The picture featuring a piper is a portrayal of 1st Bn., Gordon Highlanders storming the Heights of Dargai.

The piper was Pte George Findlater who won the VC for his actions; he continued to play and inspire the rest of the jocks, despite being shot in both legs.

I should just like to clarify that the Gurkha in the picture was not actually attacking the piper, lest there be any confusion.

Suitably fired up, the Gordons stormed a near vertical cliff face and over-ran the enemy in 20 minutes, while yelling suitable couthy Aberdonian epithets at them too....

Findlater was hailed for having played the tune: "Cock of the North"- but admitted later he couldn't remember precisely what he played.

I understand Army pipers are now restricted to only playing 15 minutes a day, as there is some Health & Safety concern about the pipes being "too loud."

God save us all....

Let's see, it took the Gordons 20 minutes to storm the heights. Today, if the Gordons still existed, a modern day G.Findlater, V.C. could only play for 15 of those 20 minutes. Would the Gordons (if they still existed) occupy the silent five minutes by humming quietly to themsleves, resort to their iPods, or down tools and wait until the following day when Findlater could resume piping them to the charge? Ah well, at least you got rid of Red Ken.

iPods? Bad idea ... the Iranian Navy already makes a point of seizing them.

Amusingly, I have a T-shirt that depicts this incident that I purchased my senior year of high school (1992) at the Minnesota Scottish Fair/Highland Games. Needless to say, when I attended the University of Minnesota, "certain persons" were MOST unhappy at my wearing it on Nov. 30th...

Bottom engraving is of the 2008 Democratic convention in Denver CO. Obamaniacs and Clintonistas square off.