| Pipers were present in clan battles nearly 3000 years | | | | Trench. On October 9th, he was granted permission |
| ago and continue to be present in war today. There | | | | to go in with a planned assault. In the early morning, |
| were pipers in both World Wars, the Gulf War, | | | | the Canadians, including Jimmy, left the safety of the |
| Desert Storm, the Boer War and more. | | | | trenches and advanced upon the Germans. They |
| The pipes were used as an incentive to battle, | | | | came upon heavy barbed wire stretching 400 yards. |
| motivation for the troops, and intimidation of the | | | | It hadn't been cut by artillery as they had planned. |
| enemy. They celebrated victories and mourned the | | | | Heavy gunfire came from the German lines and the |
| fallen. Drums were used as a motivation and for | | | | Canadians scattered for cover. The outlook was grim. |
| communication. They signaled orders, tactical | | | | Jimmy asked the Sergeant Major if he should play his |
| maneuvers, and firing of weapons. | | | | pipes and was confirmed. |
| Pipers were not only soldiers, but morale boosters. | | | | According to the official citation, Piper Richardson |
| Thousands of pipers died while playing their men into | | | | piped up and down outside the wire, playing his pipes |
| battle, as they could not carry a weapon and their | | | | with "the greatest coolness". Inspired, the Canadian |
| pipes at the same time. This was a great act of | | | | soldiers rushed the wire with fury, overcame the |
| bravery. Below is one such example of this bravery. | | | | obstacle, and captured the position. Later, Jimmy was |
| James Richardson, or Jimmy as he was known, was | | | | sent to take a wounded soldier and prisoners back to |
| born in Scotland and moved to Chilliwack, BC with his | | | | camp. After about 200 yards, Jimmy realized that |
| family at a young age. He had won 3 gold medals in | | | | he'd left his pipes behind and insisted on recovering |
| piping competitions in BC. He was noted for his | | | | them. He never returned. Jimmy was buried at |
| bravery at a young age when he tried to save a | | | | Adanac Military Cemetery, France. He was 20 years |
| drowning boy. | | | | old. Jimmy was awarded the Victoria Cross, the |
| Enlisting in the army in 1914, Jimmy was assigned to | | | | highest honor. He is the only Canadian piper to |
| the 16th Infantry Battalion Expeditionary Force. He | | | | receive this award. |
| served in Belgium and France as a soldier, piper, and | | | | In 2000, a project at a private school in Scotland |
| cook. | | | | sent out an email to identify the tartan on a set of |
| On one occasion, Jimmy advanced alone beyond | | | | old, mud and blood covered pipes with a bullet hole |
| Canadian lines into a thick dark forest. He stumbled | | | | that had been kept in the school for over 75 years. |
| upon a farmhouse and realized that he was | | | | The pipes had been found after the Battle of the |
| surrounded by German soldiers. Although he tried to | | | | Somme and were kept as a souvenir. It was |
| hide in the grass, a German officer signaled the | | | | discovered that the tartan belonged to the 16th |
| others in his direction. Bravely, Jimmy quickly shot the | | | | Canadian Expeditionary Force. A collective effort of |
| officer and ran as fast as he could back to his own | | | | research led to conclusive evidence that these were |
| camp. He informed the others and the artillery quickly | | | | the pipes that Piper Richardson had gone back for |
| took care of them. | | | | and never returned. The pipes were returned to |
| The Battle of Somme in 1916 was one of the | | | | British Columbia in 2006 and are on permanent display |
| bloodiest battles in WWI. Jimmy was at the Regina | | | | in the British Columbia Legislature. |