I received an email from John McKinlay’s niece Irene, thanking us for the Christmas card.
Unfortunately she advises that John passed away on the 16th August.
John was ages with my dad so would be about 91/92 years old.
I believe John was an officer (if not a Captain) of the 108 after his service in the 214.
You may remember that his brother Hugh passed away in April, so it’s been a sad year for the whole family.
We send on our condolences at this festive time.
Find attached a link to BB former members page, showing an interesting page about BB Ex Members that received the Victoria Cross or George Cross.
Click here to go to the link.
Interesting to see that many were awarded to Scots.
The first one awarded during the 2nd World War was to an Ex member of the 237th Glasgow, St Davids Parish Church in Knightswood.
One of our local rivals.
Find attached a link to a national BB publication.
With Armistice Day approaching we have produced a new article called Flowers of the Forest.
This can be found under the Articles continued menu dropdown or at the bottom of the Articles page.
click this link to view page. then click Article to read
Joe Noble continued his South America tour and travelled into Argentina.
He thought the guys would be interested to see what was being carried in front of one the many bands.
This was during a fiesta in a remote village in northern Argentina called Tilcara.
‘I’m sure that they’re not attached to the B.B. but our emblem is still there.
Sure and Stedfast!’
Check out the bass drummer in the band photo.
Joe said ‘He gave it laldy but give me Dougie Law any time!’
Many thanks to Joe for his efforts in keeping the 214 name out there.
Ex Member Joe Noble continues his tour….
‘Following my trip to New Zealand, I travelled to Buenos Aires in Argentina to participate in workshops with one of the local bands – Highland Thistle – together with Stuart Liddell and Steven McWhirter, the PM and Leading Drummer respectively of the Inveraray and District pipe band.
We also performed in a concert, shortly after our arrival, when I performed a brief solo and both Steven and myself took part in a drum fanfare with the band’s drum corps.
Not surprisingly, Stuart and Steven delivered brilliant solo and joint performances to great acclaim.
Workshops aside, we were very well looked after by the band members who held an ‘asado’ (bbq) to celebrate the 10 days we’d spent with them.
Steven, Lynn, Joe and Stuart enjoying the Asado.
The Noble bandwagon has now moved on, briefly, to Uruguay before returning to Argentina for a tour of one of the Northern provinces.
Regards
Joe’
Well done Joe good to see the 214 teachings are still being shared Worldwide.
Ex member Joe Noble was recently invited to judge the inaugural solo drumming competition for the Royal New Zealand Pipe Bands Association.
The competition took place on 1st September in Wellington.
Joe saying a few words before the winners are announced.
While on the North Island, Joe and his wife Lynn made time to visit ex-members Stewart Gorle and Bobby Turner.
Stewart lives in Tauranga with his wife Barbara, and Bobby lives on Waiheke Island off Auckland with his wife Marion.
Joe and Stewart.
Joe & Bobby Turner
Both Stewart and Bobby send their regards to the 214 ex-members and especially to those they played with in the pipe band.
Joe and Lynn left Auckland on 7th September, headed for Argentina where Joe will be involved in workshops with a band in Buenos Aires.
Hopefully we will see some more pictures and hear about Argentina.
Good to see the 214 is still involved on a worldwide basis.
Enjoy your trip Joe & Lynn.
John Courtney has advised me that his uncle James Courtney, passed away on 7th August at Clydebank care Home, where he was admitted to 3/4 weeks ago.
Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances, I have only just found out that his funeral was held this morning.
(Jimmy is sitting centre front of this picture at the 2004 Reunion at the OTC Hall at Glasgow University – click to view a larger version of picture)
Jimmy who was 94, was a regular attender to the reunions.
He had 4 brothers Willie, Tommy, John (Harry), who were older and a younger brother John.
He had previously been a Youth Leader at the Hub in Clydebank.
Jimmy was aye ready for a Scottish tune on his “moothie”.
I’m sure we all have a memory of him playing?
I remember him playing on the way back from the BB 125th Anniversary show at Braehead, he had the bus singing away as if everyone were back in their youth.
We all send our respects to John and Jimmy’s son James and all the family.
We are delighted to advise that we have received a new bespoke bagpipe recording!
Angus Laurie’s composition P.M. Alex MacIver has been recorded for us by Roddy MacLeod, Principal of The National Piping Centre.
It is apposite that he should favour us with his rendition of the tune.
Like ‘MacKeever’ Roddy was born of island parents, his mother was from Benbecula and his father from Ballalan in Lewis.
Ballalan is the next village, no distance from Laxay where Alex’ father was born.
Roddy fulfilled a role as one of The Lewis and Harris pipers under The Direction of ‘MacKeever’.
When Roddy published the first of what would become countless piping CDs it was Alex MacIver who wrote the sleeve notes.
Without doubt Roddy is a piper beyond celebrity! When you add to this the fact that Roddy is married to the sister our own member John MacLeod, who was the last piper recruited by Ian McLellan before he retired from the ‘Polis’ and that Roddy’s wife and her brother John are cousins of the four 214 BB’s McLennan brothers, all in all Roddy is practically one of our own.
For those who would like to know more about Roddy or to learn of his life in piping please check out his interview on Pipers Persuasion or indeed see the articles on The Kyle’s of Scalpay and The Two Alex’s where he is already referenced.
We regularly ask Ex Members to record Alex’ compositions and send them to us?
If you can and are willing, please do so, this allows us to bring the website to life.
(There are plenty of Alex’ compositions still needing sound files.)
click here to hear Roddy MacLeod playing PM Alex M MacIver
You may remember the tune was also recorded by Donald Black on the mouth organ.
Three of our members recently competed in the Westerton Bowling Club 2018 Invitational Triples.
Dougy McColl, Iain Glass and Willie Ellis, dressed in their 214 ties enjoyed a great day.
Although they didn’t perform as well as last year, they held their own keeping the 214’s name in circulation.
Well done lads.