A recreation of the reel as danced on Halloween 1942 at Oflag 7b Warburg to Maj. Gen. Fortune - Whangarei & Country Pipe Band Concert "Pipes of War" 2010.
I read that the Germans at first refused to allow the dance to be sent for publication in Scotland - they looked at the arcane written dance steps and assumed it was a secret code. The Highlanders had to demonstrate the dance to them before it was acceptable.
This video was filmed in a theatre by a camera in the back row. Hence the sound lag. A fund raiser for Northland Caledonian Pipe Band, a top Grade 2 NZ band of 23 pipers and 10 sides,5 tenors it is the only grade 2 band in North Island. Pipe Major Bain McGregor plays wearing pullover boots and puttees. The dancers like the original men were not dancers. They wore available kilts, glengarry bonnets with near perfect HD regimental (baked bean tin) cap badges. HD shoulder flashes and Hose tops - no socks ... barefoot. I hoped to make their performance as prison camp accurate as possible. The Movietone leader footage was to set the scene for the young audience, through which the dancers appeared as in a dissolve, the footage available was for effect and kilted. I interviewed ex 51st who did the march, one here was very bitter. Descendants ofMaj. Gen. Fortune were present at this one night performance in Whangarei. A dancing drummer myself since age thirteen I grew up in the shadow of the Royal Caledonian School Bushey. I also served with 51st Highland Division in the Pipe Band of the Gordon Highlanders T.A. "The London Scottish" when reviewed by HRH the Queen at Holyrood in 1959. I still wear the "Hodden Grey" as I did taking the salute on video. I understand that the original tune is lost, but it was written or played by a London Scottish Piper. They Regt. was however later in Sicily under Pipe Major Charlie Turnbull my tutor and friend. His wife Jean taught me to dance. Thank you for your interest - in retrospect I would have filmed it differently myself. This is a TV North Production. I was also a Film Producer and demonstration dancer myself, also eventually in 1965 a Drum Major and today Patron of North Cal Pipe Band and Seanair of the NZ Gaidhealtachd. Miss Milligan RSDA would not accept the dance until HRH The Queen Mother my Regimental London Scottish Hon Colonel liked it, and said so. Also a favourite of mine. Question: How did the dance or the dancers get from the border camp in Austria to Oflag 7b in Westphalia - surely the Germans didn't give them travel warrants! or was it rehearsed and danced by similar rooky dancers as depicted on film, to those in Oflag 7b ? Any ideas please - tioraidh an-drasda Dougie Chowns - McKenzie Bay 14/3/2016 PS Moran taing - Anna agus Graham
Traditionally the first tune for the Reel of the 51st Division is the "Drunken Piper" (sometimes called "Highland Rory"). It is a four part tune but normally just the first two parts are played for this. The tune has been used occasionally in march form as the march on tune for the massed pipes and drums at the Edinburgh Tattoo. The second tune here is the "Black Bear". Originally a dance for ten, there is a very good CZcams of the dance in this form from Pinewood USA, pipe tunes being, drunken piper, pipers' cave and the ale is dear. a great dance to do but not often done as a "ten" male set.
They were supposed to be ..... RED CROSS BOXES - POW's in Prison Camp? .... Swiss flags in negative I guess - I never thought of that. Tioraidh an-drasda, agus Moran taing Willie.
They are wretched mobile 'phone cameras. My father was attached to 51HD at St. Valery as artillery support armed with a Boyes anti-tank rifle which no-one wanted to fire as it broke your collar bone. He didn't have a very high opinion of Victor Fortune, apparently the Germans thought he wasn't very bright and wanted to repatriate him knowing the British would have to give him a senior job, which he would foul-up. We knew this so refused to have him back! I am not sure if that is a true story but it sounds possible. Father had a lifetime dislike of Churchill as well as he believed 51HD should have been evacuated through Le Havre.
The piping is amazing
Great performance! Best demonstration of the Reel of the 51st I've ever seen.
I read that the Germans at first refused to allow the dance to be sent for publication in Scotland - they looked at the arcane written dance steps and assumed it was a secret code. The Highlanders had to demonstrate the dance to them before it was acceptable.
This video was filmed in a theatre by a camera in the back row. Hence the sound lag. A fund raiser for Northland Caledonian Pipe Band, a top Grade 2 NZ band of 23 pipers and 10 sides,5 tenors it is the only grade 2 band in North Island. Pipe Major Bain McGregor plays wearing pullover boots and puttees. The dancers like the original men were not dancers. They wore available kilts, glengarry bonnets with near perfect HD regimental (baked bean tin) cap badges. HD shoulder flashes and Hose tops - no socks ... barefoot.
I hoped to make their performance as prison camp accurate as possible. The Movietone leader footage was to set the scene for the young audience, through which the dancers appeared as in a dissolve, the footage available was for effect and kilted. I interviewed ex 51st who did the march, one here was very bitter. Descendants ofMaj. Gen. Fortune were present at this one night performance in Whangarei.
A dancing drummer myself since age thirteen I grew up in the shadow of the Royal Caledonian School Bushey. I also served with 51st Highland Division in the Pipe Band of the Gordon Highlanders T.A. "The London Scottish" when reviewed by HRH the Queen at Holyrood in 1959. I still wear the "Hodden Grey" as I did taking the salute on video.
I understand that the original tune is lost, but it was written or played by a London Scottish Piper. They Regt. was however later in Sicily under Pipe Major Charlie Turnbull my tutor and friend. His wife Jean taught me to dance. Thank you for your interest - in retrospect I would have filmed it differently myself. This is a TV North Production. I was also a Film Producer and demonstration dancer myself, also eventually in 1965 a Drum Major and today Patron of North Cal Pipe Band and Seanair of the NZ Gaidhealtachd.
Miss Milligan RSDA would not accept the dance until HRH The Queen Mother my Regimental London Scottish Hon Colonel liked it, and said so. Also a favourite of mine.
Question: How did the dance or the dancers get from the border camp in Austria to Oflag 7b in Westphalia - surely the Germans didn't give them travel warrants! or was it rehearsed and danced by similar rooky dancers as depicted on film, to those in Oflag 7b ? Any ideas please - tioraidh an-drasda Dougie Chowns - McKenzie Bay 14/3/2016
PS Moran taing - Anna agus Graham
Traditionally the first tune for the Reel of the 51st Division is the "Drunken Piper" (sometimes called "Highland Rory"). It is a four part tune but normally just the first two parts are played for this. The tune has been used occasionally in march form as the march on tune for the massed pipes and drums at the Edinburgh Tattoo. The second tune here is the "Black Bear".
Originally a dance for ten, there is a very good CZcams of the dance in this form from Pinewood USA, pipe tunes being, drunken piper, pipers' cave and the ale is dear.
a great dance to do but not often done as a "ten" male set.
this is how it should be danced! a great video.
I agree that the piper is runny no away with the tune. Nerves, probably.
Anyone know what the first tune played is?
piper may be playing a bit fast for the older guys to keep up....
The historic footage is mostly from the wrong war.
Hmm, not so sure... the dancers seem to be ahead of him in parts
Why all the English flags aroond aboot.
They were supposed to be ..... RED CROSS BOXES - POW's in Prison Camp?
.... Swiss flags in negative I guess - I never thought of that. Tioraidh an-drasda, agus Moran taing Willie.
Thank you so much for posting the video. It bought back some memories, which I have commented on previously.
Strobes were needless and ruined that.
They are wretched mobile 'phone cameras.
My father was attached to 51HD at St. Valery as artillery support armed with a Boyes anti-tank rifle which no-one wanted to fire as it broke your collar bone.
He didn't have a very high opinion of Victor Fortune, apparently the Germans thought he wasn't very bright and wanted to repatriate him knowing the British would have to give him a senior job, which he would foul-up. We knew this so refused to have him back! I am not sure if that is a true story but it sounds possible. Father had a lifetime dislike of Churchill as well as he believed 51HD should have been evacuated through Le Havre.