gentlemen,

It seems that the pipes play an important role in the history of the Tyneside 'Scots' and Irish, and I've come across another intersting story while looking through my photocopying. This was covered in the YEP a couple of weeks later. The Y.E.P., Saturday, August 5, 1916. P.5]

'BATTERED BAGPIPES FOUND ON THE BATTLEFIELD

AN HONOURED RELIC REACHES NEWCASTLE

An interesting relic from the Battle of the Somme has been forwarded to Newcastle. On July 7 a Captain of the Royal Field Artillery was passing over what had once been the point of the enemy's salient at La Boiselle. In the mass of debris he came across some bagpipes. The drones had been beaten to pieces and the ribbonsfell to fragments at a touch. There wer signs of human remains at the spot.

There were no means of recognising the Colours of the ribbons attached to the pipes, but a lieutenant was with the captain at the time, and he picked up the only fragment of the pipes that was intact. This portion bore a small silver plate with the inscription--"Presented to the Tyneside Scottish by members of the Union Club [per F. E. Forster], 1914"

It occurred to the captain that the relic should be to the splendid battalion that once owned it, and inquiries were instituted to that end.

The pipes in question were presented by five members of the Union Club, of whom Mr Forster was one. I n response to an appeal by the wife of the commander of the battalion. It is the intention of Mr Forster to have the relic mounted and placed in a suitable case, to be placed in the Union Club'

Unfortunately, I have no further information, but I would really like to know which battalion-unit the pipes belonged to, and whether the bagpipes are still exhibited. Can anyone help here please?

Regards,

Dave

[Graham Stewart]

Yes they belonged to Piper Edward Roland Grieves aged 18yrs of 32 Heaton Rd, Heaton, Newcastle, who died of wounds 6/7/1916. Above is a photo of his grave and his cap badge. I aslo have his VM, original newspaper cutting, and correspondence between famliy and solicitors. Will try and post photo of him in 21st Bn Pipe Band.

Graham.

[Graham Stewart]

Piper Grieves is sat to the extreme left of the photo.

Graham.

[Guest mruk]

Thanks Graham,

I'm not sure how to reply to this, just to say I feel quite humbled.

With Appreciation,

Dave

[PFF]

Try the ROYAL NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS MUSEUM

or the FUSILIERS MUSEUM OF NORTHUMBERLAND

HOpe this helps

[Guest mruk]

Thanks PFF,

You must be telepathic.

Regards,

Dave

[Tom A McCluskey]

Graham and all,

seeing the cap badge with the tartan backing reminds me of Pte T Easton's anecdote in Martin Middlebrook's book The First Day on the Somme, page 256:

When they had been raised in 1914, the Tyneside Scottish had been refused the right to wear kilts. Now each man was given a small square of tartan, immediately christened 'sand-bag tartan', which he could wear behind his cap badge as a tribute to the Tynesiders' bravery. 'One Geordie sat quietly studying the three-inch square of cloth. "Man, we'll have to fight a hell of a lot of battles before we get our kilts!"'

Aye

Tom McC

[Leppings]

Hi.

I notice the tartan attached to the cap badge above posted by Graham - could you tell me if this tartan was different colour for different battalions of the Tyneside Scottish? - I ask because I have an example that has the same 2nd pattern badge (with a pin fastening rather then lugs) but the tartan is of different colour. The example I have, the material has faded some what but appears to be of green and tan and navy blue design (much lighter then the example above).

Andrew.

[Graham Stewart]

Andrew,

The tartans worn by the Pipes and drums were;-

20th Bn - Black & white check plaid, known as the Northumbrian or Shepherds tartan.

21st Bn - Wore the tartan of Campbell of Loudon.

22nd Bn - Wore Campell of Argyll.

23rd Bn - Also wore Campbell of Loudon.

29th(Res)Bn & 84th Training Reserve Pipe Band - Photo's of these battalion seem to show them also wearing a similar checked plaid & kilt to the 20th Bn. However, some years ago I was sent a piece of checked tartan to examine which was actually chocolate & white, as opposed to black and white.

In late 1916 a new Brigade tartan was introduced to replace the battalion tartans, which was known as "Sandbag Tartan" because of it's unusual colour, which was actually khaki and dark green with no other alternating colour. All I actually have regarding it is a coloured sketch of it, done by Norman Farrier, former curator and collector, in his Tyneside Scottish note book.

Would there be any chance of having it scanned an posted here, as it sounds like the above, but I'm unaware of any alternating colour.

Graham.

[Leppings]

Hello Graham.

Please excuse the picture quality as my camera is not too good. Not sure if im attaching the picture correctly but here goes...

[Tom A McCluskey]

Graham,

In the Tyneside Scottish Battalions' histories, does it mention who chose the tartans or for what reason?

In advance, Many Thanks!

Aye

Tom McC

[Graham Stewart]

Tom,

My source for this came from Norman Farriers "Tyneside Scottish Scrap Book", which I got some years ago. He was an avid collector as well as curator of the Northumberland Fusiliers Museum, when it was located at Fenham Barracks. His notes are accompanied by a source, and in the cases of the Battalion tartans his source was apparently Jim Wilson, formerly piper of the 20th Bn, whose father was Pipe Major of the 20th. His other source was one of the Tyneside Scottish Committee Minute Book II, but the notes are sketchy with a brief note and page number.

This latter source was one that I never managed to track down, although I did find "T.S. Committee Book I", Nor did I ever find manage to locate the packing cases reportedly sent by the T.S.Committee to the Imperial War Museum, shortly before the last war, which contained not only their entire records, but uniforms too.

Graham.

P.S.

The tartan pictured above is the "Sandbag Tartan".

[Tom A McCluskey]

That's great Graham,

Thanks Very Much

Aye

Tom McC

[Leppings]

Very interesting - thanks Graham.

Regards

Andrew McGarrigle

[Ghost]

Yes very interesting Graham. Is Norman Farriers still around by any chance? Not that I know of him, but I have a long standing querry regarding the museum at the Guardhouse.

Alan

[Ghost]

The National Archives of Scotland this week opened a new live web site. Here is the link to

Tyneside Scottish Tartans , three varieties shown, including the Khaki and a note about the sandbag tartan.

An unusual colour variation of Black Watch designed during World War 1 (WW1) for Tyneside Scottish Regiment, but regiment disbanded after WW1 and tartan came to be regarded as a district tartan. Sometimes includes blue, sometimes dark brown, sometimes purple and sometimes green. This version based on JCT telephone reading of his Sindex file card 2 Dec 1994. 't'= khaki. Possibly had the nickname of 'Sandbag tartan' (Alasdair Campbell of Airds, Aug. 2005).

Alan

[Yorkshire Dragoon]

Hullo all...

It's been great to read this thread and has heartened me to know that my wifes Great Uncle, 38457 L/Cpl Joseph THOMPSON of the 22 Btn Tyneside Scottish, a Yorkshire man through and through would have worn the tartan and marched behind the pipes.

Even as an Englishman I can appreciate the way the pipes would have helped morale at times of real fear. It really must have put the fear of God into any eneamy!

Tim Bickerdike

[Tynesider]

Piper Alex Boyd is sat front row, second left, next to piper Grieves as you look at the picture.

You may be interested to know there is a rebutal letter written by another wounded TS piper that appeard in the local press a few days later explaining that there were a number of TS pipers wounded and stuck in no-mans land that continued to play and that piper Boyd had no right claiming the piper mentioned in the original was him. I'f I can locate my copy I'll post the full letter.

[AlanCurragh]

Comment from new member Bagpiper1948 via "Report a Post"

I have acquired an excellent set of Peter Henderson Bagpipes that ar stamped (3VBNF). I believe this refers to the 3rd Volunteer Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers. I understand that this Battalion was organized in 1883 from the Tyne-Side Rifles. I also understand that the 3rd VBNF was reorganized in 1908. I do not know, but think that it is likely that the piper or pipe corps for the 3rd VBNF may have coninued in some capacity following this reorganization. Any information would be much appreciated. I would also be happy to forward a picture of the pipes which are being played on a regular basis and demonstrate the exceptional craftmanship of Peter Henderson.

John Quinn

[tynesideirish]

What a fantastic thread. Many thanks to all the contributors. I don't as a rule like to post to defunct or dormant threads but this picture I have is worthy of inclusion.

Nothing known other than the legend to front: Pipers N.F

[ZIL]

There was an article in The Times today.....18.5.20....Bidding War for Somme Bagpipes.A set of pipes attributed to Piper William Alexander Scott went up for auction.

The pipes had been kept in the family after being handed down from father to son.They were sold to a private buyer who put them up for auction.The buyer was anon.

They realised £4.600.00p

Piper Scott 21/ 1230 Tyneside Scottish was KIA ..1.7.16.....no known grave...on Thiepval.

Zil