Page 32 - RSDG Year of 2022 CREST

30 EAGLE AND CARBINE
Strathspey and Reel and the Hornpipe and Jig. Secondly, LCpl Jim Waugh who won 2nd in the senior Piobaireachd and 4th in the Senior March, this was the last occasion Jim would be with the band at regimental duty and he had a fitting farewell but it wouldn’t be farewell as he would return to help with the summer’s competition circuit. Post-Covid success was established and the Band had proved it was fighting fit and buoyed up with bags of morale and ever-growing confidence in its ability. The development and education of all players is key to this success and so March saw 4 members complete courses at the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming; LCpl Clark, LCpl Stewart and Tpr MacDonell passed their Class 2 Piper’s course, with LCpl Clark also being awarded the prize for the most improved Piper, while Tpr Armstrong completed the Class 3 Drummer’s course. April was the Band’s first look and opportunity to flex it’s muscles at a civilian competition and again the hard work was rewarded with the Pipes and Drums becoming the RSPBA Lothian and Border Branch Grade 3 Mini Band winners. Pipe Major Duncan was also show casing his talents at the Classic FM Live concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London in front of a sell out crowd performing ‘Here Before Promised’ alongside Alison Balsom and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Life in the Pipes and Drums isn’t just all about the music but also supporting each other and Cpl Jardine played 5 members of the band over the finish line at the final race of Army in Scotland Cross Country League. The Pipes and Drums were enjoying getting out in public again in the post covid world and the summer months would see us move up and down the country for a variety of events in front of large audiences and crowds. The ceremonial centre piece of the summer would be Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Op PLATINUM was a two phase operation with the Band first moving to Windsor for 5 sell out shows of the ‘Platinum Jubilee Celebration’ as part of the Royal Windsor Horse Show. The final show was televised live on ITV and took place in the presence of the Colonel-in-Chief herself. It was the
Pipe Major Duncan playing at the Royal Albert Hall.
first occasion that the majority of the band would work with and play alongside other army bands and the REMT Highland Dancers and was a highly enjoyable and fun atmosphere to be part of. Before phase 2 though the Band moved to Inverclyde for the first major pipe band contest it had competed in for 15 years at the British Pipe Band Championships. It was the first time that 90% of the band had ever competed in a major competition. Nerves were evident and the band placed 10th, which while initially disappointing proved a useful exercise for the band to look at itself
Performing at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
Success at the Army Championships 2022.