Op Piper - 1TS Commemoration Ficheux

Tyneside Scottish Branch Royal Artillery Association
Somme Battlefield Pipe Band

The Tyneside Scottish Branch Royal Artillery Association and the Somme Battlefield Pipe Band held a commemoration to remember the actions of the 1st Battalion Tyneside Scottish (Black Watch) at Ficheux on 20th May 1940. 

Northumbrian Gunner: Op Piper - 1 TS Action at Ficheux

The commemoration was held at the Bucquoy Road Cemetery which overlooks the battlefield where the men of the Tyneside Scottish and Durham Light Infantry fought their blocking action.

Bucquoy Road Cemetery
Cross of Sacrifice

Somme Battlefield Pipe Band march on

Tyneside Scottish Branch RAA

Somme Battlefield Pipe Band

Somme Battlefield Pipe Band

Somme Battlefield Pipe Band
Tyneside Scottish Banner

The Ceremony included a focus on Lance Corporal Freddie Laidler, a piper who lost his life playing his pipes to encourage the Tyneside Jocks fighting. As the battle raged, Piper Freddie Laidler played his pipes to encourage the fighting Tyneside Jocks. The Regimental history records “piper to the last – carried his pipes into action and was killed with them”

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION

LANCE CORPORAL FREDERICK JOHN LAIDLER

Service Number: 4457026

Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) 1st Bn. The Tyneside Scottish

Date of Death: Died 20 May 1940 Age 20 years old

Buried: BUCQUOY ROAD CEMETERY, FICHEUX

            Sp. Mem. Plot 8. Row E. Grave 6.

Son of Frederick Laidler, and of Margaret Laidler, of Gosforth, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

TREAD SOFTLY, MY SON LIES NEAR

Bucquoy Road Cemetery
Piper Laidler's grave

Freddie Laidler was the uncle of Dire Straits guitarist Mark Knopfler who wrote a song to remember his uncle – Piper to the End.

PIPER TO THE END 

When I leave this world behind me
to another I will go
And if there are no pipes in heaven
I'll be going down below
If friends in time be severed
someday we will meet again
I'll return to leave you never
be a piper to the end

This has been a day to die for
Now the day is almost done
Up above, a quiet seabird
turns to face the setting sun
Now the evening dove is calling
and all the hills are burning red
And before the night comes falling
clouds are lined with golden thread 

We watched the fires together
shared our quarters for a while
walked the dusty roads together
came so many miles 

This has been a day to die on
Now the day is almost done
Here the pipes will lay beside me
silent with the battle drum
If friends in time be severed
someday we will meet again
I'll return to leave you never
be a piper to the end

Presentation to Somme Battlefield Pipe Band
Lyrics of Piper to the End