Saw Pipe Major insignia on Prince Charlie Jacket

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Rank yes...trade badges, though, aren't usually worn with mess dress, are they? Does one wear a piper/signaller/musketry badge on their mess kit?

For example, I'm looking at present at a depiction of the RCMP officer's mess dress, and the only insignia being worn are rank badges (pips and crowns) and the buffalo head collar dogs of the RCMP on the collars.

Rathdown: did you notice that the waistcoat is tartan (Erskine, I believe, which would make this gentleman a member of the old RHF, an amalgamation of the old HLI and RSF) -- I can't remember seeing any of the Scottish regiments wearing a tartan waistcoat with mess dress.

Regards,

Todd

Hi Todd--

Yes, I noticed the waistcoat, but couldn't make out the tartan. Like yourself, I can't recall any regiments wearing a tartan waistcoat.

Given that the piper is wearing a costume, albeit with a nod to Scottish military fashion, I can certainly understand his wearing rank and trade designations-- it makes him more interesting to look at as he stands "stalk still" on stage.

It may be good showmanship, but it certainly isn't militarily correct, or acceptable as civilian formal attire.

Regards (and congratulations for a job well done as a moderator),
Scott

[JSFMACLJR]

Could Pipe Major Walker be wearing a uniform of the 52nd Lowland Regiment TA Pipe Band, which in 2007 became a civilian band known as the Mauchline & District Caledonia Pipe Band?

I add this bio of Walker for your interest:
Pipe Major Gordon J. Walker

Gordon started piping at the age of four and a half with the late PipeMajor David Kay from Cumnock in Ayrshire who was a brilliant tutor. He stayed with him right up until the age of sixteen. He comes from a piping background with two uncles who were pipers in the Scots Guards, and it was inevitable he follow in their footsteps and so he enlisted as a boy soldier in The Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princes Margaret's own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment).

He was sent for training to Bridge of Don Aberdeen where he came under the guidance of Pipe Major Iain M. Morrison (Queen's Own highlanders) and spent two years with him there before joining The Battalion in West Berlin. Steady progress through the ranks followed when Gordon was invited to take the Pipe Major's certificate at Edinburgh Castle passing with Distinguished honours. He saw active service in The Gulf war in 1991 and operational tours of duty in Bosnia 1995 and Northern Ireland in 1996 with his regiment. He had Piobaireachd tuition from the late Captain Andrew Pitkeathly (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders), a former personal piper to HM Queen Elizabeth II and Director of Army Bagpipe Music.

In 1999 after sixteen years service he left The Army and decided on a change of career into teaching, passing on his knowledge and concentrate on solo work. He joined the staff of The College of Piping as the senior instructor, then transferred to the National Piping centre as the senior instructor and spent five happy years there. In January of 2005 he left the Centre to take up the post as Piping instructor with St. Columba's school's piping programme in Renfrewshire. He is confident in providing the young boy's and girl's with their piping education, introducing new and exciting ideas that will enhance not only their repertoire but give them the chance to go forward into their future piping endeavours in this new millennium.

At the end of 2002 he was approached by the Commanding Officer of the 52nd Lowland Regiment T.A. to come back into uniform and rebuild and structure the Regimental Pipes and Drums, They were very successful during a period of five years then owing to Army constraints and preasures the band decided to move into civilian ranks in 2007 and are now known as The Mauchline & District Caledonia Pipe Band Gordon a seasoned competitor and prolific major prize-winner with Gold medals, silver stars and clasps from all the top Gatherings many several times over.

In 2007 his most notable achievements were 1st place in the senior Piobaireachd at the Argyllshire Gathering, 3rd place in the former winners M/S/R at The Argyllshire Gathering High placings at The Scottish Piping Society of London and was overall winner in The Glenfiddich Piping Championships at Blair Castle. This year 2008 Gordon was placed 1st in the Piobaireachd event at The Pipe Major Donald MacLeod Memorial invitational

He has many recordings to his credit including C.D.s, D.V.Ds and radio broadcasts with more planned for this year. He is known internationally as a competitor, recitalist, tutor and adjudicator.