On 11th November 2018, we will mark the day 100 years ago when the guns fell silent at the end of the First World War. At 0600hrs (local time) on the 11th November 2018, over 1000 pipers from around the world will play the Retreat March “When the Battle is Over” to mark the signing of the Armistice in 1918.
As part of this mass piping event, Joanne Kemp and fellow Northumbrian Piper Hannah Wiggins will be playing outside St Michael’s and All Angels Church in Felton at 6am.
Support from the Northumbrian Piping tradition is particularly relevant in this event as, though the pipes were not by their nature, evident in much of the battlefield narrative, the North East Region was the largest contributor of Battalions to the First War outside London. This contribution is recognized one hundred years on.
The tune that will be played is When the Battle is Over. This is a late 19th Century Composition by Pipe Major William Robb, of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. The tune was inspired by some earlier melodies and entered the wider piping repertoire between the Boer and First World wars.
We would love to see some of you there on Sunday, November 11th at 6am.