why is it that on days of remembrence, celebrations or sadness concerning our armed forces that we turn to the bagpipes
as in "the lone piper"
why is this catawalling so significant to us aussies all the way over here so far from scotland and very few connections between us and them
I must admit that there is a certain sadness in connection to a scottish band when employed in such a manner it is exceedingly stirring
dont get me wrong I love the scots and the pipes as well as the band, it gets me everytime
..................................................."BUT WHY" what is the connection, there has got to be one
Wombat 280 said
10:27 PM Apr 25, 2009
Surprisingly enough the pipes where played on the wharf each time the HMAS Sydney sailed to Vietnam. Also Pipes are the noise of choice at Military funerals hell only knows why as if it isn't sad enough
It's the same at Mess Dinning In Nights they pipe in the Port before it's passed around and the smoking lamp is lit
After ADF 30 years service I never bothered to ask why Bagpipes .
They don't sound as bad in a massed pipe and drum band at a tattoo but on their own a cat in the tread of a 4WD sounds better . Unless your a Scot or a cat lover
DubDub said
05:43 AM Apr 26, 2009
Maybe the sound of a lone piper is more somber(SP?)than a 50 piece military band pumping out waltsing matilda or even click goes the shears,but I'm betting the pipes are well rooted with-in the big picture of war.I have heard many stories of lone musicians playing away on battle grounds in differen't conflicts.
At ANZAC day parades and such,the processions and fanfare of military bands and co ordinated marching is a way for civilians to celebrate the military as a whole.The relationship of the lone piper/bugleist may just have come from the understanding that for many a soldier,this may have been the last music one would have heard.Regardless of the instument,it sure is the most somber part of the proccesion.
Glenn.
mike and Judy said
07:05 AM Apr 26, 2009
They are rated as a weapon of war I believe, recall reading some years ago they scared the bejasus out of the african nations in the early years,during days of Empire
ibbo said
07:20 AM Apr 26, 2009
Yes you are close to the answer.Most likely the reason for the bagpipes must belong to Australias early migrants from Scotland and Ireand.The Pipes have always been part of military displays.We even had a piper playing at our Navy passing out parade back in 1956,anchors Aweigh on bagpipes,Nelson would have blinked his glass eye.Cheers.Ibbo.
drongo & wendy said
10:17 AM Apr 26, 2009
My family name goes back to Scotland on fathers side Irish on mothers side and the sound of bagpipes stir my brothers and my blood. We will travel to a good tattoo just to hear them, and one of the only things that will make my eyes tear up is a solo bagpipe. I have a neice whose hubby is learing the pipes and he tells me it is at least 10 years of hard work before u can say "yes ive got it right"
No good me wearing a kilt
ibbo said
10:41 AM Apr 26, 2009
Very stirring at New Years Eve Ceremony when the custom of"piping in the Haggis"is performed by a lone piper.Always remember when I was stationed at Lossiemouth right up in the North of Scotland,the Sunset ceremony sometimes had just a lone piper.Eerie sound echoing through the Aircraft Hangars over the Tannoys.Thanks for the post Dave nice to have some good old memories recalled.Cheers.Ibbo
dave06 said
12:24 PM Apr 26, 2009
I adore the pipes and I love a good Scottish marching band but I still don't understand the connection with the armed forces but I love it all the same and hope it never changes
yes they would be a fearsome weapon of war, imagine a thousand Scottish highlanders running over the hill, long hair in pigtails streaming back, pipes screaming, little dresses all flying, dangly bits wobbling in all directions
it would be a simple matter of the Scottish fighters finishing off the opposition who would be rolling around on the ground laughing so hard they couldn't retaliate
I once asked a scot
"what was worn under his kilt"
to which he replied
"absolutely nothing, it is all in perrrrrrfect working orrrrrder"
Basil Faulty said
01:06 PM Apr 26, 2009
mike and Judy wrote:
They are rated as a weapon of war I believe, recall reading some years ago they scared the bejasus out of the african nations in the early years,during days of Empire
Yep, even the Zulu's were scared by the pipes....I think it is a British thing the Yanks were the buglers and we adopted a bit of both. Now the Empire, lets digress, does anyone know if the Empire has been officially dismantled? I still celebrate Empire day and I have a treat for you all this Empire Day
ibbo said
02:57 PM Apr 26, 2009
April 29th................Captain Cook Day.Cook landed at Kurnell on that day in 1770.Perhaps Heritage Day would be appropriate.
dave06 said
03:09 PM Apr 26, 2009
didnt Luke skywalker dismantle the "empire' in episode three or was it four??? therefore to answer your question the empire would be dismantled
kill lion's with their bare hands to become a warrior and yet frightened of bagpipes, strange people those zulu's but extreme warriors,
did you happen to see "zulu" and "zulu dawn" starring michael cain
JRH said
03:22 PM Apr 26, 2009
dave06 wrote:
didnt Luke skywalker dismantle the "empire' in episode three or was it four??? therefore to answer your question the empire would be dismantled
kill lion's with their bare hands to become a warrior and yet frightened of bagpipes, strange people those zulu's but extreme warriors,
did you happen to see "zulu" and "zulu dawn" starring michael cain
I have both movies on DVD but if you want a very good read then Get hold of a copy of "The Washing of The Spears" by Donald R Morris.
Takes you through the rise and Fall of the Zulu Nation including the battles at Isandhlwana and Rourke's Drift.
Basil Faulty said
07:25 PM Apr 26, 2009
According to a qualified source the Empire died with the return of Hong Kong in 1997, shame that.
Basil Faulty said
07:33 PM Apr 26, 2009
To answer the question: I asked the RSM....
The origins of the lone piper are obscure, although a lone piper has been a feature of Scottish military ceremonies for several hundred years. The bagpipes are the traditional instrument of the people of the Scottish highlands and have been carried into battle with Scottish soldiers from the days of William Wallace to the Falklands War of 1982. Traditionally, in Scottish units a lone piper takes the place of a bugler to signal the day's end to troops and, as such, also bids farewell to the dead at funerals and memorial services.
It is unlcear when pipers first became a feature of Australian memorial services. With the significant size of Australia's expatriate Scottish community in the early decades of the 20th century, represented by several Scottish battalions in the Militia, the presence of a piper probably became established during the 1920s.
Flowers of the forest is the tune usually played on these occasions. It is a traditional Scottish lament (song of mourning and remembrance).
dave06 said
07:44 PM Apr 26, 2009
I know it well, my old boss in the smelters played the pipes, very well I thought, we also have 4 men who practice down at the oval twice a week, about half a km from our house, fantastic to sit out under our rear enclosure and listen to the pipes and drums
I can easily see why us aussies "adopted" them as our own, having so many nationalities willing to not only call australia home but also willing to fight to the death to defend it
may not be apropriate I guess if we ran into battle with a didgeridoo and a harmonica, oohh!! now theres a musical instrument that frightens the bejabbers out of the natives
nothing like the charge of the harmonica brigade
anyway I'm proud to say I love the pipes and the full bands at these ceremonies and the people who play them, long may the tradition stand, very stirring
Basil Faulty said
07:45 PM Apr 26, 2009
The Scots are the ultimate winners they (eventually) defeated the English, scared the daylights out of even the Japs and the Zulus though earlier at Culloden they did not do so well.
Ma said
07:47 PM Apr 26, 2009
Very stirring indeed Dave. Brings me to tears every time as witnessed yesterday when Guru and I marched with the best of them in Queanbeyan. A very proud day for both of us.
dave06 said
08:14 PM Apr 26, 2009
certainly was a day of great pride, I helped in the big kitchen (started at 5 am) then dished it up and sat with a few vets and had a couple of drinks with the boys
I didnt go to the march, too much to do, but I seen the looks of gratitude in the old buggers eyes when we settled in to beer and b/s corner and had a great morning with them, dished up lunch, had the pipe and kettle drum play all morning and then a fully fledged, fully uniformed grand marching band came through, what a sight and sound
well that was it for this soft hearted twit, and I wasnt the only one, the respect and solemness of the occasion was not lost on any soul young or old
we had a couple of old vets at our table at home that afternoon and the stories and lies that keith and lefty could spin had the lot of us laughing all day
it was one of those "worthwhile" days
I was just sitting and wondering afterwards what the connection is, but whatever it is it's bloody strong
Helena said
08:21 PM Apr 26, 2009
Dad was in the Highland Light Infantry he never spoke about the war but he did tell me that the skirl of the pipes coming over the hill rocked the Germans back on their heels for a while.
Helena.
as in "the lone piper"
why is this catawalling so significant to us aussies all the way over here so far from scotland and very few connections between us and them
I must admit that there is a certain sadness in connection to a scottish band when employed in such a manner it is exceedingly stirring
dont get me wrong I love the scots and the pipes as well as the band, it gets me everytime
..................................................."BUT WHY" what is the connection, there has got to be one
My family name goes back to Scotland on fathers side Irish on mothers side and the sound of bagpipes stir my brothers and my blood. We will travel to a good tattoo just to hear them, and one of the only things that will make my eyes tear up is a solo bagpipe. I have a neice whose hubby is learing the pipes and he tells me it is at least 10 years of hard work before u can say "yes ive got it right"
No good me wearing a kilt
Yep, even the Zulu's were scared by the pipes....I think it is a British thing the Yanks were the buglers and we adopted a bit of both.
Now the Empire, lets digress, does anyone know if the Empire has been officially dismantled? I still celebrate Empire day and I have a treat for you all this Empire Day
Takes you through the rise and Fall of the Zulu Nation including the battles at Isandhlwana and Rourke's Drift.
The origins of the lone piper are obscure, although a lone piper has been a feature of Scottish military ceremonies for several hundred years. The bagpipes are the traditional instrument of the people of the Scottish highlands and have been carried into battle with Scottish soldiers from the days of William Wallace to the Falklands War of 1982. Traditionally, in Scottish units a lone piper takes the place of a bugler to signal the day's end to troops and, as such, also bids farewell to the dead at funerals and memorial services.
It is unlcear when pipers first became a feature of Australian memorial services. With the significant size of Australia's expatriate Scottish community in the early decades of the 20th century, represented by several Scottish battalions in the Militia, the presence of a piper probably became established during the 1920s.
Flowers of the forest is the tune usually played on these occasions. It is a traditional Scottish lament (song of mourning and remembrance).