The Aberdeen (Works) Battalion Home Guard pipe band was formed in 1940 under P/M Charles S. Smith (1888-1950), who had been Pipe Major of the Aberdeen City Police Pipe Band for twelve years until his retirement in 1938. (Pictured above is another Aberdeenshire Home Guard band under P/M George Hepburn.) During the First World War the Aberdeen police band was temporarily disbanded so Charles Smith had played with the Harry…
It was a bit of a shock to hear from Duncan Watson a couple of weeks ago that Campbell McGougan in now in a nursing home. I doubt if he’ll remember me, but if you get a chance to speak to him Duncan, please tell him Clive Douglas, a friend of the late Hugh MacInnes, was asking for him. I know Duncan’s comments concerned Jack Churchill’s pipes at one time…
Jori Chisholm has launched the spring edition of his ‘World Online’ competitions for pipers and drummers. To enter the band/ duet contest click here. To enter the solo contest click here. Here’s how the online competitions work:• Register by March 8, 2022• Video entries by March 23• Judges watch videos and write comments for every performance• Results and winning performances posted online March 30 Prolific composer Niall Matheson has written…
I suspect that what I write will attract comments from others who do not share my opinion. I hope we can have an interesting dialogue. GS McLennan, John MacColl, Willie Lawrie, Roddy Campbell, where have you gone? We miss your music, your composing genius. (That’s MacColl’s masterpiece, Dugald MacColl’s Farewell to France, in the composer’s hand above.) By Dale Brown Today’s new music seems concentrated on hornpipes and jigs. Admittedly, they often…
On the Home Front, many pipers who were either too old or two young for service in the forces, or who were in reserved occupations, joined the Home Guard and many pipe bands were formed within that organisation. John Seton served with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders during the First World War and afterwards joined the Glasgow Police. For many years he was the Drum Major of the police band….
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