Remembrance Sunday in Hawick

**cessna152towser** · 13th November 11, 07:44 AM

I awoke early to the sound of bagpipes. My next door neighbour was warming up his pipes prior to leaving for a nearby town where he would play at a Remembrance Parade with the Hawick Scout Fellowship Pipe Band. A timely reminder to get myself kilted up in Royal Air Force tartan to go to see our local Remembrance Parade and to go to Church.

The Parade musters at Hawick Common Haugh

Setting off along Victoria Road for their open air service at the War Memorial in Wilton Lodge Park.

Scottish Borders Pipe Band led the march. They began with the Green Hills of Tyrol.

Provost Ron Smith is escorted by the town's Halberdiers.

There was no shortage of willing young helpers to assist frail old ex-servicemen who wanted to participate.

Support from today's young soldiers.
I went to Church and then caught the parade again on their way back to town (to follow)

**cessna152towser** · 13th November 11, 07:49 AM

The returning parade coming up from Sandbed to Tower Knowe.

Drummer

Colour party

Tartan trews were much in evidence. No kilts in this year's Parade apart from the Pipe Band.

Finally the March along the High Street to the Town Hall where the Parade would dismiss.

**Deil the Yin** · 13th November 11, 08:24 AM

Lovely photos (as always). It made me think of how greatly WWII- and I'm sure WWI- would have affected the British Isles... deep thoughts for so early a Sunday morn.

Thanks for posting.

Aye,
Wesley

**BCAC** · 13th November 11, 08:26 AM

Thanks for sharing, Alex.

**Riverkilt** · 13th November 11, 10:00 AM

Touching. And so good to see the men honored. And, your RAF tartan kilt at the ceremonies behind the camera.

**Sir William** · 13th November 11, 11:58 AM

Great shots! I even recognize some of the shops! Looking forward to visiting again in 2013.

Quick question for you Alex - I know you wear the RAF tartan to honor your father and I applaude that. Do you ever get questioned by your countrymen about wearing the RAF tartan, or about wearing a non-family (ie, Cunningham) tartan?

**cessna152towser** · 13th November 11, 12:24 PM

Do you ever get questioned by your countrymen about wearing the RAF tartan, or about wearing a non-family (ie, Cunningham) tartan?

No. It has never been an issue.

**Riverkilt** · 13th November 11, 12:35 PM

Chiming in on that. Before I purchased the cloth to have my RAF tartan kilt sewn up I asked Arthur Mackie - the man who designed the tartan and controls its distribution - if it would be appropriate for me to wear in honor of my father's RAF service (Flying Sergeant 1942 - Hurrianes and Spitfires - Dieppe) and his reply was that ANYONE in the RAF family is most welcome to wear the tartan. Including children of RAF veterans.

So, should someone ask (no one has questioned me either) I can reply that my wearing the tartan is within the intent - and with the permission of - the designer and person controlling the rights to distribution of the tartan.

Hope that doesn't sound defensive - meant to be factual.

I'm proud to wear the RAF tartan and proud to explain the reason I do. Its in honor of a Montana boy who volunteered to defend his ancestral homeland.

**Sir William** · 13th November 11, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by cessna152towser

No. It has never been an issue.

Excellent! Glad to hear it.

**Sir William** · 13th November 11, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

Chiming in on that. Before I purchased the cloth to have my RAF tartan kilt sewn up I asked Arthur Mackie - the man who designed the tartan and controls its distribution - if it would be appropriate for me to wear in honor of my father's RAF service (Flying Sergeant 1942 - Hurrianes and Spitfires - Dieppe) and his reply was that ANYONE in the RAF family is most welcome to wear the tartan. Including children of RAF veterans.

So, should someone ask (no one has questioned me either) I can reply that my wearing the tartan is within the intent - and with the permission of - the designer and person controlling the rights to distribution of the tartan.

Hope that doesn't sound defensive - meant to be factual.

I'm proud to wear the RAF tartan and proud to explain the reason I do. Its in honor of a Montana boy who volunteered to defend his ancestral homeland.

Since this "issue" has been raised several times on the forum, I was merely curious is the Scots (or even the British) might have taken exception to the practice.

I certainly don't have any problem with someone wearing a service tartan to honor a family member or friend, though as we all know there are many in the US who take acception to anyone wearing anything they are not "entitled" to.

As an total aside, I've lately been reading several RAF pilot autobiographies (read every one I could find when I was a lad). The Hurricane has always been a favorite, as are its cousins the Typhoon and Tempest.