West Lowland Battalion ACF Pipe Band

West Lowland Pipe Band play on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle

Members of The West Lowland Battalion Army Cadet Force Pipe Band that recruits from Ayrshire, Renfrewshire and Dumfries & Galloway, played on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle on the first Saturday in May.

The Massed Pipes and Drums of the Army Cadet Force and guests were led out by senior Drum Major Adam Ritchie from Paisley.

The success of piping and drumming within the Army Cadet Force is at all time high, with all seven Army Cadet Force Battalions in Scotland now having a Pipe Band. Each year around 150 youngsters visit Cameron Barrack near Inverness for an intensive 8 day residential course, instructed by the best pipers and drummers the Army can offer. The course rounds off with a Beating Retreat in both Inverness & Dingwall

Those cadets that make top grading are invited to participate in the Beating Retreat on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle, with around eighty making the grade this year. Certain guest pipers & drummers are invited to take part from The Sea Cadets and The Air Training Corps, as well as a few friends from Merseyside Army Cadet Force which is gaining reputation in Piping and Highland Drumming.

The West Lowland Battalion Army Cadet Force Pipe Band headed to a military music festival in Mons in Belgium in June. They were invited by Mike Roy, an instructor who lives in Belgium and visits our Pipe Band to hand on his expertise as often as he can. He came over all the way from Belgium to take part in the Beating Retreat on the Esplanade, bringing a television crew with him to record the spectacular event.

All who attended had a great time with over 100,000 spectators at the Mons Military Music Festival in Belgium during June.

To round off the playing year, our Band heads to Richmond in Surrey to play as invited guests at the Royal Star & Garter Home during their Winter Ball.

The West Lowland Battalion Pipe Band takes on as many engagements as it can, and is always on the look-out for new members.