First Tune of the NEW YEAR
Posted This Morning 1st January 2008
Posted Today Friday 4th January2008
Posted Today Tuesday 8th January 2008
Posted Today Monday 14th January 2008
This is a Slow March and Jig Combined both bearing the Same Name.
Posted Tonight Thursday 17th January 2008
Posted Monday 21 January 2008
4/4 Quick March ' The Raploch Road '
Posted Wednesday 23January 3008
Posted Today Friday 25th January 2008
Wee Story behind this one: As A Young Boy during all my School Holidays I worked at Heartsmailing Farm. During the Summer Harvest we used to Follow a Machine that cut and tied the bundles of corn, a bundle was called a sheave, we set up the sheaves in stooks. The wheat stood Four or Six sheaves together in a stook, awaiting threshing, the process whereby the corn is removed from the stalks. The reason this was done was incase there was a spell of Rain before the Corn could be picked up, they could lie for up to a week or maybe longer depending on the weather. I must add, if they were slightly damp whilst you were stooking the sheaves you always kept your sleeves down, this prevented you from having arms that were cut to peices and saved you from an itch that could drive you up the wall. We always Faced our Stooks towards the Wallace Monument to allow the wind to blow through the Stooks and not into them, thereby allowing a quick dry from a good wind. It always amazed me the fact that we never had any blown over, a few fell over because of bad stooking, but thats another story.
Posted Today 14th Feruary 2008
Posted Today 28th February 2008
Posted Tonight 28th February 2008
Posted Today 29th February 2008
Posted This Morning Sunday 2nd March 2008
Posted Today Monday 3rd March 2008
Slow March ' Trebyan Cottage '
Posted Today Friday 7th March2008
8 Parted Jig ' Kitchen Exercise '
Posted This Morning Sunday 9th March2008
Slow March ' By The Gates of Mu'askar Al Murqab '
Posted this Evening Tuesday 11th March 2008
Jig ' Kitchen Retribution '
There coming to take me away! away! they are coming to take me away.
Posted Today Wednesday 12th March 2008
Jig ' On The Road To Camp Manama '
Manama was where all the Young Men who Enlisted in the Trucial Oman Scouts went to do their Military Training. On Completion of this, they had their Passing out Parade at Sharjah.
Posted Today Sunday 16th March 2008
6/8 March ' The Tartan And The Thistle '
Posted Today Monday 17th March 2008
2/4 Quick March ' Marching To The Field On Grand Day '
The Pipe Band of the Queen Victoria School will now be polishing their Marching and Playing Skill's ready for the Big Day in June. Its this time of the Year when the School breaks up for its Summer Holidays. They have, a Bid Parade which has always been known as a Grand Day, called this because it was special and a one off day in the Year. Everyone gets Dressed up in their Best Gear and March to the Playing Fields, Pipe Band Leading. Its a Combination of a Prize Giving Day an Inspection and March Past the Saluting Base, Beating the Retreat and Dancing Display. The Salute is Normally taken by a Senior Ranking Officer from one of the Services, it was never a stress day, but was a long day. The Main excitement in my spell there was getting let free for Seven Weeks during the Summer. I might also add that the School had three Bands. Military Band, Bugle Band, and Pipe Band.
Posted Today Monday 31st March 2008
2/4 Quick ' Crossing The Forth ' ( At The Auld Stirling Bridge )
For Many Years as young tearaway Kids we crossed and recrossed this Bridge over it and under it never knowing until later years how this part of the River Forth had been significant and telling in Scottish History.
During June 23rd while the English advanced from Falkirk, the Scots waited beside the road, ready to fight or retreat to the west. They were drawn up in 4 divisions. Bruce held the southern edge of the wood nearest the approaching enemy, Edward Bruce was beside him, James Douglas and Walter Stewart next; and at the north of the line near St Ninians church was Sir Thomas Randolph - Earl of Moray. The horsemen under Sir Robert Keith were ready in reserve.
It was afternoon before the first blow was struck. The English cavalry pressed forward through the Torwood. The leading divisions under the Earls of Gloucester and Hereford crossed the Bannock Burn and made a frontal attack on the Scots at the entry to the New Park. Here an English Knight Sir Henry de Bohun rode directly at Bruce who raised his battle axe and drove it through his assailant's helmet and skull. The incident increased the confidence of the Scots and Bruce and his brother stood firm. The English, confused by the ditches and spikes placed like a minefield alongside the road, retreated.
Meanwhile another English cavalry force under Sir Robert Clifford and Sir Henry de Beaumont was advancing towards Stirling along the lower ground to the east of the Scots. They had drawn level with Moray's division and formed a schiltron or sheild ring with spears pointing outwards. After fierce fighting, Moary's men overcame the English. These two victories of infantry over armoured Knights had their effect on the morale of both armies at the close of the day's fighting.
The hard pressed English thought that they were seeing furth Scottish reserves and their leaders knew that the day was lost. King Edward must not risk death or capture and he was persuaded to withdraw with 500 Knights. He rode along the edge of the carse towards Stirling. The Governor of the castle advised the party that to enter the castle would be to invite capture. Edward turned back through the King's Park and, crossing to the west of the Scottish army, reached the Torwood and the ultimate safety of a boat at Dunbar.
When the royal standard was seen leaving the field it proved the signal to the English for disintegration and general retreat quickly turned into rout. The army fled towards the Forth and the steep gorge of the Bannock burn where countless men and horse were trampled and drowned. The day was won. A number escaped along King Edward's route to Stirling, where they surrendered. The Earl of Hereford fled with a party to Bothwell castle but the governor, until then an English supporter, handed them over to King Robert.
Although it would be many years before Bruce's victory bore its full fruit, the name of Bannockburn stands high in the battle role of freedom and was a turning point in Scotland's fight to retain her independence.
Posted Tonight Thursday 17th April 2008 Slow March ' Whispering Torwood '
Torwood Woods plays a Big part in Scottish History.
Bruce moved the Scots army out of the Torwood where they had been preparing for the coming encounter since May. He had raised about 500 light cavalry and 6,000 foot soldiers armed with long spears, axes, swords and bows. It was a small and ragged army, but experienced from seven years of hard fighting. They moved north to guard the ancient road to Stirling where, on high ground above the eastern marsh, it passed through woodland at the edge of the New Park.
King Edward of England brought his army from Edinburgh to Falkirk on the way to Stirling. He had ordered his followers to meet at Berwick on 10th June. Seven days later he crossed into Scotland with two to three thousand heavy cavalry in 10 divisions and at least 15,000 foot soldiers including his famous Welsh archers. The Scots were outnumbered by 3 to 1. By nightfall on 22nd June 1314, only 12 miles separated the two armies.
Posted Today Sunday 20th April 2008 6/8 Quick ' Master James Nightingale of Rawdon '
Posted Today Thursday 1st May 2008 2/4 Quick ' Pipers Of The Scots Guards '
A Tribute to all the Auld Pipers who are Gradually Fading away. As each Year Passes I hear of a Few More who have
found their way to that Great Piping Place up Above. I cant recall ever meeting a bad Piper in the Guards, they were excellent Musicians, and the ones I got to know well were great Mates. All of these Guy's are the Unsung Heroes, they would have Graced any Piping Boards across the World had they chosen to Compete. We know among ourselves though, how good they were, and thats the Memory we shall keep. Lang may Yer Lum Reek!!!
Posted Today Sunday 18th May 2008 6/8 March ' Master Oliver Nightingale of Rawdon '
Posted Today Wednesday 4th June 2008 Slow March ' Ballengeich Pass '
A Pass now a Road leading up to Stirling Castle
Posted Today Monday 12th June 2008 Band Master Fee Lax Ex QVS
Band Master Lax was Band Master at Queen Victoria School for many Years. The band Turned out on Parade with at least 25 Members. The Instruments ranged from Cornet, Picolo, Trombone, French Horne, to name a few. As you no doubt can imagine this was a Gigantic Job for one Man. He was up to it and the Band always sounded good
Posted Today Friday 13th June 2008 6/8 March ' Sgt T.N. Simpson Scots Guards '
Posted Monday 8th September 2008 9/8 ' Cowie Bay Tawau '
2/4 ' Young Richard McColl of Stirling '
Posted Thursday 11th September 2008 Hornpipe ' Mrs Cleghorn '
A very nice Lady who lived in The Orchard Farm Millhall, Walter was her Son a year older than me. She used to feed aw the waines Marge and Suger Sarnies ( Sandwiches )
Posted Today Sunday 14th September 2008 Hornpipe ' Granny Tracy's Hornpipe '
Posted Today Monday 15th September 2008 Auld Mrs Conroy
Auld Mrs Conroy was another of the Ladies from The Orchard Farm Millhall, Peter her Grandson was my age. In later life he went on to Serve in HM Forces.
Posted Tonight Friday 19th September 2008 ' The Ghosts of Millhall '
