The Black Watch & The Welsh Guards
Program Information The Black Watch Biographies The Welsh Guards Biographies
Programme of Music
The Pipes, Drums, and Highland Dancers of the Black Watch and the Band of the Welsh Guards
BLACK WATCH
PIPE PRESIDENT: MAJOR DAVID KEMMIS BETTY
PIPE MAJOR: WO2 SCOTT TAYLOR
BAND OF THE WELSH GUARDS
DIRECTOR OF MUSIC: MAJOR DAVID CRESSWELL
BANDMASTER: WO1 NICK JOHNSON
OPENING MUSTER
The Band of the Welsh Guards March On
Rising of the Lark Kappey
The Pipes, Drums and Highland Dancers 1st Batallion The Black Watch March On
Wha Saw the 42nd Trad Arr Taylor
NATIONAL ATHEMS
MARCH OFF THE PIPES AND DRUMS
Blue bells of Scotland..........Trad Arr Cresswell
FANFARE
Britain’s Best..........Cresswell
THE HIGHLAND FLING
The Pipes, Drums and Highland Dancers 1st Battalion The Black Watch
The Black Watch at al Basrah..........Taylor
The Marquis of Huntley (Strathspey)..........Trad
O’er the Bows to Ballindalloch (Strathspey)..........Trad
Salute to the Lowland Cotter (Quick March)..........Taylor
THE MUSIC OF THE VALLEYS
The Band of the Welsh Guards
A Gallant Knight..........Cresswell
Men of Harlech..........Trad
My Strength and Shield..........Cresswell
Welsh Welcome..........Pendleton
THE HEATHER MIXTURE
The Pipes, Drums and Highland Dancers 1st Battalion The Black Watch
Cullen Bay (Quick March)..........Duncan
The Jolly Beggar-man (Horn Pipe)..........Maclellan
Circassian Circle (Reel)..........Trad arr Taylor
Mist Covered Mountains (Slow March)..........Trad arr Taylor
The Braes O’Marr (Strathspey)..........Trad arr Taylor
Cutting Bracken (Strathspey)..........Trad arr Taylor
Cutting Bracken (Jig)..........Trad arr Taylor
Cutty Sark (Jig)..........Trad arr Taylor
The Jiggernaught (Jig)..........Mathieson
IRELAND’S EMERALDS
The Band of the Welsh Guards
Killaloe..........Arr Cresswell
Endearing Young Charms/When Irish Eyes..........Arr Cresswell
Paddies March..........Arr Cresswell
PIPE AND BAND FEATURE
St Patrick’s Day/Dear Old Donnegal..........Arr Cresswell
Carlingford Loch..........Cresswell
MARCH OFF
Wooden Heart..........Arr Cresswell
INTERMISSION
THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF SCOTLAND
The Pipes, Drums and Highland Dancers 1st Battalion The Black Watch
The Soldier’s Return..........Trad arr Taylor
Granny Duncan..........Trad arr Taylor
Sae Will Ye Yet..........Trad arr Taylor
Miss Girdle..........Trad arr Taylor
Erchless Castle..........Trad arr Taylor
Johnny Cope..........Trad arr Taylor
Pogo’s Call..........Alexander
The Red Hackle..........Taylor
Miss Ada Crawford..........Trad arr Taylor
Aspen Bank..........Trad arr Taylor
Ghillie Callum..........Trad arr Taylor
Thomo’s Salute..........Taylor
WO1 RSM Bruce..........Taylor
ENGLAND’S ROSES
The Band of the Welsh Guards
Pastime with Good Company..........Arr Cresswell
Post Horn Gallop..........Koenig
Tipsy Trombones..........Arr Cresswell
Pomp & Circumstance Number One..........Arr Cresswell
Jerusalem..........Arr Cresswell
COMBINED OPERATIONS
The Band of the Welsh Guards
Heroes of the Flag..........Bidgood
All Marine Corps Hymn/Caissons Song..........Arr Cresswell
Ticonderoga..........Arr Taylor/Cresswell
GRAND FINALE
Ode to joy..........Arr Cresswell
Amazing Grace..........Trad Arr Cresswell
Abide with Me/Last Post/Taps..........Arr Cresswell
FINAL MUSTER AND MARCH OFF
Will Ye No’ Come Back Again / We’re No Awa’ To Bide Awa’..........Arr Cresswell
Lynnairn..........Taylor arr Johnson
Scotland the Brave / Black Bear..........Arr Cresswell
Hielan Laddie..........Arr Cresswell
The War of the Austrian Succession brought The Black Watch its first Battle Honor, at the Battle of Fontenoy in 1745. Shortly afterward, it distinguished itself at the Battle of Ticonderoga during the French and Indian War.
Although The Black Watch participated in many battles during the Revolutionary War, it clams no honor for these engagements against its American cousins. The red hackle or plume, which the Regiment considers a Battle Honor, was awarded in 1795. Legend claims it was awarded for service at the Battle of Geldermalsen. However, more than likely it was an award for many years of service in North America.
During the nineteenth century, The Black Watch served all over the world. In the Napoleonic Wars, it comprised part of the British Army at the Battle of Corunna, Toulouse, the Peninsula Campaign and Waterloo. It also fought against Russians in the Crimean War, quelled mutineers during the Sepoy Rebellion in India, fought against Colonel Arabi Pasha in the Egyptian Campaign of 1882 and the Dutch South Africans in the Boer War.
The Regiment raised 27 battalions for service on all fronts during World War I, Battle Honors for the Great War include the Marne, Ypres and the Somme. The Black Watch fought the "Axis” in theaters as far away as France, Greece and North Africa. Notable engagements during World War II include Crete, Tobruk and El Alamein. The Regiment's service since World War II has sent it to Borneo, Korea (where it fought with the U.S. Marine Corps at "The Hook") as well as several tours in Germany and, most recently, Hong Kong.
Today, The Black Watch continues to serve as a fully operational Battalion in the modern British Army and has recently seen service in Iraq in both 2003,when the Battalion played a key role in the liberation of the Southern city of Basra; and again in 2004 when the Black Watch formed a Battle Group which was sent to help the US Marine Corps during the November 2004 assault on Fallujah.
The red hackle worn on the bonnets of The Black Watch was adopted in 1795. In the Regiment, the red hackle is more than a trophy; it represents an honor and on most headdresses is worn in lieu of a regimental badge. When the feather bonnet (which does have a badge) is worn by the Pipes and Drums, the Pipe Major and Drum Major wear a small sphinx under the tackle in commemoration of the Battle Honor "Egypt" -specifically the 1801 Battle of Alexandria. Pipers of The Black Watch have always worn the feather bonnet.
The feather bonnet itself is something of a curiosity. Originally, it was a simple Scottish bonnet stuck with a few feathers or tufts of fur. During the Napoleonic Wars, it evolved into an imposing structure that reached full bloom in Victorian times. Originally, it was made of ostrich feathers but today it is made of synthetic material to look like feathers. Surprisingly, unlike the Welsh Guards bearskin cap, it is quite light.
The scarlet doublets (Highland jackets decorated with white "Crown and Inch" lace, Inverness skirt flaps and wings) worn by the drummers of The Black Watch have remained virtually the same since 1914. The blue facings denote their royal status. Pipers wear Archer Green Doublets much like those worn before 1914. The cut and style is similar to the drummer's doublet. Pipers also wear a full-body plaid and kilt of Royal Stewart tartan, with silver mounted, buckled waist belts and cross belts. Drummers wear white waist belts with a brass buckle. While it had been worn for some time, the Royal Stewart tartan was officially granted to pipers of the Regiment as a distinction in 1889. Drummers wear a fly plaid and kilt of regimental tartan. Leopard skins are worn by the tenor and bass drummers.
Both pipers and drummers wear a regimental pattern white hair sporran (Highland purse) with five black hair tassels. Sergeants and ranks above (including the Pipe Major and Drum Major as well as all pipers) wear a sporran with a gilt cantle (top). All drummers below the rank of sergeant wear one of black leather surmounted with the regimental badge. All ranks wear red and black diced hose tops, white spats with square toes and black shoes. Both the Pipe Major and the Drum Major wear doublets embellished with gold lace, rank chevrons and appointment insignia on their lower right-hand sleeves. Sergeants and ranks above wear red sashes over their right shoulder and the Pipe Major wears a sash over his left shoulder. N.C.O.'s wear chevrons on the upper right sleeve. The Drum Major carries a staff or mace and wears a sash over his left shoulder bearing the regimental Battle Honors and badge. He also carries a claymore, the Highland broadsword. Both pipers and drummers carry dirks, or Highland daggers, on their waist belts. Drummers also wear decorative cords across their chests in red, yellow and blue as authorized for a Royal regiment.
The regimental dance team, which is drawn from the Pipe Band, wears modified Pipers and Drummers uniforms. This includes glengarries with regimental badges, Archer Green doublets with wings, black or white waist belts, kilts of either Royal Stewart or Government (Black Watch) tartan, Pipers or Drummers sporrans, diced hose tops and "ghilles," Highland dance shoes.
THE PIPE PRESIDENT – Major D E J Kemmis Betty
Major David Kemmis Betty comes from a family with a long line of service in the British Army and family links throughout the British Isles. He attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1987 and was commissioned into The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) serving as a Platoon Commander, Reconnaissance Platoon Commander, Operations Officer and Company Commander. Having started his service in Berlin, he has since served in Northern Ireland, in Hong Kong including the final 6 months prior to the handover to China in 1997. He has served in Kosovo twice, on the Staff of the Multi National Brigade (Centre) in Pristina in 2000, and again commanding A (Grenadier) Company of The Black Watch as the Brigade Operations Company in 2001. In early 2003 he became Battle Group Warfare Officer for the initial deployment to Iraq on Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 1. Major Kemmis Betty has travelled extensively in Europe, Africa, Asia and Canada. He is a keen country sportsman, alpine skier, tennis and polo player.
THE PIPE MAJOR - Warrant Officer Class II Scott Taylor
Pipe Major Taylor comes from Glasgow and started to learn to play the bagpipes at the age of seven. Coming from a well established piping family, he was taught initially by his farther and grandfather. He started competing with Milngavie Juvenile Pipe Band and by the age =of twelve he had progressed to The Red Hackle / Clan Campbell Pipe Band, a grade one band which was under the direction of Pipe Major and adjudicator Malcolm McKenzie. He joined the Black Watch Pipes and Drums in 1987 and has served with the Battalion in Germany, Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, Hong Kong and two tours of duty in Iraq. He has also toured with the band extensively including China, Indonesia, New Zealand, South Africa, Europe and four previous tours of America and Canada. He was appointed Pipe Major of the 1st Battalion The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) in 2003.
The band of the Welsh Guards was formed in the same year as the Regiment (1915), and consisted of forty-four musicians and a Warrant Officer - Andrew Harris, their Bandmaster. Their first instruments were presented by the City of Cardiff and this enabled the band to carry out the first King’s Guard Mounting on St. David’s Day 1916. That evening it gave its first concert on the stage of the London Opera House and the occasion was such a success that the band’s reputation for its high musical standard was immediately established.
Since its formation, the band has toured extensively and brought the pomp and pageantry of the British way of life to many far-flung corners of the world. In recent years it has visited Spain, Australia, Belgium, Egypt, the USA and Canada. The musicians are drawn from various backgrounds such as colleges and music schools, other bands and orchestras. Permanently based in London, members of the band enjoy a varied and challenging musical career. They can regularly be seen at the ceremony of Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace and taking part in many other State and Ceremonial occasions. The band also performs frequently with the Royal Philharmonic and Hallé Orchestras in some of the most spectacular extravaganzas staged in Great Britain. Appearances on BBC TV ‘Songs of Praise’ and at prestigious sporting events like the FA Cup Final, Royal Ascot and The Lawn Tennis Championships, have brought the band’s music to widespread audiences. The band has shared the stage with well-known celebrities, including Sir Cliff Richard, Russell Watson, Katherine Jenkins and Bryn Terfel, demonstrating its versatility.
Links with the Battalion’s traditional recruiting areas in Wales are also maintained by regular public appearances there, often with many of the fine male voice choirs for which the Principality is renowned. Involvement with children and young people in instrumental clinics and music workshops is always a priority, and close ties with various schools and colleges have successfully developed through these avenues. Charity concerts are regularly given in aid of The Army Benevolent Fund, The Royal British Legion and The Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmens’ Families’ Association.
Through its unique blend of stirring music and colourful ceremony, the band continues to appeal to both young and old by upholding those fine traditions associated with the Land of Song.
DIRECTOR OF MUSIC - MAJOR D W CRESSWELL BBCM PSM
Major David Cresswell joined the Army in 1975 as a Junior Bandsman at the Junior Leader's Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps. Two years later he passed out as the best Junior Bandsman of his term and was posted to the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall for the one-year Pupil Bandsman's course, studying trumpet. From there he served for six years with the Cambrai Staff Band of the Royal Tank Regiment in both England and Germany, under the batons of Gordon Turner and Roger Tomlinson.
In 1984 he returned to Kneller Hall for the three-year Student Bandmasters' course. On graduation in 1987, after winning the Alf Young Memorial Prize for Best Church Service, he was promoted to Warrant Officer Class One and appointed Bandmaster of The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars. He served with the Regiment for seven years in Germany, England and Cyprus, and during the 1991 Gulf conflict, in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait.
In 1993, upon the amalgamation of The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars with The Queen's Own Hussars he was appointed Bandmaster of the newly formed The Queen's Royal Hussars. As a result of the reorganisation of Army music in 1994, the Regiment had its band disbanded. Therefore Major Cresswell has the unique distinction of being first, last, and only Bandmaster of The Queen's Royal Hussars.
After passing the Army's Advanced Certificate of Music in 1994 he was commissioned, promoted to Captain, and appointed as the first Director of Music of the newly formed Band of the Hussars and Light Dragoons, serving in Munster, Germany, following which he was appointed as Deputy Chief Instructor at the Royal Military School of Music in April 1998. Having completed the arduous Household Cavalry Mounted Dutyman’s Equitation course at the ripe old age of 42 he was promoted to Major and assumed the appointment of Director of Music The Life Guards in January 2002. Following 3 very successful years which included tours to New Zealand and Finland he was appointed to the Welsh Guards in June 2005.
Major Cresswell met his German wife, Kerstin, in Twickenham whilst serving as a Student Bandmaster at Kneller Hall. They have two daughters. The fourth love of his life is his Harley Davidson motorcycle, on which he travels to work daily.
BANDMASTER - WO1 NICHOLAS JOHNSON BA PG DIP LRSM LTCL ALCM
Bandmaster Nick Johnson enlisted as a Junior Musician in the Junior Leaders’ Regiment Royal Armoured Corps in 1984, where he received training on both trombone and piano, before joining the band of 3rd Royal Tank Regiment in Paderborn, Germany. During his time with the band, he engaged in a demanding concert schedule, travelling extensively throughout Europe.
In 1988 he spent a year as a pupil at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall and afterwards served in Germany and Cyprus. During the Gulf War, he was attached to the 5th Armoured Field Ambulance in Kuwait.
By 1996 he was accepted for the three-year Student Bandmaster’s Course. Here he had the distinction of leading the School’s fanfare trumpets at many high-profile events, including a Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium. He graduated with a BA in music, and gained prizes in arranging and composition.
In 1999, WO1 Johnson was appointed Bandmaster of the band of the Royal Logistic Corps. Whilst undertaking a busy touring programme throughout the UK and abroad, he returned to the London Palladium to direct a prestigious charity show.
WO1 Johnson became Bandmaster of the band of the Welsh Guards in 2002 and is currently studying for a Masters degree.