BATTLE’S O’ER & VE Day 75 – FRIDAY, 8TH MAY 2020

Bruno Peek Pageantmaster VE Day 75 has sent this…

We would be most grateful if your publication would assist us in encouraging every pipe band throughout the world to take part in the playing of Battle’s O’er and VE 75 Years, a new tune that has been especially written for this historic occasion next year.

Pipe bands are being asked to take part in VE Day 75, being organised to commemorate/celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the end of the war in Europe at 3pm on 8th May next year, officially announced by Prime Minister Winston Churchill at 3pm on 8th May 1945, from the Cabinet Office, 10 Downing Street, London, but not forgetting, and still remembering those still in conflict until VJ Day on 15th August 1945.

The aim is to have 5,000 Pipers play Battle’s O’er and the new tune (below) entitled VE Day 75 years especially written for this historic anniversary by Pipe Major Roger Bays, City of Norwich Pipe Band, to enable individual pipers around the world to pay ‘tribute’ to the several thousand brave pipers that either died or returned home dreadfully wounded during, or after the war ended.

This will be the first time in living memory that this number of pipers have ever come together at one given time, at individual locations around the world to pay tribute to pipers that gave so much to ensure we all enjoy the freedom we all share today.

HM Government in the UK, have designated 8th May 2020, as a public holiday to enable as many people as possible to take part.
Pipers could take part as a band, or at individual locations of their choice at 3pm on 8th May next year. Bands/pipers wanting to participate in this unique event are being requested to register their involvement on the Battle’s O’er page of VE Day 75 website – www.veday75.org to enable us to keep in touch with them, as well as informing the world’s media of their involvement nearer the time.

Those pipers at school, having to work or on holiday abroad that day, are being asked to take their pipes with them so that they can stop what they are doing at 3pm and undertake the playing of Battle’s O’er and VE 75 Years.

You will be interested to know that we have four pipers climbing to the top of the four highest Peaks in the UK – MOUNT SNOWDON – Wales, BEN NEVIS – Scotland, SCAFELL PIKE – England and SLIEVE DONARD – Northern Ireland, to undertake the playing of these two tunes that afternoon, as their personal tribute.

A number of pipers are also playing at WW II Concentration Camp sites in Germany and Poland and we have a piper taking part on the Bridge on the River Kwai.

All pipers taking part can obtain a copy of the attached Certificate of Grateful Recognition to enable them to print, frame and keep it as a permanent reminder of their involvement. This can be downloaded from the DOWNLOAD page of the VE Day 75 website – www.veday75.org (VE Day 75 is obtainable from this page of the site too).

To assist us in achieving this number, would you also be kind enough to run a story in your publication, along with circulating the information regarding this event via all forms of social media, including Facebook (find us @BattlesOver) or Instagram (find us @veday75) and Twitter please, encouraging individual pipers and their band to take part.

We do hope that you will be able to assist us and look forward to hearing from you soon. Bruno Peek LVO OBE OPR, Pageantmaster VE Day 75Tel: + 44 (0) 7737 262 913; Email: brunopeek@mac.com
Website: www.veday75.org

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