Mike Powell's interest in drumming began at an early age, first with the Borough Pipe Band, Southwark in 1963, and subsequently with the London Irish Association pipe band. In 1972 he was 'discovered' by Mike Crowley who persuaded him to join The London Scottish Pipes and Drums as a civvie drummer. For two years Mike Crowley carefully schooled this wild sprig of Hibernia into the ways of The London Scottish. Then in 1974, upon hearing that 1/51 Highland was going to Cyprus for its annual camp, Mike Powell decided to enlist, lured no doubt by the prospects of sunshine, sandy beaches and gallons of the local "grappa'. Unfortunately, the Turks chose that particular fortnight in which to invade Cyprus (the damned cheek of them!) and Mike went to his first T.A. camp on the Salisbury Plain instead. There, needless to say, it rained more or less continuously throughout. He was not impressed. But by then well and truly medicalled, attested and kitted-out, he resolved to make the best of an unenviable situation.

Luckily for the T.A. there is more to life than cold porridge and the mud of the Salisbury Plain. In January 1975, Mike found himself selected to attend a six week course at the Army School of Pipe Music in Edinburgh Castle. Along with Mike Crowley, who was also a student, they were the first T.A. soldiers ever to have attended such a course. Promotion to corporal came in 1976, then in 1977 - Jubilee Year - Mike participated in the Beating Retreat ceremony by the massed bands of The Scottish Division at Holyrood Park in Edinburgh. This was his first really big parade, and it confirmed in him his hitherto unspoken ambition to go as far and as high as he could in the T.A., to Drum-Major even.

But the fulfilment of ambition is often a long, slow process. By 1984, many of those who had joined up with Mike had made it to the Sergeants Mess, whilst he was still only a corporal. It was at this time that he chose to take a rest from the Pipes and Drums and joined the serving Company as a 'proper soldier'. He stood this for nearly four years, including two years spent in the newly formed reconnaissance platoon, and although he still did not make it to sergeant in that time, one suspects that at least he tried to behave like one.

Once back with the Pipes and Drums fortune began to lend a hand in the guise of his baby daughter, whose arrival on the 12th June 1987 meant that Mike was unable to attend camp. Once the dust had settled on that family event, Mike decided to attend a course in lieu of camp - a drum major's course at the Guards Depot, Pirbright. This course had been designed very much with the Regular Army in mind though T.A. drummies were eligible to attend. (See Gazette No. 997, Vol XCIV, Spring 1989). When the course concluded Mike found that he had achieved second place in the face of some fairly stiff competition.

The first place had been awarded to an Irish Guards depot instructor with half a lifetime of musical experience behind him; which just goes to show - yet again - that your London Scottish jock is worth two of the best of anybody else, the Guards included. Kneller Hall here we come!

But it was to be a further two years before Mike was able to wear the magic third stripe of Drum Sergeant and at last give the elbow treatment to his stripling younger brother Tim, who, as Cadet CSM, had been a member of the Sergeants Mess for some time. It was at about this time too that the powers-that-be had observed more grey hairs sprouting from the tired head of Drum-Major Bryan Alderson than was usual, and they prudently decided to pension him off before he became an operational liability.

So it was, that some sixteen years after he first enlisted in 'G' Company, Mike Powell fulfilled his ambition, and in June this year, became not only Drum Major of The London Scottish Pipes and Drums, but Drum Major of 1st Battalion The 51st Highland Volunteers as well. And whilst he doubtless acknowledges the support and encouragement given to him by his comrades and his family, his wife Julie in particular, he also owes much to his own energy and determination that he now stands on this, the pinnacle of his ambition.

In civilian life Mike is a messenger with Messrs Coutts & Co., bankers, and lives in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.

He has one other daughter, Lauren. His father Jim was a T.A. soldier with REME until his retirement in 1970 as WO1 with HQ Squadron, The Royal Yeomanry (Westminster Dragoons), and who still keeps up his own interest in drumming as Bugle major of the London Irish Rifles Pipes and Drums. Mike takes an especial pride in the fact that he is one of the few real 'Cockney Jocks' in this outfit - born at Guy's Hospital - well within the sound of Bow Bells. There can be little doubt as to which is his favourite march tune.

Mike was awarded the Territorial Efficiency Medal in 1988, the decoration having been pinned on him by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother at the opening of 95 Horseferry Road HQ on 27th April 1988; albeit two years late, but, like everything that he has achieved, well worth the wait.

Last updated 26th September 2000