Scots Wha Hae…Stalwarts All: Midland Pipes and Drums

If you have any Celtic blood flowing through your veins, you are reduced to tears when you hear the bagpipes.

All important events, whether Decoration Day or piping in the haggis on Robbie Burns night at Royal Canadian Legion branch #80, are accompanied with the sounds of the pipes and drums.

This morning, the pipers are celebrating the arrival of the Pearl Mist and it is an overcast and humid day, but they are there in full kit. Wool is hot and the Highland plaid is heavy, but still the lads and lassies turn out faithfully.

This is not history, but the founding of the band is to be found in the mists of  time when Johnny French and others were young men of Midland.

Long ago when the names Malcolm, Craig, Coull and Kevin were still known and not  forgotten…aye. There were others of that ilk, supporters of the banners they  flew, such as MacKinnon, Tilson and both Amonds too. If Ivan Miller rhymed, he’d been in there too.

Proud they were and proud they are, to fly the flag and spell out the faith.

In the words of the immortal bard, Robbie Burns:

“Scots wha hae wi’ Wallace bled,

Scots, wham Bruce has aften led;

Welcome to your gory bed,

Or to Victory!

René Hackstetter, August 5, 2022.