History

G'day Tankiedrummie,

OK, maybe this isn't in the right forum area, but I reckoned it was the one you would most likely look at !!!

You have presumably come across / played with some of the "lesser known" pipes and drums of the British Army; bands which are/were not of the regiments of the Scottish Division or the Brigade of Guards....

I'm thinking of bands such as that of 19 Regt RA (The Highland Gunners), 40 Regt RA (The Lowland Gunners), the Royal Corps of Signals, Royal Engineers, Queens Royal Hussars....and yes.....1 RTR.

Any stories ? history ? any photos ?

I will get around to it in the New Year.
Scots div and the Guards are actually junior to the RAC and RA pipe bands, even though more people know about them, they are not as "senior" in the Army Pipe Band world, even though the think they are...lol

Scots DG
QRH
RDG
1RTR
19 Reg RA
40 Field Reg RA
Scots Guards
Irish Guards
1 SCOTS
2 SCOTS
3 SCOTS
ETC...ETC

Will dig out some info on the other bands, there is around 17 Army Regular Pipes and Drums and some more volunteer bands...

Don't know which TA bands still exist.....the following : -

2 Royal Irish Regt...?
51 Highland
52 Lowland
71 Regt RE (V)......?
103 Regt RA (V)
Scottish Transport Regt (V)
102 REME (V)
32 (Scot) Signals (V)
London Scottish
London Irish.....?
Aberdeen UOTC
Edinburgh UOTC
Glasgow UOTC
Tayforth UOTC

Can't think of any others. Strangest looking lot used to be 15 PARA...can still remember them with a smile. They used to wear full dress (Hunting Stewart tartan), spats, plaids, etc etc....but with their "cherry" berets instead of a glangarry or feather bonnet....really looked out of place. A right bunch of prima donnas LOL. I take it the band no longer exists since the battalion was amalgamated into 4 PARA.

A real shame the way the old TA bands have been killed off.......especially when you consider the likes of 277 (A & SH) Regt RA (V) who were 1st grade world champions in 1962. I can also remember 154 (or maybe it was 153) Royal Corps of Transport (V) who were competing in the 1st grade in the 1980s.

Ron,

My dad was a piper with the 154 Royal Corp of Transport. I can get you some info on the band if you want?

Fee

was Bobby Pinkman in the band then ?

Hey Ron,

Spoke to my dad. He doesn't recollect a Pinkman. My dad was in the band from 1972 - 1980. He said he was possibly in the 153. 153 were higher up the grades than 154 and we're based in Edinburgh. 154 were based in Glasgow. Dad said both bands played together at The Royal Albert Hall infront of Princess Alice and Vera Lynn and Cadrew the Cad around 1978. It was for a regimental due. The 153 were in grade 1 at one point the 154 were in grade 3 when dad was there.

yes, sorry....Bobby was 153, not 154.

Bobby Pinkman played with us at the worlds the last 2 or 3 years great guy.

kelv wrote:Bobby Pinkman played with us at the worlds the last 2 or 3 years great guy.

I thought he'd been living in Wales, the last five or six years ?

True_Blue_Piper wrote:

kelv wrote:Bobby Pinkman played with us at the worlds the last 2 or 3 years great guy.

I thought he'd been living in Wales, the last five or six years ?

He was and Is True he was up for the worlds and regestered with the ban so ime told !!!

duh....okay