September 11, 2016
/
For the third year running, members of 1st Battalion The Highlanders ACF pipes and drums took part in the Highland Military Tattoo at Fort George, Ardersier.
The three-day event, held from 9-11 September, saw the band play alongside musicians from the cadet’s parent battalion The Highlanders 4th Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland (4 SCOTS), 51st Highland 7th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (7 SCOTS), 2622 (Highland) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force, RAF Lossiemouth Pipe Band, Forres Pipe Band, City of Inverness Pipe Band and Gordonstoun School Pipe Band. The cadet’s also played alongside the Band of The Royal Marines Scotland and this year’s international act The Royal Band of the Belgian Navy.
The cadets took part in three evening performances, a matinee performance on Saturday afternoon and a full dress rehearsal on the Thursday evening. For the majority of the band this was the first time they had played in a public event. Aside from playing in the Massed Bands at the start of the tattoo and in the finale the band even had a solo performance this year in a section solely dedicated to youth performers, which also saw the band perform with the Fochabers Fiddlers and the City of Inverness Highland Dancers with a combined piece.
Pipes & Drums Detachment Commander Second Lieutenant Liza MacFarquhar was extremely pleased with how the cadets performed.
She said: “It was a pleasure to perform again at the tattoo alongside some very good bands. It was a great experience for our cadets which they thoroughly enjoyed.”
This year’s tattoo marked the centenary of the Battle of the Somme, with the tattoo also having a nautical theme to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Jutland – which saw the Guard of Honour made up of members of the Royal Navy’s Submarine Squadrons.
The Highland Military Tattoo replaces the old Inverness Tattoo which ended in 2010. The Tattoo has been planned for three years, with next year being the last, however there are already plans under way to make it a permanent fixture in the Highland calendar.
