The history of S.A.P.D.

    The South Australian Pipes and Drums was formed in late March 2003, in response to a November 2001 invitation to the Adelaide University Regiment Pipes and Drums (an Army reserve Unit) to perform at the 2003 Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The army's initial response was positive, but this was soon changed by the Canberra hierarchy to the negative. Despite high-level representations from South Australian citizens to persuade the Army to reverse their decision not to allow the AUR Pipes and Drums to attend, the Army stood firm and continued to refuse to alter the decision.
    The founding Commanding Officer of AUR, Dr Rex Lipman then intervened and proposed the setting up of a pipe band so members of the AUR Pipes and Drums could attend the Tattoo as Australian civilians, as distinct from members of the Army. Thus the South Australian Pipes and Drums, composed largely of members of the AUR Pipes and Drums was created. The Army's response to the formation of the South Australian Pipes and Drums was swift. The AUR Pipes and Drums were relocated from Keswick Barracks to Hampstead Barracks, the highland dress uniforms on issue to band members were recalled "for stocktaking purposes", the Pipe-Major was suspended as a member of the Army reserve, and an investigation was launched by the Inspector-General's division of the Army to locate $55,000 that had allegedly been misappropriated by members of the Pipes & Drums.
    After over two years suspension and an investigation costing thousands of dollars, which found that the Army's allegations were unsubstantiated, a directive was issued that the charges against the Pipe-Major not be proceeded with. The former Pipe-Major was reinstated as a Reserve member but the Army denied his request to return to the AUR Pipes and Drums. After all this there has been nothing but refusal on the part of the Army to apologise for their actions.
    The most unfortunate aspect of the entire case is that a vibrant, progressive, well trained and well led element of the Army Reserve (the AUR Pipes and Drums) is now but a shadow of its former self.


Edinburgh in 2003

    The place of the AUR Pipes and Drums in the South Australian piping scene has now largely been taken by the South Australian Pipes and Drums. In our short period of existence we have performed at the prestigious Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2003 (we're not aware of any other pipe bands who can claim the Edinburgh Tattoo as their maiden performance) and performances throughout South Australia and interstate.
    To maintain a pipe band is hard work, so to set one up from nothing within the 3 month time frame that was available to us from April to July 2003 was certainly a major undertaking. From our early days we owe a lot to the generosity of the South Australian public who supported us. These people include Cooper's Brewery, the South Australian Tourism Commission, the R.S.L. clubs of South Australia, the Scottish community of South Australia (including the Royal Caledonian Society, who loaned us items of uniform) and many private individuals who encouraged our cause. Without these people the South Australian Pipes and Drums would never have been able to make the progress that we have managed to date.

This page was last updated on Tuesday, May 25, 2010

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