Pipe banner
Encyclopedia
A pipe banner is a decorative flag for the Scottish Highland bagpipes
. It is used when a piper performs at high-profile or State occasions where the pipe banner will be tied to the bass drone
of her or his bagpipes. It is a rather expensive hand-made item embroidered with bullion threads.
Although pipe banners are widely used by pipe bands of civilian, military and para-military origins around the world, they are most commonly used by bagpipe players in the United Kingdom
and Commonwealth
countries. For a civilian pipe band, its pipe banners would normally feature the crest or coat of arms
of a Scottish clan to which the band is affiliated. For military or para-military pipe bands, their banners usually feature different combinations of the following:
In addition, pipe bands of Scottish regiments in the British Army usually have designated pipers for each individual company in the regiments. In such case, there will also be company pipe banners that feature each infantry company's badge and these banners are only carried by the companies' pipers. Furthermore, a battalion
's Commanding Officer may have his own piper as well, and in this case, there might also be a special pipe banner for this piper. In some regiments, it is customary for officers to donate pipe banners to their regiment's pipers at the time of their retirement.
Pipe banners may also be presented to a pipe band at a special occasion. For instance, it is not uncommon that a sponsor or dignitary would present a special pipe banner to a regiment or police force on its centenary celebration. While pipe banners are not revered in the military as regimental or King's or Queen's colours, they are, however, considered to be important due to their historical values and their associations with authoritative establishments. Some regiments would even keep their pipe banners in their officers messes alongside their colours when the banners are not in use.
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
. It is used when a piper performs at high-profile or State occasions where the pipe banner will be tied to the bass drone
Drone (music)
In music, a drone is a harmonic or monophonic effect or accompaniment where a note or chord is continuously sounded throughout most or all of a piece. The word drone is also used to refer to any part of a musical instrument that is just used to produce such an effect.-A musical effect:A drone...
of her or his bagpipes. It is a rather expensive hand-made item embroidered with bullion threads.
Although pipe banners are widely used by pipe bands of civilian, military and para-military origins around the world, they are most commonly used by bagpipe players in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
countries. For a civilian pipe band, its pipe banners would normally feature the crest or coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of a Scottish clan to which the band is affiliated. For military or para-military pipe bands, their banners usually feature different combinations of the following:
- The crest of the regiment or police force to which the band belongs
- For bands in the British ArmyBritish ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, a small Union flagUnion FlagThe Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
at the corner of the pipe banner - Crests of predecessor regiments that form the present regiment to which the band now belongs
- Battle honourBattle honourA battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....
crests, for instance, the crest of an elephant denotes a regiment's service at the Battle of AssayeBattle of AssayeThe Battle of Assaye was a major battle of the Second Anglo-Maratha War fought between the Maratha Confederacy and the British East India Company...
in 1803 - The coat of arms of the town and/or city in which the regiment takes residence
- Coats of Arms of cities and towns that have granted the regiment the Freedom of the CityFreedom of the CityFreedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
. That is, the regiment has the right to march in those cities with arms and bayonets fixed.
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
's Commanding Officer may have his own piper as well, and in this case, there might also be a special pipe banner for this piper. In some regiments, it is customary for officers to donate pipe banners to their regiment's pipers at the time of their retirement.
Pipe banners may also be presented to a pipe band at a special occasion. For instance, it is not uncommon that a sponsor or dignitary would present a special pipe banner to a regiment or police force on its centenary celebration. While pipe banners are not revered in the military as regimental or King's or Queen's colours, they are, however, considered to be important due to their historical values and their associations with authoritative establishments. Some regiments would even keep their pipe banners in their officers messes alongside their colours when the banners are not in use.