The origin of the band can be traced to early 1965, when a small group of men who had been serving with the Citizens Military Forces (CMF) were told that there was a possibility of them being eligible for service in Vietnam - a possibility they did not relish at all! Anyway, they decided that it would be wise to leave the CMF at that point and start a band in Elizabeth. The Pipe Major was a chap called McKinnon, and some of the other names associated with the group at that time were Bill Grafton (drummer), Harry Leggett (piper) ex KOSB, Bob Cameron (piper) ex Scots Guards, Tony Mulligan (piper), ex Inniskillings.
According to Pipe Major McKinnon, they only had one set of pipes between them in the beginning (the Pipe Major’s). A donation of drums and practice chanters from a defunct pipe band somewhere on the Murray (Berri or Renmark) helped enormously, then a chap called Gill who was an administrator of the Lyell McEwin Hospital arranged a loan for the band from the Elizabeth Council which allowed the purchase of 5 sets of pipes and three drums. This was enough to get things properly kick-started. The group used to turn out with dark trousers, a white shirt and a tartan tie on occasions such as the Anzac Parade. Not too much later, Ron Cairns (piper) ex Black Watch joined the band, and eventually took on the job of Pipe Major, when PM McKinnon decided to leave. According to PM McKinnon, the repertoire was confined to a very small number of simple tunes, none of which were played well.
If one had to name a single person as responsible for getting the band on a much firmer footing, it would have to be Sam Campbell. He was a tireless recruiter and advocate of the cause, and became the Drum Major when the group became a viable and identifiable pipe band. Tuition in piping and drumming was stressed and properly organised. Jim Smith became Pipe Major around 1971 and John Robertson (piper) was another stalwart during those important formative years. A proper uniform (Royal Stewart kilts) was procured from Scotland plus a set of Sinclair chanters. By 1973 the band was making its presence felt in Grade III, and started winning the odd prize in competition.
Angus Massie succeeded Jim Smith as Pipe Major in 1975, and carried on the tradition of training local youngsters from scratch, producing many strong players. In the following ten year period the band reached an excellent standard and became well known in the South Australian pipe band scene. The band has competed with distinction both locally and interstate, winning many prizes, including the State Championship several times in Grade III and Grade II. Click here to see some of the trophies the band has won.
Bandsmen who have worn the uniform 1972 - 1999
The following list is possibly incomplete, and has been confined to the years post-1971 because of the paucity of earlier records. Names have been included only if the bandsmen were, at some stage, active playing members. The many learners who left before they were viable bandsmen are excluded.
Office Bearers 1972 - 2008
Pipe Major -
Jim Smith
Angus Massie (sen)
Angus Massie (jnr)
Drum Major -
Sam Campbell
Norman Kerr
John Odegaard
Marshall Hamon
Drum Sergeant -
Mark Shipway
Neil Mildren
Peter Crooks
Tony Krelle
David Pound
President -
John Robertson
Jim Cottnam
Secretary -
Angus Massie (sen)
Peter Whitehead
Treasurer -
Sam Campbell
Robert Sayers
Angus Massie (jun)
David Pound
The band's repertoire over the years
The following list is not exhaustive, and tunes have been included only if they were actually played at public performances (i.e. engagements or competitions). At the band's peak in the early eighties, each competition bandsman was required to be proficient in over one hundred tunes.
A Man's A Man For A' That .... Amazing Grace .... Archie McKinley .... Aspen Bank ....
Balgownie .... Barren Rocks of Aden .... Battle of the Somme .... Because He Was a Bonnie Lad .... Black Bear .... Blackberry Bush .... Blairbegg .... Bonnie Dundee .... Bonnie Galloway .... Boy's Lament for his Dragon .... Braes of Killiecrankie .... Brown Haired Maid (Reel) .... Brown Haired Maiden .... Bugle Horn ....
Caber Feidh .... Caledonian Society of London .... Campsie Hills .... Captain Horne .... Captain Lachlan MacPhail of Tiree .... Children's Song .... Circassian Circle .... Clara's Journey .... Cock o' the North .... Colin's Cattle .... Come By The Hills .... Comin' Through the Rye .... Corn Riggs .... Corriechoillie's 43rd Welcome .... Country Girl and the Hungarian Fiddler .... Cullen Bay .... Cutty's Wedding ....
Danish Knifegrinder's Spring Song .... Dark Island .... Day We Went to Arran .... De'il Amang the Tailors .... Dolan's Ass .... Donald, Willie and His Dog .... Donnie MacGregor .... Dornie Ferry .... Dornoch Highland Gathering .... Dream Angus .... Dream Valley .... Dreaming of Islay .... Drummond Castle Laundry .... Drunken Piper .... Dundee City Police Pipe Band .... Dysart ....
Earl of Mansfield .... Ewe Wi' The Crookit Horn ....
Fairy Dance .... Farewell to Nigg .... Farewell to the Highlands .... Farewell to the Land of Mist .... Flower of Scotland ....
Gairloch .... Gin I Were a Baron's Heir .... Glasgow Week In Hamburg .... Going Home .... Green Hills of Tyrol ....
Highland Laddie .... Highland Wedding .... Heights of Dargai .... Hens' March to the Midden .... High Road to Linton .... Highland Laddie .... Highland Whisky .... Hiking Song .... Hills of Alva ....
I'm Nae Awa' Tae Bide Awa' .... I Laid A Herring In Salt .... Ina MacKenzie .... Intercontinental Highland Gathering ....
Jimmy Findlater .... Jock Wilson's Ball .... Joe McGann's Fiddle .... John MacDonald Of Glencoe ....
Kate Dalrymple .... Kenmure's On And Awa' .... Kerr Quine .... Kesh .... Kilt Is My Delight .... Kyleskue ....
Lady MacKenzie of Fairburn .... Leaving Glenurquhart .... Leaving Liverpool .... Liberton Polka .... Lochanside ....
Mac An Irish .... MacKenzie Highlanders .... Maggie Duncan .... Mairi Bhan Og .... Major Bobby .... Major MacLennan .... Marie's Wedding .... Mary Darroch .... Minnie Hynd .... Miss Ada Crawford .... Miss Delicia Chisolm .... Miss Girdle .... Miss. Ishabel T. MacDonald .... Mr. and Mrs. Alex Ross .... Mrs. MacDonald of Dunach .... Mrs. MacLeod of Raasay .... Muckin' O' Geordie's Byre .... Murdo's Wedding .... My Land .... My Love She's But a Lassie Yet ....
Neil Gow's Farewell to Whisky .... Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen ....
O'er The Bows to Ballindalloch .... Old Rustic Bridge .... Old Toasty .... Orange and Blue ....
Paddy's Leather Breeches .... Paddy On The Railway .... Pibroch O' Donald Dhu .... Piper O' Drummond .... Piper O' Dundee .... Pony Gallop ....
Road To The Isles .... Roes Among the Heather .... Rowan Tree ....
Scotland The Brave .... Shoals Of Herring .... Shores Of Loch Bee .... Silver Spear .... Skye Boat Song .... Smith's A Gallant Fireman .... Sporting Jamie ....
Taking Of Beaumont Hamel .... Teribus .... Thomson's Dirk .... Top Of Ben Lomond .... Traditional Irish Reel ....
Wae's Me For Prince Charlie .... Waterhole Hornpipe .... Wha Saw The 42nd .... When The Battle's O'er .... Willie's Brogues .... Wi' A Hundred Pipers .... Wings ....
Young Flora ....
10th ITC's Farewell to Inverness .... 8th Argylls Crossing River Po .... 51st Highland Division .... 76 Police Tattoo .... 79th Highlanders.