Army Cuts

I remember when Scottish Regiments were amalgamated a decade or so ago. The British Army also made severe cuts in "musicians", Pipe Bands were not included.

[MSG_T]

Neil, Mr. Sanderson, I know its a shocking blow. I had the privelage of being one of the Army "Yank" units to replace the Royal Scots in Basrah. Amazing lot of guys they were. Its a Sad thing to know as part of the Brittish Military that anyone would even fathom the disbanding or removal of them. WOW. I hope for everyones sake that it gets postponed, or stiffled. Il lstay tuned. I know the other day I watched with all joy and hyper activity as the Royal Scots Association (w/ Neil) walked the track before the Ranger FC and Dundee United Game Great Show. Just thini if all that and its History Goes away?

[Neil Clark]

Thanks for the above. Better correct tho.... Scots Guards Association!

No harm done.

[pancelticpiper]

In Highland Bagpipe Makers the author says

"In 1900 it is recorded that there were 12 pipe bands in Highland battalions, 8 in other Scottish regiments, 20 Militia (pipe) bands and 40 to 50 (pipe) bands in the Volunteer Battalions."

How many today?

[David]

It would be lovely to see a vibrant, secure musical piping tradition continue in the UK forces. But let's face it, Highland piping is in great shape internationally, and the middle and upper echelons have never been better. Lots of top teachers, workshops and summer schools. Some great reed makers have come into their own in the last 5-10 years. No shortage of decent pipes from Scotland, Canada, England, the US, etc.

Many would like a strong piping tradition in the UK forces to continue, but down-sizing of the military, and turning regiments into batallions was already the handwriting on the wall. If one of the two new Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers is going to go into ready storage just after sea trials, and the other will be shared with France, how does saving the pipe band programme in the Scottish regiments cum batallions rate special MoD concern? The bureaucratic or political side I leave to military experts, on another forum!

Purely musically speaking, Highland piping itself will not be hurt by down-sizing, no matter how much most of us lament the lessening of the living ties to a rich piping history. All I know is that I don't want to ever hear about a Black Watch Company and its bagpipe quartet. Fading away is painful.

[Sweatysock]

Originally Posted by David

Fading away is painful.

And it was just as painful to see the Cheshire Regiment (an unamalgimated regiment since 1689) get folded into the Mercian Regiment (in 2007). At least the Scots regiments have been able to maintain a "golden thread" through their pipe bands, whereas the English and Welsh regiments have become a semi-amorophous blob of homogeinic uniformity.

[David]

I think part of the feelings with any further folding of pipe bands is that in general music has had a big role historically in the European military tradition (and its now-independent colonial offspring), and was high-profile and very polished in the UK. The role of music in many militaries is a whole field in and of itself--esprit de corps, regional identification, connecting to the civilian population, etc. And of course Britain is made up of countries, not just ethnic regions, so music helps to define nationality other than the supra-national British identity.

I make no comment on the policy or budgetary concern in the UK MoD. It is clear that military music, especially but not only pipe bands, are strongly rooted culturally. The parade tradition also plays a big part in all this.

As a comparison, my country has a much larger army than Britain, and only one brass band without any real formal parade dress. That would be like Scotland having a single national military pipe band. It would be a very busy pipe band, indeed!

[Roddy Livingstone]

Originally Posted by PiperMc

I remember when Scottish Regiments were amalgamated a decade or so ago. The British Army also made severe cuts in "musicians", Pipe Bands were not included.

Pressure was on more than a decade ago. It has already been mentioned that the Argyll's have been under threat for 40 years. I am reminded every time I walk into the kitchen at home of the move in the early nineties (I think it was the MoDs 'Options for Change' whitepaper) by a framed 'Save Our Scottish Battalions' poster.

[aboode]

There have of course been dramatic cuts in the number of Pipe Bands in the Army in Northern Ireland. In 1968 the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, the Royal Irish Fusiliers and the Royal Ulster Rifles (in total 19 Battalion Pipe Bands) amalgamated to form the Royal Irish Rangers (total 4 Pipe Bands). In 1992 the Royal Irish Rangers and the Ulster Defence Regiment (11 Pipe Bands) amalgamated to form the Royal Irish Regiment (9 Battalion Pipe Bands). At the moment the Royal Irish Regiment has only one or two Pipe Bands. That is a reduction from 30 to 2 Pipe Bands over the last 50 years or so!!!

[TwitchyFingers]

Maybe someone can clarify for me. Someone told me the other day that all the highland regiments, Seaforth, Black Watch, Argyle etc. would be combining into one entity known as "The Highland Regiment" and all under one tartan. Is there any truth to this? Would all the pipe bands also combine?