On Saturday 23rd September 1989 a little bit of history was written by the Pipes and Drums of 1st Battalion The 51st Highland Volunteers when they Beat Retreat in the grounds of Windsor Castle. Previously this had been an honour accorded only to the Foot Guards. The occasion had been arranged to the great satisfaction of all concerned by Major David Rankin-Hunt, Pipe President, who is himself an 'inmate' of the Castle's Henry III Tower, and who saw this as another opportunity for a bit of 'one-upmanship' for the Battalion.

A good representation of 'G' Company serving pipers and drummers took part, including Drum Major Brian Alderson BEM., (in Black Watch kit); also prominent in the Hodden Grey were Pipe Major John Spoore, Sergeant lan King, Sergeant Mick Powell, Piper Bracken and Drummer Lees.

Sergeant Powell takes up the story from the beginning: "0800 hours was the report time at the Windsor Castle Guard Room for members of 1/51 Highland Pipes and Drums, Major Rankin-Hunt having already notified Castle Police of those members of 'G' (The London Scottish) Company who were arriving by own transport, and who were guided into the inner car-park. After greeting the northern element who had arrived in a 4-tonner, we commenced tuning-up and practice on the guard-room square, which was to be the location for the actual ceremony, just by the main entrance. We managed just two rehearsals here before the Castle gates opened at 1000 hours to admit the tourist hordes - one good, one bad - rehearsals, that is, not tourists!"

"We were then whisked off to the Life Guards barracks in the town centre which was to be our working base for the remainder of the day. The Life Guards were under the mistaken impression that we were here to rehearse for the funeral of some Field Marshal who had died recently. We did nothing to allay such impressions, with the result that they left us severely alone."

"After a few more hours sweating on the proverbial square with so many critical eyes cast in our direction, our act started to come together. Then we launched into the full treatment - all side drummers blowing bugles, followed by what is now called 'drum beatings' (drum salutes to everybody else), slow marches, forming circle, marking time - you name it, we did it! When the afternoon sun began to lean over drunkenly on the other side of the square, it was at last time to get into our kit and be on the bus back to the Castle.

"... So we were taken back to the Castle in double-quick time to be hidden from the sight of all the distinguished guests before they arrived on the guard-room square."

"March-on was to have been promptly at 1800 hours, but since the choir at St. George's Chapel were practising for a funeral we had to wait for ten minutes. At precisely 1810 hours then Drum Major Brian Alderson marched on the very first Territorial Army pipe band ever to Beat Retreat at Windsor Castle."

Among those present to witness this T.A. 'first' were: the Commanding Officer, Lt Colonel Richard Nunneley MBE, BW; Admiral Sir David Hallifax KCB, KBE, Constable and Governor of Windsor Castle; The Reverend Canon John Treadgold, Senior Canon at St. George's Chapel; Colonel Norman West, Staff Officer to The Military Knights of Windsor; and Major Jim Eastwood MBE, Superintendent of Windsor Castle. Regrettably no members of The Royal Family were present, these all being at Balmoral Castle, Royal Deeside, at the time. However there was a large turnout of the townsfolk of Windsor not to mention hundreds of tourists, 'some good, some bad' to witness this great occasion.

According to Mr Pipe President, the whole effort was executed without a single hitch as far as the Pipes and Drums were concerned, and should give the Life Guards reason to pause and reconsider any prejudices they might have had about TA Pipe Bands generally.

Afterwards, as the high-ranking guests were entertained with cocktails in the Officers' Mess at 4, The Lower Ward, the Pipes and Drums had a party in their honour at the Police Lodge, the goings on of which are best left to the imagination.

Last updated 27th September 2000