Black Watch bagpipes

We continue with all the feature by Lt Col Robert Keith Gunther on President John F Kennedy along with his relationship with the bagpipe and pipeline groups. Lt Col Gunther today seems in detail during the State Funeral that then followed the much-loved President’s tragic assassination 51 years back in Dallas, Tx, this weekend.

In line with the ‘Personal Memoirs associated with State Funeral of JFK, November 22-25, 1963’, Private first-class Arthur A. Carlson, who led the riderless horse throughout the funeral, heard that HRH Prince Phillip commented there was you don't need to hurry to arrive at the USA from London to wait as ‘it would just take at the very least a couple of weeks to prepare and execute such a funeral’. This massive and ornate state funeral had been executed somewhat faster than Prince Phillip’s most useful estimate – within behest of the in fact participating in it.

Capt. Thomas F. Reid, the 26-year-old Company Commander of Delta business, 3rd United States Infantry, and (The Old shield), stated that ‘The Military District of Washington (MDW) had a master plan for conducting a situation Funeral, but we never ever rehearsed the funeral of this incumbent president, therefore no certain plan was in fact formulated for him. We only had the fundamental master want to make use of as a template.’

Consequently, their state funeral preparations had been extremely accelerated and crazy – with practically per hour changes towards the program, such as the late-breaking inclusion of two piping elements into the ceremony. Captain Reid claimed that when ‘the Air energy Bagpipe Band was presented with a task inside ceremony I'd discover an approach to fit all of them into the sequence of events. At eleventh hour, I was informed to anticipate the arrival of a nine-man detachment from the British Ebony Watch Regiment, and fit all of them in to the ceremony some location.’

An important facet to see usually differing memories occur regarding the condition funeral, because no two participants inside had the exact same view. This must certanly be considered whenever examining the several resources offered. This might be a potential description for deceptive collective memory of that time.

The whole funeral program is detail by detail in ‘The Last Salute: Civil and Military Funerals, 1921-1969’. Part 23 covers the State Funeral of President Kennedy from 22-25 November 1963. The funeral Order of March ended up being from the U.S. Capital Building to the White home thence to St. Matthew’s Cathedral and Arlington nationwide Cemetery, Washington DC.

The Ebony Check out

Piper Bruce Cowie and the other countries in the Ebony Check out musical organization – still on tour in the usa – were approaching their particular hotel when development came through associated with the murder. ‘It had been unique, ’ said Bruce. ‘The band’s night overall performance had been called off from respect.’ Subsequent trip shows and tunes had been altered to better reflect the national state of mourning.

According to the Red Hackle Magazine [the regimental magazine], soon after the assassination, the Ebony Check out musical organization performed a small community tribute to JFK in Knoxville, Tennessee. Pipe significant James Anderson played plants of this woodland additionally the musical organization used with the American nationwide Anthem. The tribute was initiated with a quick address because of the officer commanding, whom said the regiment had been ‘offering our empathy towards US men and women and associating ourselves with them at this time’.

On 24 November 1963, the Pipe significant and eight pipers travelled from Knoxville to Washington DC and were met by Mr. R.C. Robertson of the British Army staff. The nine-man Black Check out contingent ended up being invited to march in JFK’s funeral procession by Jackie Kennedy, which remembered simply how much JFK had enjoyed the South Lawn overall performance, their final delighted time.

Piper Bruce Cowie verified that a number of the pipers marched with cuts and bruises from a club fight in Kentucky where they defended JFK’s honour regarding evening of the assassination. Ebony Check out pipers were at a bar when a few (most likely pro-segregation) Us americans starting toasting JFK’s murder. Piper Bruce Cowie stated, ‘There had been a number of the pipe musical organization and also a number of the army musical organization that performed get involved, and some did need hospital treatment.’

The White household to St. Matthew’s Cathedral
The Ebony Check out pipers were inside third-order of March behind an organization of U.S. Marines. They certainly were the 24th element off 32 that made-up the funeral procession. The BW joined up with it nearby the northwest gate associated with the White home when the funeral procession ended truth be told there. The BW pipers left the funeral procession just after the solution at St. Matthew’s Cathedral. Red Hackle magazine mentions that, ‘It had been bitter cold in Washington that time, with a wintry wind sweeping the broad avenues. The party had to wait two hours away from White Home when it comes to procession to arrive (through the Capital building), by which time hands were fast becoming numb and frozen.’

Piper Cowie claimed: ‘It is a tough thing to spell out the way I felt during the time. It had been only later on, afterwards, that there’s a realisation of just what occurred. You just realize you were element of history. The Kennedys as a household did actually have a good touch.’

Irving Lowen blogged inside the article ‘Accurate Listing of Funeral Music’ that at, ’11:40 a.m the cortege will leave the White House for St. Matthew’s Cathedral. The songs had been given by nine pipers from Black Watch regarding the Royal Highlanders Regiment, just who played The Brown Haired Maiden, The Badge of Scotland, The 51st Highland Division, and Barren Rocks of Aden. Other tunes reported to own been played included the Green Hills of Tyrol, once the Battle’s Over, and Old Rustic Bridge. Lowen included your pipe tunes played ‘were identified by Pipe Major Anderson regarding the Royal Highland Regiment through Mr Derek day's the British Embassy.’