Sure, they say this NOW...

[IEScotsman]

What's up with this quote:
"Scottish regiments traditionally regard their soldiers as charging fearlessly into battle to the bloodcurdling sound of the bagpipes."

BLOODCURDLING?!?! How insulting!!!

[SnakeEyes]

What's up with this quote:
"Scottish regiments traditionally regard their soldiers as charging fearlessly into battle to the bloodcurdling sound of the bagpipes."

BLOODCURDLING?!?! How insulting!!!

Yeah that does seem a bit over the top. But you also have to remember that we've been hearing bagpipes all of our lives, and to someone who'd never heard them they might something of a "what-the-heck-is-that?" effect. Too call the sound "bloodcurdling" in these modern times, however, is just ignorant.

[Gaisgeil]

I don't think the bloodcurdling thing was supposed to mean they sounded bad, just... exotic. If you ever see footage of Scottish troops in formation marching or charging under the sound of the pipes you can see what they're talking about. For some reason, it's intimidating in much the same way as if you or I were in the jungle and starting hearing native drums like in the movies or something, it's probably a combination of the fact you're already in a war, so you're constantly on edge and you're confronted with something you don't understand, that's a recipe for fear! Besides, the pipes for some reason just invoke emotion, whether it's pride, fear or tranquility (think funeral pipes) people (and some animals! just ask any piper who's played outside) respond to the pipes.

[macwilkin]

I see nothing wrong with the term (now we're splitting hairs) -- after all, the pipes, much the bayonet, is a psychological weapon. There's a great line in the 1950's version of The Buccaneer, with Yul Brenner as the pirate Jean Lafitte and Charleton Heston as Andrew Jackson where a young American soldier on the line at Chalmette says to Jackson about the pipers of the 93rd, "They send cold chills down my spine" (or something similar) -- Jackson/Heston replies, "That's what they're supposed to do."

A similar legend exists about the "happy warriors" of Nepal -- the Gurkhas. Legends abound of Gurkhas not being able to draw their kukhris without cutting their finger and "shedding blood" -- yet Scott Gilmore, an American who served as an officer in the 8th Gurkha Rifles (his memoir of the Burma campaign in WWII is a smashing read!) claims that this is a myth -- yet the legend remains to this day. What was it that the newspaper reporter said in The man who shot Liberty Valance -- "when fact becomes legend, print the legend."

I pulled out my copy of Bryon Farwell's Mr. Kipling's Army last night, which is an excellent social history of the Victorian-era British Army. Farwell dives into regimental customs, traditions, attitudes and prejudices -- statements like "The Ladies from Hell" or even "Devil Dogs", the nickname that Jerry reportedly gave to the US Marines(this has also recently been challenged by German historians) are quite common in military circles, even amongst your own forces. For instance, Farwell discusses regimental "feuds", and quotes Robert Graves' autobiographical account of his service in WWI with the Royal Welch (yes, that is the correct spelling -- read the book!) Fusiliers. Graves quotes a fellow Royal Welch Officer who condescendingly spoke of Scots Regiments, "trousered and bare-a**sed variety", who fought too much, drank too much, and charged too much -- in both directions!" The old Highland Light Infantry -- which served in numerous battles & campaigns and had a list of battle honours a mile long -- was looked down upon with disdain by other Scottish Regiments because they were not really "Highlanders", but "Glesca Keelies" -- A "keelie" is Glasgow slang is someone who starts a fight for a social evening.

Military folklore is just like any other folklore -- there is truth embedded somewhere in the mists of antiquity -- and while I, as a historian by trade, do seek "historical truth", sometimes, I just enjoy, to paraphrase Teddy Roosevelt, "a good story".

The fact is, the Scottish Regiments of the British Commonwealth will always be "The Ladies from Hell", no matter what this German historian says. He'll be long forgotten while the regiments live on in military history.

Regards,

Todd