Remembrance Day: Cameron of Lochiel Pipes and Drums join world-wide commemoration

They came out of the darkness, with a single drum tapping. It was incredibly moving.

Twelve members of The Cameron of Lochiel Pipes and Drums band were at the Huntsville Royal Canadian Legion Branch 232 at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday morning to join in a world-wide initiative. Bands as far away as France and Somalia gathered to do the same: play a traditional end-of-battle song to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended World War I. Although the ceasefire came at 11:00 a.m., the documents had been signed in the early-morning hours.

Approximately 20 people came out to witness the once-in-a-lifetime event. The morning was dark, with stars bright in the sky and only small lanterns marking the sidewalk.

The band formed up in the Legion parking lot, led by a single drum tapping. The group then marched in silence and in darkness up the street where they turned onto the pathway to the cenotaph, the ice and snow crunching under their boots. The atmosphere was sombre as thoughts turned back to the events of a century ago.

First they played “Green Hill” followed by “When the Battle’s O’er”, a traditional Scottish song played when fighting comes to an end. The pipes and drums rang out loud and clear in the chilled morning air near the cenotaph where the Huntsville 844 Norseman Air Cadets maintained their overnight vigil.

See a video clip of the historic moment below.

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