Bagpipes in Battle

There's an expression here- "We're all Jock (John) Tamson (Thompson's) Bairns"-ie we're all the same.
It probably comes from that.

 

There is but one pipe band and one pipe song...

YouTube - The Band Of The Royal Irish Regiment-Highland Cathedral

 

Cheers Lou.
Managed to get to the Tattoo once, back in '85. It was some sight.

 

Blimey, there aint many Scots in that lot...They're all Nepalese and Canadian....Dont the Scots get the pipes anymore....No got it....As an Irish piper once said to me....How do you know a bagpipes out of tune....Theres a Scotsman playing it....boom boom..

 

Thanks for clearing up the story about why Scotsmen are called Jocks. It all makes sense now. I think.

Ok now, what's the deal with going "regimental" under those kilts? In the wintertime too?

 

Of course!

 

You mean the Camerons (Queens Own Cameron Highlanders) there were no Cameronians in 51st Highland Division.

 

Then of course we could all be friends too....

YouTube - St. Patrick's Day March

 

As is often said by wearers of the kilt, "if I wore underwear, then it would be a skirt!"

If you've never worn the kilt it probably doesn't make much sense, but going regimental is very comfortable, even in the winter. If fact, it then becomes pretty uncomfortable to wear anything under it (except for hose and brogues!) if you're not used to it.

Back to the original question posed and I suppose already answered, it was the excess number of pipers KIA in WWI that lead to the proscription against their active use in battle in WWII. Another instance of "more like guidelines than actual rules" as noted previously.

Perhaps OT but SlipDigit wondered why the US didn't use such a powerful motivator as martial music on the battlefield. I don't pretend to know the answer to that but having recently watched Ken Burn's The Civil War, I was reminded that both Union and CSA units did use brass bands during various battles of the ACW, though I don't know of any instances after that conflict. I surmise that most everyone concluded what the British did after WWI that it no longer fit the model of modern warfare as the musicians were now too vulnerable.

To my knowledge, the use of the pipes in the RSR is strictly for ceremonial purposes which still includes day to day activities such as call to mess, etc. I'd be curious to hear of any battlefield uses that have crept in though and don't think I would be too surprised to hear that is the case!