THE ROYAL HIGHLANDERS (THE BLACK WATCH)
1st Battalion
During the opening stages the pipers were necessarily mostly employed in the ranks, and, within the first three months, practically the whole of the 13 pipers were casualties. During the Somme fighting the companies were repeatedly played to the attack by their pipers; on one of these occasions the pipe major, M'Leod, was killed. At Rue des Bois in May 1915, when the battalion attacked the German positions near Festubert, every company was played up, and Pipers Stuart and Wishart distinguished themselves, and Stuart was awarded the D.C.M.
2nd Battalion
At Neuve Chapelle, March 1915, and at many other subsequent engagements, the pipers lost heavily. At Mauquissart on 25th September, 1915, when the companies were played to the attack, one piper, Robert Johnstone, played on until he fell gassed; and another, Armit, on reaching the enemy trenches, started bombing. On the same occasion, Pipers David Simpson and A. Macdonald stood on the parapet under very heavy fire playing their company over; Simpson was killed and Macdonald, who lost his leg, received the D.C.M. The pipers were also employed as bombers, and in this capacity Lance-Corpl. Peter MacNee obtained the D.C.M. at Neuve Chapelle.
On another occasion Pipers Gordon and Crichton played from one end of the line to the other out in the open, and similar feats were subsequently performed by other pipers.
While the battalion was in France, out of 22 pipers 4 were killed and 13 were wounded, during the first year of the war.
The battalion subsequently went to Mesopotamia. Here again the pipers were employed, sometimes in miscellaneous duties in the ranks, sometimes as pipers. The pipe major, John Keith, was awarded the D.C.M. Piper Pratt was promoted and given the D.C.M. for "high capacity in leadership" when acting as sergeant.
4th Battalion
The pipers were employed principally as bearers, and were highly complimented for their gallantry at Neuve Chapelle in March 1915; at Loos they were similarly employed, and Piper M'Leod was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in bringing in his colonel, who was mortally wounded, under very heavy fire. On 3rd September, 1916, the battalion was played in to the attack, but, as a rule, they were kept back behind the front line. Pipe Major Alex. Low got the D.C.M. for attending wounded, and Piper M'Leod got a bar to his Military Medal.
| REG. NO. RANK. | NAME. | RECORD. | |
| 210 | Pipe Major | Alexander Low, D.C.M. | Recommended for D.C.M., Neuve Chapelle. |
| 1198 | " | D. M'Leod, M.M. | Awarded Military Medal, 25/3/15; and bar in 1918. |
| 263 | Corpl. | J. Nicoll | Wounded, 10/3/15. |
| 1914 | Piper | J. Reid | Wounded, 9/5/15. |
| 1403 | " | J. Lyall | Wounded, 6/9/15. |
| 1301 | " | R. Sword | Wounded, 9/5/15. |
| 832 | " | J. Donaldson | Wounded, 10/3/15. |
| 663 | " | J. Souter | |
| 714 | " | J. Dewar | |
| 1039 | " | G. Scott | |
| 1160 | " | J. Merchant | |
| 1887 | " | T. Cameron | |
| 1678 | " | F. Mitchell | |
| 2204 | " | A. Findlay | |
| 4029 | " | C. Gibson | |
| 1717 | " | J. Myles | |
| 2177 | " | A. Sangster | |
| 769 | " | H. Mitchell | |
| " | Thos. Paterson | Transferred to Wireless Service, R.N., as Sub-Lieut. | |
5th Battalion
Pipers were employed, during the trench fighting, as observers, messengers and stretcher-bearers, and in the ranks, and suffered heavy casualties. The battalion was subsequently merged into the 4th Black Watch.
| REG. NO. RANK. | NAME. | RECORD. | |
| 668 | Pipe Major | A. M'Donald Lamond | Wounded, 9/5/15, Fromelles. |
| 1053 | Sergt. | A. E. Crowe | |
| 1163 | Piper | J. Carstairs | Invalided. |
| 729 | Lance-Cpl. | J. Stewart | Invalided. |
| 826 | Piper | J. Duncan | |
| 1150 | " | A. Nicoll | Wounded, 25/8/15, while sniping. |
| 1053 | " | A. Lundie | Wounded, 9/5/15. |
| 1689 | " | J. Whitton | |
| 1051 | " | J. Begg | |
| 1568 | " | A. Howie | Killed, 10/3/15, Neuve Chapelle; mentioned in despatches. |
| 406 | Lance-Cpl. | F. Reid | Killed, 13/3/15, Neuve Chapelle. |
| 382 | Sergt. | P. M'Kay | |
| 719 | Piper | W. Webster | |
| 1719 | " | J. Myles | |
| 751 | " | A. C. Scott | |
| 1017 | " | A. Brand | |
6th Battalion
Pipers were employed in many ways, but chiefly as stretcher-bearers. The band was regarded by the men as the best stretcher-bearers they came across. At High Wood in July 1916 the battalion was played over by Pipers Pirnie, Forbes, Mapleton and Tainsh.
Since September 1916 they have been kept out of the front line as far as possible.
In December 1917 four pipers were killed and one wounded by a bomb during an aeroplane raid at Fromicourt.
7th Battalion
The pipers were employed in the ranks, as despatch runners, etc. Piper G. Galloway was awarded the Military Medal for performing this most hazardous duty under heavy fire during the Somme fighting; and Pipe Major Thomas Macdonald and Pipers Swan and Hands were rewarded with the same distinction.
Latterly the pipers were trained as anti-aircraft Lewis gunners, and proved extremely successful.
8th Battalion
The battalion was played into action at Loos and in many of the Somme engagements. After 1916, on account of losses among them, they were kept out of the front line as far as possible.
The band headed the State Entry of King Albert into Brussels in November 1918.
9th Battalion
The pipers played the battalion into action at Hill 70, and the whole band, except one man, was killed or wounded.
The battalion was ultimately absorbed into the 4/5th Black Watch.
| REG. NO. RANK. | NAME. | RECORD. | |
| 9005 | Pipe Major | T. Harley | |
| 4924 | Lance-Cpl. | D. Cameron | |
| 11463 | Piper | J. Armour | Invalided. |
| 40016 | " | J. Burleigh | Wounded, 18/5/18. |
| 43236 | " | G. Fairweather | Wounded, 28/7/18. |
| " | J. Johnstone | Killed, March 1918. | |
| 40018 | " | D. Lamond | |
| 43448 | " | J. Scott | |
| 7814 | " | R. Napier | |
| 43155 | " | A. Robertson | Wounded, 30/10/18. |
| 16105 | " | J. Spence | |
| 6563 | " | A. Stirling | Wounded, 18/5/18. |
| 11195 | " | R. Thomson | |
| " | J. Wemyss | Invalided. | |
| 1350 | " | T. Logan | |