This is 44 KBS (Kite Balloon Section), of the RFC (Royal Flying Corps) posed outside a barrack hut in the snow at Halton in 1917. In the front row on the far right you can see my great grandfather, George Douglas McFee. He was a 1st AC (1st Class Aircraftsman), No.54595.

Alastair Pether, Drum Major RAF Halton Pipes and Drums.

C Squadron, S Wing (34th) en route to schools, Halton, 1937.

No.3 Wing 'Drums', Halton 1938. Led by Drum Major- Sgt/App Gibbons (34th) Rhodesian. Note the lack of kilts or any highland dress.

45 Entry, 1944, RAF Halton.

45 and 46 Entries, marching through Aylesbury in 1944.

"I was a side-drummer in the 49th Entry Drums. This is an official photograph, the copyright of which I presume is held by the M.O.D. I have a good many pics of various entry's bands, also of individuals - too many to send by email. The entrys concerned being 46th up to and including my own (49th)."

Eric Roberts (first on left, third row back!)

Possibly RAF Halton (goat at front) date and place unidentified probably 50s. Brass band at rear.

Copyright Air Ministry

RAF Halton Apprentices Pipe Band leading the "athletes" on a march past at a Sports Meet at Halton. The photo was taken either in 1953, 54 or 55.

Sent by M Moriarty (ex 73rd entry).

"Halton Pipe Band at the Lord Mayors Parade London in I believe 1961. I am somewhere in the back row of Pipers. I was in the 96th Entry and in 1963 was Pipe Major of No 1 Wing. The really interesting chap is Warrant Officer "Bill" Bailey seen striding out at the side of the Band towards the front. He was Band Master for the 3 years I was at Halton and I do not know for how long before or after. I would dearly like to know of what happened to him after 1963. He was a great guy and would talk to us all as his equals. I can see him now sitting at a table in the Band Hut his cheeks puffing out as he took us through a tune on his practice chanter. I did manage to get him worried once when, as Pipe Major, I took rather a long time in tuning in all the other Pipers minutes before we were due to go on at the Royal Tournament Earls Court. As far as I am concerned "Uncle Bill" was the Pipe Band."

Stan John, 96th Entry.

"I was in the Pipe Band from 1963 to 1966 and we always wore standard Royal Air Force uniform. An important element of the training was to instill a sense of comradeship and unity amongst the apprentices and Training Command HQ felt that it was not appropriate for any part of the apprentice community to wear different uniform from the rest, particularly on parade. Therefore, despite many representations from the apprentices themselves, highland dress was never permitted. The photo is of the Pipes and Drums of No.1 School of Technical Training, RAF Halton at the Royal Tournament in 1966. Drum Major was Vic Denwood of the 105th and Pipe Major was myself, also of the 105th. As you can see, we wore RAF T63 "Best Blues" and although very smart, we definitely weren't highlanders!"

Sent by Frank R Bowron (Pipe Major, 105th entry)

Pipe Majors and Drum Majors of the British Army. Date unknown. Pipe Major David Caird, centre row, fourth from left?

"Back row standing from the left: 3rd. D/M Grenville Hall. Gordon Highlanders
5th. Pipe Major R Anderson. Black Watch

Middle standing: 1st. P/M Angus MacDonald. Scots Guards.
4th. P/M Robson. Argylls.
7th. P/M Joe Kerr. Gordon Highlanders.

Seated: 3rd. WO1 John MacLellan. The Army School of Piping
6th. D/M Grant. Queens Own Highlanders
8th P/M John Allan. Queens Own Highlanders.
9th. can't remember his name but he's the P/M of the Royal Scots.

The photo was most probably taken at Chelsea Barracks and I'm sure the time was July 1967." Sent by Pat Larkin, Pipe Major Notts. Police.

Copyright Ministry of Defence

A massed band (at least two visible), possibly late 50s-early 60s. Gloucester Meteors in the background (I think).

"No 1 Group Pipe Band on their first major engagement after we formed up from the Waddington and Scampton bands. The occasion was the 1967 Lincolnshire Show on 21 June 1967 and, if you look closely, you will see that we fielded 16 pipers - not a bad turnout!

Ray Merton was drum major. Front rank (left to right as you look at the picture) was Jock Murray (with the pipe banner), Vic Humphries (who later became PM), Bob Thompson (ex-Pipe Sergeant of the FEAF band, who later became our PS), me, in PS position, having relinquished my PM job to Jock Murray. Behind Jock is Brian Houston, who was also RAF Equestrian Champion (also had his day job(!)) and, behind me, Lachlan (Lackie) McCallum who, when addressed during a band inspection on a subsequent parade at RAF Scampton by the Rt Hon Denis Healy (Secretary of Defence) with the greeting "You're a fine figure of a man - you must come from a long line of pipers" replied "No, not pipers, sir, drunkards, sir" in his broad Scottish accent! It was also Lackey and Brian who, when I arranged for them to pipe at the inauguration of the RAF Waddington swimming pool, marched smartly around the pool and, as a finale, made a sharp right turn at the diving board and marched equally smartly out along the board and into the pool, leaving only a trail of musical bubbles to disturb the water's surface!.

As a footnote, at least half of the No I Gp bandsmen were ex-Halton.(Oh, I nearly forgot, the officer i/c No 1 Group Pipe Band established the first World's Bagpipe Altitude record of 43,000 feet in a Vulcan bomber)."

Keith Knight, Pipe Major of the 93rd Entry, RAF Halton, retired from the RAF in 1987, member of the Golden Oldies.

RAF Pipe Band Championships, 1968, RAF Waddington. A total of five or six bands? The senior Drum Major is just catching his mace!

"I started the RAF Waddington Pipe Band in 1965 / 1966 when I arrived there to join No 101 Sqn and, a year or so later, the late Ray Merton, (Drum Major of the RAF Scampton Pipe Band), and I decided to join our bands up to form the No 1 Group Pipe Band. In 1968 I embarked on the then rather daunting idea of starting the RAF Pipe Band Championships, and ran the first two events before departing on posting to what was then Coastal Command.

To make sure we were starting off in a professional way, I managed to entice PM Willie Sloan, who was the head of the Scotish Pipe Band Association, and two of his colleagues down from Glasgow to judge the event by providing copious amounts of liquid refreshment. (I remember Gp Capt Arthur Griffiths, the Station Commander of the day, describing them as "three Harry Lauders with bottomless pits")! As the archive photo shows, the massed bands finale took part in the hangar as, although it was dry outside, the met forecast was for rain and, once planned for the hangar, in the hangar it had to be. The volume of sound in the hangar, from what I remember to be over a hundred musicians, was overwhelming. The "Senior Drum Major", depicted in the photograph indulging in one of his more daring mace levitation routines, was Ray Merton, who had put in a lot of the work necessary to prepare for the event. I seem to recall that the RAF Kinloss band (who at the time held an SPBA grade 2) were the victors."

Keith Knight, Pipe Major of the 93rd Entry, RAF Halton, retired from the RAF in 1987, member of the Golden Oldies.

RAF Pipe Band Championships, 1968, RAF Waddington. The senior Drum Major has just thrown his mace!

I would like to draw your attention to the photo directly above the one I sent, it is of the frontal view of the massed pipe bands at RAF Waddington in 1968, well, the young looking chap on the far left in kilt is ME!!! It was taken not long after I had passed out from RAF Halton. Next to me is Technician Apprentice 'Tuck' Palmer of the 107th Entry, who was the Senior Drum Major at Halton when I left. The other Drum Major to the left of the Senior one is a Craft Apprentice from the 208th Entry at Halton, but I can't remember his name! Thanks again and best wishes to you and the band, Pete Vallance (Ex 207th Entry Craft Apprentice)

"Many moons ago I sent you the attached photograph of myself as the Drum Major of R.A.F. Halton Apprentice Pipe Band. It was taken in the Market Square at Aylesbury in 1968."

Pete Vallance (Ex 207th Entry Craft Apprentice)

"Find attached 2 photos taken AOC's parade 17 May 1977 - the first ever appearance of RAF Halton Pipes & Drums in highland dress - note the green football socks as the hose tops hadn't arrived!

Front row right to left;
John Allan 126 Entry - Still serving RAF Kinloss
Charlie Kirkbride 124 Entry - ??
Liam Hughes 126 Entry - ??
Brian Scambler 124 Entry - Still serving RAF Kinloss (doesn't play anymore)
C/T Davey MacLeod - Ex Scots guards - the only full time piper ever in the RAF - retired mid 1978"

John Allan

"Also attached RAF Massed bands Royal review July 1977 - Rehearsals at RAF Newton, Review 29 July 1977 at RAF Finningley
From left to right;
RAF Halton
RAF St Athan
RAF Waddington
RAF Leuchars
RAF Honnington
RAF Germany
RAF Kinloss
(the senior Drum Major was Royal Navy! serving at Leuchars)" John Allan

The Twickenham Rugby 7's photo was taken 29 April 1978 - the hose tops had arrived by then!! The rehersals went fine, the actual job was a mess. The entrance was too narrow so the band split in half whilst playing. When the two halves met again inside the ground they were a full beat out from each other - and so it stayed - all the way round the park!!! - Ouch, one of those jobs you'd rather forget. Massed RAF Pipes and Drums at RAF Halton, rehearsal for Rugby Sevens finals at Twickenham. Thanks to MEng John Allan of RAF Kinloss for this information. Also present; Martin Clarke of RAF Halton, Keith Arnott of RAF Waddington, Sgt Paul Wilson of RAF Leuchars, and Sgt Pete Roberts. Alan G Chisholm tells me that the Senior Drum Major is Brian Calder and that the left flank is Kinloss with Eric Smith the PM. Alan is somewhere further back.

"My name is Ken Burns and I was drum major for the Halton Band while at Halton 76-79. I think the Drum Major on the right of the picture was me. I won the RAF championship at St Athan 78/79 (not sure which year), I also did the Lord Mayor's parade and was at the Rugby 7's for the massed band."

Photo dated 25 August 1978. RAF Halton march past. Pipe Major Martin Clarke on left of band. Next to him is Paul, now the Pipe Sergeant at RAF Leuchars.

RAF Pipe Band Championships(?), certainly a massed RAF Pipes and Drums. Photo dated 14th June 1980.

RAF Pipe Band Champions 1979-80, RAF Halton. Pipe Major Martin Clarke on far left. Ken Burns is the Drum Major on the right.

The 1986 Royal Tournament contingent. Includes Willie Taite, Iain Johnstone, John Allan, Wullie Robertson as Lead Tip and Paddy Lester from Lossiemouth, Andy (Donkey) Devit on Bass and Colin Frier from Kinloss on side, who's now a piper up there.

Wullie Robertson.

At the RAF Pipe Band Championships, 1987. Alec from Waddington and Paul from Leuchars are there, but which band is it?

RAF Halton at the RAF Pipe Band Championships, 1987. The Drum Corps seems to be the old Pride of Murray's. Alan Newbold (Pride and RAF), Alan Mayell, Frank and Richard Trimbee, and Alan Ried are all visible.

RAF Halton at the RAF Pipe Band Championships, 1987. The Massed Bands at the prizegiving.