Graham Dillaway

Circa 1970

Rear Row L to R -  ?   ?   ?   Bob Crow

Centre Row -    ?      ?      ?    Keith MacDonald     Willy Morrice      Graham Dillaway   Pete Alum   John Shields

Front Row L to R -    ?     Steve Gray    Lt Cdr Strachan   The Captain   Henig       ?       Diack

Graham Graham writes:

“I came across the RNPS website accidentally - great to see that the piping tradition is still being carried out in the RN.

I joined the Royal Navy in 1968 at HMS Fisgard as a Shipwright (subsequently reclassified as Marine Engineer Artificer (Hull) and was an apprentice at HMS Caledonia from 1969 to 1971 were I was an active member of the pipe band. I joined the RNPS whilst I was based at HMS Caledonia In 1970/71 I became the Pipe major and Captain's piper and I remember John Dixon - although he may not remember me as he was a senior member of the band when I joined joined. As Captains Piper I used to play at Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland's (FOSNI) dinner table on frequent occasions. FOSNI at that time was Admiral Dunbar Naismith a piper himself and he would always take particular interest in our activities.  Copies of some original RNPS Certificates below and Captain's piper Certificate.

I passed out of Caledonia in 1971 joining HMS Scylla on a Far East commission piping the ship in and out of various harbours around the world before being drafted to Faslane in 1973, where I joined HMS Neptune’s Pipe Band. As part of Neptune’s pipe band we played at the RNPS gathering at HMS Claverhouse in 1973.

In 1975 I joined HMS Abdeil and left the RN in 1976, moving up to Aberdeenshire - where I now live. Being so far north I do not think I will be able to play an active part in the Society but as a Life Member will always maintain an interest.”
 

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