It is hard to believe that 56 years ago President Kennedy was enjoying the sound of Scotland’s Black Watch Pipe and Drum Band on the White House lawn.
Days later, the nation was in mourning for our young President. Let’s visit November 13, 1963, for a while.
The Black Watch Scottish Regiment originated in 1745, they were the first highland regiment to wear the kilt as normal military attire. The Regiment has its own pipe and drum band. The band tours the world to spread the sound of Scotland to smiling crowds everywhere they go.
On November 13, 1963, the JFK white house hosted a charity performance featuring the Pipes and Drums of the black watch.
Before the performance, Black Watch soldier Dennis Byrne tells of the trouble they got into when the bandsmen came across a huge trampoline in the White House gardens. He said, “We were jumping up and down on this trampoline in full Highland dress – you can imagine the carry-on at that age’. Secret Service agent Clint Hill was the one who told them off. Mr Hill was the agent with the President in the limousine in Dallas during the assassination.
At 4 p.m., the Black Watch filed out onto the South Lawn. They stood at attention in their tartan kilts, The pipes and drums then commenced to play “The Barren Rocks of Aden” as the band marched about the lawn. Their time on display flew by as one piper remembers.
After the performance, the Black Watch band was invited inside the White House for refreshments. The band had sodas, whiskies, and conversations with Mrs. Kennedy and other high-level Kennedy administration members. The President was busy with the affairs of the state during this time.
According to Bruce Cowie, ‘We were leaving the White House and JFK had the bus stopped at the gate, he came on board with Secretary of State Dean Rusk to thank us personally. It was a real personal touch. Piper Bruce Cowie said JFK shook every piper’s hand and thanked them for their work
Mrs. Kennedy, on November 14, sent a thank you letter to Major Wingate-Gray in 1963. She wrote, ‘The precision, formation, and timing of your brigade leaves no margin for improvement, and I don’t know when I have seen the President enjoy himself more.’
November 22, 1963
Piper Bruce Cowie and the rest of the Black Watch band – still on tour in the US – were approaching their hotel when news came through of the assassination. ‘It was surreal,’ said Bruce. ‘The band’s evening performance was called off out of respect.’ Subsequent tour performances and tunes were altered to better reflect the national state of mourning.
On 24 November 1963, the Pipe Major and eight pipers flew from Knoxville to Washington DC and were met by Mr. R.C. Robertson of the British Army staff. The nine-man Black Watch contingent was invited to march in JFK’s funeral procession by Jackie Kennedy, who remembered how much JFK had enjoyed the South Lawn performance, his last happy day.
