RNPS

Captain D B N Mellis DSC Royal Navy

Written by Campbell de Burgh in October 2006

David Mellis founded the original Royal Naval Pipers' Society in 1951 and sadly he passed away at the age of 91 on Thursday 28th September. His funeral was held at Salen on the Island of Mull on Friday 6th October 2006.

David learned to play pipes from the age of 10 at Cargilfield Prep School at Crammond, near Edinburgh, where discipline was "taut and effective" and from where he joined the Navy as an officer cadet at the age of 13. At Dartmouth he took up clarinet but could not take to jazz so the band moved on without him. He had inherited a good ear for music from his mother but he was not fond of pop or modern derivatives which he tried hard not to condemn whilst reserving the right not to listen to it. He would switch off the TV when 'top of the pops' came on though he did admit that "some of the Beatles music had begun to appeal now that it had become old hat". His great love from an early age was sailing, which he excelled at. He specialised as a Navigating Officer and won his DSC after 10 round trips to Dunkirk as the navigator of HMS MALCOLM, accredited with 5,851 troops rescued. Once whilst alongside embarking troops he decided that "for once, people might enjoy his pipes" and they seemed to lift the spirit a little. He recalled "that their particular form of music really does put heart into people under stress". Later, after the war and as the navigator of HMS NORFOLK on a 2 year commission to the East Indies he introduced Scottish country dancing to the Naval Base at Trincomalee, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). It was around this time that the idea of a Naval Piping Society germinated and with characteristic enthusiasm he set about making it all happen. Little is recorded of his prowess as a piper but his energy and understanding of the music led him to create the Society, not just to satisfy a personal whim but, typically, for the benefit of the Navy as a whole. The advice he was given was to "obtain a President of standing" and he wrote immediately to Admiral of the Fleet Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope (better known as "ABC") then also a neighbour of his in Bishop's Waltham. The Admiral replied saying that "he would gladly take this on, so long as he had nothing to do" and so it all began in 1951. Today the presidency is still in the hands of the Cunningham family with his nephew Admiral Sir Jock Slater and we wear the Cunningham crest as a bonnet badge.

The Society thrived under David's guardianship through to the late 60's when after his retirement it drifted apart - not helped by the general move of the Navy towards the south coast of England from the 70's onwards. As well as individuals with piping experience joining the Navy, the Fleet Air Arm establishments in Scotland and especially the Artificer Apprentice Training establishment at HMS CALEDONIA in Rosyth were the breeding grounds for naval pipers, with one or two still playing today. However as one by one they closed interest faded and successive RNPS Secretaries found it more and more difficult to keep track of members until finally the Society folded about 20 years after it started.

Above - David as Captain of HMS Dryad in 1963 with General Montgomery

In 1993, some 20 years later, I took an interest in furthering the cause of piping within the Navy and without any knowledge of the RNPS I wrote to every ship and establishment seeking the whereabouts of people with piping and drumming experience. In weeks I had received some 50 - 60 replies and a phone call from David saying there was no need to re-invent the wheel - just pick up from where he left off! The grapevine hummed and we held our first performance at Divisions in HMS NELSON in 1994. Within a year or so we had enough commitment to take part in the Royal Navy Volunteer Band Annual Festival held at HMS DAEDALUS which David attended and took the salute - and so it now goes on.

For a while we produced an RNPS Newsletter and David would regularly write or ring from his home on Mull with comment and contribution. Unfortunately, like previous Secretaries we also suffered the problem of keeping track of people as they moved on draft or re-appointment so the Newsletter stopped after a few years as a wasteful exercise. That saddened David but I was able to re-assure him that our long term aim was to climb aboard the internet and provide a communication hub that members could access easily and that the rest of the world could see us if they wanted to. It was not until recently that we have been able to master the skills necessary to achieve that and regrettably not in time for David to see the site as it now works.

Above - The first RNPS march past 1951

Just a few years ago David gave his pipes to the Society to help in the aim of promoting pipe music within and for the benefit of the Royal Navy. They are in good use today on loan to someone until techniques have been mastered and interest is secured for personal ownership - this is his legacy. I am indebted to David for his unambiguous advice, his firm handshake and that sense of duty to the last. It was my great privilege to play the tunes that his family requested to mark the end of his days.