News
August 31, 2001

Two-Thirds of Funds for World War I Pipers Memorial Raised

A project to raise funds for the erection of a memorial to the fallen pipers of World War I is two-thirds of the way to reaching its goal, according to organizers. Provided enough funds are raised, the four metres high monument will be unveiled on July 20, 2002.

The memorial is designed to be a tribute to the hundreds of pipers with the Scottish, Canadian, Irish and Australian regiments who gave up their lives during the Great War, including the great composer Willie Lawrie of the 8th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, and James Richardson of the 16th (Canadian Scottish) Battalion, who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery at Courcelette and Le Sars on October 8, 1916.

“In one year, the donations and the subsidies enabled us to collect two thirds of the budget,” said Jacques Andre, President of the Pipers Memorial Association. “But there remains less than one year to make ends meet.”

Andre stated that the region of Picardy, France, and the Department of the Somme have granted subsidies for the project.

“So much of the light music that pipers play today was composed during World War I,” said Andrew Berthoff, editor of the Piper & Drummer magazine. “A saving grace of this horrific period in history is that it resulted in so many great, original compositions, from those of Willie Lawrie, to G.S. McLennan, to John McLellan, DCM. Pipers everywhere owe a dept of gratitude to their fallen brethren of the Great War, and we hope they donate to this worthy cause.”

For information on donating to the Pipers Memorial project, please visit www.ifrance.com/pipersmemorial/.

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