# ‘I am a piper. A soldier has died, so I must play.’



## 57Chevy (30 Aug 2010)

Nice article I read in the News today.
iper:
 :yellow:

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — The solemn and reverential ramp ceremony that has come to mark the farewell from Afghanistan for fallen Canadians has become the iconic image of the conflict at home.

Part of that iconography is the haunting sound of a lone piper skirling dolorously as a flag-draped casket is slowly marched on the shoulders of companions-in-arms into the bay of a waiting transport plane.

Master Cpl. Mike Meagher played the bagpipes when the first ramp ceremony at Kandahar Airfield was held for Pte. Braun Woodfield of Eastern Passage, N.S., in November 2005 and again for diplomat Glyn Berry when he died two months later.

Since then he has participated in more than 30 similar farewells for Canadian, American and Dutch soldiers in Afghanistan.

"This is a responsibility, a duty and an honour," said Meagher, who thought he would give the bagpipes "a kick" when he joined the army 22 years ago because of his mixed Scottish-Irish heritage. "When a ceremony is done correctly here there is often an emotional response, particularly for those who were directly involved.

"Even if you know the person who has died, as I did the first time here because he was in my company, once you start playing you don't tend to dwell on that. The quality of sound is what you think of."

There are seven Canadian pipers serving in Kandahar at the moment. Most military pipers know about 400 tunes, but what has been played most often at ramp ceremonies in Kandahar is the 18th-century British hymn, Amazing Grace.

Flowers of the Field, the traditional lament for fallen soldiers, has also been played at times. However, Meagher believes that it is more appropriately played at gravesides because it is not a slow march, which is suited to ramp ceremonies because it allows pallbearers to find a proper marching cadence.

Assigned to Canada's air wing at the airfield, the 40-year-old from Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont., is eight months into a 10-month tour, his third in Afghanistan in five years. He has also frequently played at repatriation ceremonies at CFB Trenton when Canadians killed in Afghanistan first return to home soil.

Playing bagpipes on a blistering tarmac in southern Afghanistan involves special challenges.

"It is definitely more difficult to play here. Temperature is a factor," Meagher said of this extremely arid region where the thermometer in summer sometimes reaches 60 C. "Bagpipes require a degree of moisture and that is not present in this atmosphere. I add water to my bag."

Bagpipes have been part of the culture of Scotland's warring clans as far back as the 11th century and of Highland regiments for centuries.

The French and Dutch militaries have pipe bands. So do the Royal Gurkhas and the armies of several Gulf states including Oman. Many Canadian regiments have pipe and drum bands, although only one regular force battalion, 2 Royal Canadian Regiment, still has a band.

"When the British Empire marched across the world, the pipers went along," Meagher said. "As many have said, bagpipes are an instrument of war. They inspire men to fight and lament those who have died. Regardless of what country's military plays them, they have become synonymous with war."

What Meagher plays in Kandahar is a military-issue Great Highland Bagpipe.

The ramp ceremonies and the pipers' central part in them, had become the iconic image of war in Canada "because they provide a snippet or snapshot for the media of what is going on," he said. "We couldn't possibly have done this during World War II because there were so many casualties.

"I don't know how practical it is, but it is a show of deep respect. I am a piper. A soldier has died, so I must play."
 link 

           (Reproduced under the Fair Dealings provisions of the Copyright Act


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## vorden (30 Aug 2010)

That's very well written, thank you for posting it.


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## tomahawk6 (30 Aug 2010)

Nothing more fitting than the skirling of the pipes as men engage in battle or when they have fallen.


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## jollyjacktar (30 Aug 2010)

Amazing Grace always set my teeth on edge during a Ramp, and still does to this day.  For me, Flowers of the Field is more fitting and what I would want piped.


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## Cansky (30 Aug 2010)

Although this is a well written article, the writter is incorrect about the first ramp ceremony.  Marc Leger, Ainsworth Dwyer, Nathan Smith and Richar Green were the first Canadian ramp ceremony held in Apr 2002.  I believe the piper's first ramp ceremony was Pte Woodfield.  Having attended the first ramp ceremony, I will never forget the raw emotions from all who were present.


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## Rogo (30 Aug 2010)

This was a very moving article, I wish that more Canadians would read it.


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## MP 811 (31 Aug 2010)

Great article.  I brought my pipes with me to Mirage with the full intention of playing for the repats when they came through there.  You wont believe what I was told....

They opted for a recorded version of the pipes over the real thing.  Told me that they had rehearsed with the recording and that "I might throw their timing off"....can you believe that!

I was so angry.  Then they had the gumption to ask me to play at their remembrance day ceremony.  I told them (exact words) "if i'm not "good enough" to play for the repats, then i'm not good enough to play for your remembrance ceremony.......use the recording"

They did.....................even after many MANY people bitched about having a pipe on camp and not using me.  Pretty sure the Camp Chief and the Maj got tired of people asking them why I wasn't being used.

Im still angry over this........


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## Haggis (31 Aug 2010)

MP 811 said:
			
		

> Great article.  I brought my pipes with me to Mirage with the full intention of playing for the repats when they came through there.  You wont believe what I was told....
> 
> They opted for a recorded version of the pipes over the real thing.  Told me that they had rehearsed with the recording and that "I might throw their timing off"....can you believe that!
> 
> ...




 :rage:  *Un-freakin' believeable!!!*  :rage:

That Camp Sergeant Major should have been *sacked* for allowing that to happen.


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## gaspasser (31 Aug 2010)

I think the sound of raw pipes would inspire the troops to march a little straighter and perform thier drill a little snappier~~~
Must have been some snot-nosed 2Lt who didn't know the difference??!!
I was up for a second go at Mirage and sooo wanted to bring my pipes with me..I even asked the Pipie for extra tunes to learn and drills to practise, but alas, I didn't go~~~ iper:  I knew we would need them there.
Great article, a piper is always good to have around~~~


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## George Wallace (31 Aug 2010)

I always hated those "Recorded" ceremonies/parades.  The old days had the problem of the needle scratching or the tape being stretched and the speed all screwed up.  Today, we still have the same technological problems with the amp blowing, a speaker not working, cueing the tunes, operator malfunction, timing, etc.  This reminds me of the time we had a Rememberence day service in a large room and watched PowerPoint Prensentations.  That sucked too.

Some CoC has definitely displayed a wacked out sense of priorities.  There will always be one.   :-\


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## kratz (31 Aug 2010)

A powerful story.

It would be my own hope, when looking back, the quote "I am a piper. A soldier has died, so I must play.’" is one of our memories.

MP 118, I can only shake my head at their decision and thank you for being there and willing to play.


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## Rogo (31 Aug 2010)

I'm sorry I'm so green(as in inexperienced) to not know this but, do they really use recordings that often?

It saddens me because I grew up with every remembrance day having proper pipe and drum bands (usually played by cadets or a local group from around the area). I figured the armed forces would hold on to tradition and this symbol of honour and sacrifice even more tightly, it's unfortunate that today it is less and less true.



Sorry for the slight rant, I just needed to voice my view.


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## 57Chevy (31 Aug 2010)

kratz said:
			
		

> A powerful story.
> 
> It would be my own hope, when looking back, the quote "I am a piper. A soldier has died, so I must play.’" is one of our memories.



Sounds like the title of lone piper tune. 8)

It was always a joy parading around the drill hall to one of those well used recordings
with the sound bouncing off the walls and all.  ;D

But, out there on the parade square on a nice warm summer day, with short sleeve
shirts and low shoes with the pipers piping away.......man.......you can drill all day.

I love the pipes. I think the pipes are the militarys' greatest tradition.
iper:


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## FormerHorseGuard (31 Aug 2010)

Nothing beats the pipes. The Mighty Pipes is a sound I will never forget. The last piper I heard on Parade was at the closing parade of the Cadets in 1993 at Camp Ipperwash just before the protesters stormed the parade sqaure and returned a building they had burned on the range as part of the protest. A cadet was playing Amazing Grace from the bell tower it was very powerful way  to close a Cadet Camp out and know no one was coming back to Ipperwash to camp again.  The look that the protesters got when they  stormed the square would of set them on fire if the full time and the  res staff had their way.
I cannot imagine the sound of the lone Piper playing on a hot tarmac  over there as the last tune the fallen will be carried off the field of battle by  his or her friends and comrades. I am glad I have never had to hear it in person as I am sure it would always haunt my  memories.

Pipers play hard, play well and we will remember


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## PMedMoe (1 Sep 2010)

Kirsten Luomala said:
			
		

> Although this is a well written article, the writter is incorrect about the first ramp ceremony.  Marc Leger, Ainsworth Dwyer, Nathan Smith and Richar Green were the first Canadian ramp ceremony held in Apr 2002.  I believe the piper's first ramp ceremony was Pte Woodfield.  Having attended the first ramp ceremony, I will never forget the raw emotions from all who were present.



The article states "the first ramp ceremony *at Kandahar Airfield*", so I believe it is correct.  I was at that one.

Nice article, thanks for posting.


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## Cansky (1 Sep 2010)

PMedMoe said:
			
		

> The article states "the first ramp ceremony *at Kandahar Airfield*", so I believe it is correct.  I was at that one.
> 
> Nice article, thanks for posting.


.  
Actually PMED Moe I am correct after all I was there at Kandahar airfield.  Op Apollo 3 PPCLI battle group.  Feb 02 - July 02.  The first 4 casualties left from Kandahar airfield.


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## PMedMoe (2 Sep 2010)

Kirsten Luomala said:
			
		

> .
> Actually PMED Moe I am correct after all I was there at Kandahar airfield.  Op Apollo 3 PPCLI battle group.  Feb 02 - July 02.  The first 4 casualties left from Kandahar airfield.



Well, there you go.  I wasn't aware they were doing ramp ceremonies from KAF at that time.  Thanks for the enlightenment!   :nod:


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## MP 811 (5 Sep 2010)

kratz said:
			
		

> A powerful story.
> 
> It would be my own hope, when looking back, the quote "I am a piper. A soldier has died, so I must play.’" is one of our memories.
> 
> MP 118, I can only shake my head at their decision and thank you for being there and willing to play.



thanks!............I was honoured to be able to play for our boys, and to have it yanked from me like that was a real kick in the teeth.


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