Royal Regiment of Scotland Pipes and Drums

[Fast Eddie]

The Pipes and Drums of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, along with the Band of the Irish Guards, are coming to the DC area in late January. While I know that all of the "amalgamated" battalions are wearing the Government Sett for their kilts, rumour has it that the various members of the pipe band are "allowed" to wear the tartan of their respective former regiments (i.e. a piper who was originally with the KOSB will be able to wear the Leslie tartan), and other regimental items like sporrans, pipe banners, and whatnot.

Can anyone confirm this rumour? I looked at both the MoD and RRS websites, but couldn't find any further information, other than the statement that some decisions were still being made with regard to who would be the pipe major, drum major, lead tip, etc.

Thanks!

[Lachlan09]

Presumably that would only last as long as there are ex-members of the various regiments in the band, unless musicians can choose their battalion before being signed up to the band. For the future, if the band does wear identical uniform, then at the very least, the various regimental pipe banners should be preserved.

You're a fan of the Argylls ? Me too !

[macwilkin]

Just a clarification, but pipers of the old KOSB wore Royal Stewart tartan, while the regiment itself wore the Leslie tartan.

T.

[davidlpope]

Pipers and Drummers continue to wear their distinctive "battalion tartans" (which used to be their regimental tartans), per the new RRS uniform regs:

Pipers and Drummers
Pipers and Drummers are to wear antecedent
uniform in No.1 and No.2 Dress but are to
comply with these Regulations in all other
orders of dress. They are to wear Regimental
stable belt and tartan patch on Tam O Shanter.

For the whole of the uniform regs:

http://www.army.mod.uk/documents/gen..._Rulations.pdf

Cordially,

David

[Fast Eddie]

cajunscot, thanks for the clarification about the KOSB pipers wearing a different tartan than the rest of the regiment.

daavidlpope, thanks for the link to the dress regs! Somehow, I missed that in my earlier searches...

I'm not sure what the process is currently for new musicians coming into the battalions. In the past, a number of them were playing pipes and drums before they signed up for a regiment, with their local cadet groups, and would receive instruction at that level in their chosen instrument. Later, they could attend the Army School of Bagpipe Music in Edinburugh, although I'm not 100% certain all candidates were accepted at the School - I'm still looking into that aspect.

Some sources are indicating that the number of pipers (and I would guess drummers, as well) have been reduced, and that the band is just "a mere shadow of it's former self". I certainly hope this isn't true! I've checked the RRS official website, as well as the RRS.org website for information about the pipe band, but there seems to be a real dearth of info out there.

[Lachlan09]

I think the RRS sites need updating.

[Chukta]

According to Wikipedia the individual battalions will retain their old uniforms for their individual pipes & drums.:
"The Royal Regiment of Scotland is the senior and only Scottish line infantry regiment of the British Army Infantry. It consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, each formerly an individual regiment (with the exception of the first battalion, which is an amalgamation of two regiments). However, each battalion maintains its former regimental Pipes and Drums to carry on the traditions of their antecedent regiments."