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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.
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| Bucquoy Road Cemetery Cross of Sacrifice |
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| Somme Battlefield Pipe Band march on |
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| Tyneside Scottish Branch RAA |
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| Somme Battlefield Pipe Band |
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| Somme Battlefield Pipe Band |
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| 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
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| 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
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| Presentation to Somme Battlefield Pipe Band Lyrics of Piper to the End |
