Piper Donald BAIN, 959 42nd Royal Highlanders, Crimea +

[Hopeless Hero]

I'm keen to see if there is any more information available about Donald, my GG Grandfather. In particular his Obituary, which names a large number of Notables and Dignitaries as attending - unfortunately, the copied newspaper clipping I saw about twenty years ago did not have the date or the Newspapers name on it. Secondly, a Dundee newspaper ran a feature on him under the title 'Hero of Alma' along with a photo of Donald in his later years still sporting a 'Crimea' beard - I'm struggling to find that because, again, I don't know the name of the Paper.

To save folks clicking onto other links, here is the editorial from the 'Findings' thread in this section :

BAIN, Donald - Regimental Number 959

Born in the Parish of Wick, County of Caithness in 1818. Enlisted in the 42nd Royal Highlanders at Wick, 29th November, 1836 at the age of 18. Appointed Piper, 1st April 1854, one of the first five Pipers authorised in the Regiment. Reverted to Private, 1st April 1857. Foreign service included Corfu, Malta, Bermuda and Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Took part in the Eastern Campaign in the Crimea during 1854 - 56, including the Battle of the Alma and the seige of Sebastopol. Known locally as the 'Hero of Alma' having 'played the Colours up the Heights against the enemy'. Confined to hospital during the campaign from January to March, 1855. When Piper McIntosh found mice in the bag of his pipes, it was assumed that 'Piper Bain was probably to blame'.
Awarded the medal for Long Service and Good Conduct with a £5 gratuity. Discharged at Stirling Castle at his own request, 21st December 1859. His character was described as 'good', though four times deprived of Good Conduct pay.
Resided in Dundee where he became Pipe-Major of the 3rd ( Dundee Highland ) Volunteer Battalion The Black Watch since the creation of their band in 1868. He was a good 'all round player'.
Died at his home in Dundee, 12th January 1895. Buried with Military Honours in the Necropolis Cemetery. 'Of a cheery and obliging disposition, his presence will be long missed by the Dundee Highlanders'

Medal Entitlement

Crimea War Medal - clasps Alma, Balaklava and Sebastopol
Long Service Award ( issued 31st August 1860 ) Private on the Roll
Turkish Crimea Medal

As a young boy I was often told that Donald 'piped' Queen Victoria around the 'Wet Review' of 1881 and that the crowd 'mobbed' him afterwards and stole the ribbons from his pipes.

I am also intrigued about the quotes - where would these have come from, could they be the elusive 'mentioned in despatches' ???

Now, I've been scouring the internet for photographs of him but haven't yet come across any that identify him in particular. There aren't many photos of Black Watch Pipers ( a very common one of Piper Muir ) from the Crimea. Can anyone help here ??

Thanks

Colin

[Hopeless Hero]

I have bought a back copy of 'Piping Times' - vol 47 issue 7-, following a lead from the College of Piping. On page 27, there is reference to Donald Bain.

'Piper Major Donald Bain died 1895 and on his gravestone in Eastern Cemetary Dundee, is inscribed ''On Alma Heights and Lucknow Plains they cheered the hearts and fired the veins of Scottish Lads to Chivalry''

Does anyone live in Dundee who could possibly post a picture of the gravestone, here on the webby ?

Thanks

Colin

[C-1-8]

Good evening Colin,

I'd like to help you with your research of the Bain family Pipers, but I'm not certain just how much you've been able to obtain so far. I'm new to this forum and would like to help if I can.

Some of the quotes and research material already copied to your requests are from my recently published book, "Pipers of the Highland regiments, 1854-1902." The details in the book generally had to be abreaviated to allow for space, so I may have additional information that I'd be pleased to share with you.

The newspaper article that you are looking for, which also includes the photograph of Donald Bain, is apparently the one in (Dundee) "The Evening Telegraph" of Friday, August 11, 1950. If this is not available to you, I'd be pleased to make a copy of the photograph for you. Of course being from a newspaper, it won't be the very best, but should satisfy you for now.

There are photographs available on William ("Willie") as well, but I don't know about the others. Though each is mentioned in the book.

Let me know if I can help you further.

Regards,
Dick Crawford

[Hopeless Hero]

* EDITED *


Oh my Goodness !!!!

Hello Dick

Thank you for replying to my plea for help, let me say I'm both grateful and honoured as your work is legendary in the Piping circles. I can say that because since I have been public with my attempts at research, the Pipers I associate with have all pointed me to Jeannie Campbell from the College of Piping. That very astute lady gave me the lead on the Piping Times featuring Willie and told me about your work. I now own a copy and having bought the book, it's amazing how many pipers have been poring over my copy.

So, to cut to the chase. I / you have identified all the editorial I have as being from your book, therefore I have the photo of Seargent Piper Bain at Gibraltar, 1890, also.
I have the Piping Times vol 47 issue 7 which has a feature on Piping In The 20th Century by Angus MacLeod. This feature also includes the pipe tune 'P/M Willie Bain of the 42nd' - which I will learn to play . There is also a small photo of Willie on page 30, with Angus and two colleagues taken around the time of the Great War, judging by the uniformed Officer.
I also have a very poor photocopy of a photograph of Willie Bain in No1 dress, wearing a Glengarry, pipe-majors stripes and two medals - one appears to be the Khedives Bronze Star. You can just make out a set of pipes, lying on a table, about knee high to Willie and the suggestion of a plant / flower on the table. What is interesting about this image is that I am being told that it appears 'cropped' and that there may have been a second person in the original photo - who knows ?
As for Donald Bain, I have only the material in your book at present - the lead on the Evening Telegraph is fantastic ! I will see if there is the opportunity to get a copy, but may have to come back to you on that one. My thoughts are 'where is the original photo'? ..... as well as his medals etc. I am told that there is a full sized portrait of him that used to hang in the foyer of the Black Watch Museum, Balhousie Castle.... but I've had no response from them - they are apparently volunteer retired Servicemen and must be very busy Archivists - so maybe one day ?? As an edit, would you happen to have seen his Obituary ? Again, this is an impressive piece but the details of which newspaper and the date printed was not available to me.
I have turned up nothing about James or Alexander ( my Mum refered to him as 'Sandy' and suggested that James had been lost to us in the Great War ..... I don't know how much truth there is in those ).
I can help you update the information on John Bain 4720 - in your book, you have John's only son, also John, having died of tubercolosis. The second John Bain was my Grandfather, he actually died Sept 9th 1971 aged 62. He had suffered tubercolosis early in his life, leaving him with only one lung - this greatly distressed him because it prevented him from joining his beloved Black Watch and following in the footsteps of his Father, Uncles and Grandfather. He had a set of 'small pipes' that he often played and, in fact, began to teach me on the chanter ...... although I was a wee bit lad of 7. Sadly, he had two strokes and died. All the family memorabilia disappeared from 233 Holmlea Road. My Grandfather bought a burial plot in Cathcart Cemetary when 4720 Bain died in 1946. The headstone shows the Black Watch Badge, engraved upon it, and the grave contains 4720 Bain, his wife Anne Burleigh Bain, my Grandfather and the ashes of his eldest ( my Mum ) Isabel Burleigh Bain.
So, If you have anything at all Dick, I would be very grateful for the leads.

Thanks again

Colin

[C-1-8]

Good morning Colin,

... and good to hear from you. I hope I'll be able to help you further with your research beyond what you've already acquired from my book. And thank you too for your kind comments about the book; a labor of love, or perhaps 'a love of labor.'

I had never intended it for publication, but got "conned" into it. Being a medal collector of campaign and piping medals to Regimental Pipers it was just meant to be a reference work for myself to assist in the search for their medals. But I had a couple of friends (also collectors) in the publishing business who talked me into sharing the book.

What I might offer for now Colin, will be a couple of 'low quality' photographs. The reason I describe them such, is because my original photos are just a xerox copy from newspapers. And probably even these, have been copied over once or twice previous. As you know, each time you xerox (copy) it, you lose a small part in quality.

There'll be a full length copy of William and the copy of Donald we had mentioned from "The Evening Telegraph" in case you can't get a better one. There's a very small photograph of William also in the "Military History of Perthshire," as a Clr. Sgt., probably with a Volunteer Company. Unfortunately I don't have anything further on other members of the family and welcome the details you had sent me. Thank you. They'll be amended in another version of the book with removable pages.

Write when you can Colin. I'll do your photographs this week and hopefully you'll have them the following week. And please send me your email address in case we prefer to use it.

Dick Crawford

[Hopeless Hero]

Thank you, Dick
At the moment, any form of image would be gratefully received, so I've sent you a pm with my details. I'm still awaiting a reply from the Evening Telegraph about back copies. I've contacted the Black Watch, again, and have had some encouraging replies from their Members - in particular, around contacting the Museum which had previously been unsuccessful...... maybe I can 'jump' the archivist queue *chuckle*

One very plausible area of research mentioned to me recently has been 'The Graphic' - has this been an resource you have looked into already ? I appreciate this periodical showed everyone in the 'Empire' spirit and would have thought pipers made top quality propaganda items.

*** Just had an excellent lead from The Scotsman, courtesy of a Black Watch forum member

http://archive.scotsman.com/search.cfm? ... 2&dayTo=31


Need to raid the kids piggy bank to pay for full access

Thanks

Colin

[C-1-8]

Hello Colin,

Just made copies for you of both Donald and his son William. Please send me your mailing address and I'll have them out to you in the morning. Also xeroxed the article from the Evening Telegraph, "Hero of Alma Was Dundee's First Pipe-Major." You should find that quite informative.

Dick Crawford

[Hopeless Hero]

Hi Dick,
That's great, thank you. I contacted the Evening Telegraph, they replied yesterday, sadly they don't do 'back' issues so your copy of the 'Hero of Alma Was Dundee's First Pipe-Major' will be a real treasure.
I 'found' an online version of 'military history of Perthshire' and have ripped the small photo of Willie Bain. Another photo of him is currently being displayed on the Black Watch Museum website ( very timely ) - follow this link

http://www.theblackwatch.co.uk/index/th ... bcontinent

The Sepoy looks happy to be there and Willie looks splendid, as always.

I will send you my mailing address in a pm, Dick, once again thank you.

[Hopeless Hero]

Just an update for those that have an interest :

Thanks to Richard Crawford and his book, Pipers of the Highland Regiments 1854 - 1902, we now have excellent material on the Bains and those that served with them. Again, thanks to Dick we finally have two images of Donald Bain - one from a painting / portrait ?? and the other from a photo as well as editorial from the Dundee Evening Telegraph of 1950 entitled '' Hero of Alma'' was Dundee's first Pipe-Major.

From 'The Scotsman' came the following entries on Donald Bain from 1855 to 1895.

Weds 12th Sept 1855 - he piped, as part of a guard of honour, to Queen Victoria at Larbert.

Fri 29th June 1860 - engaged at the unveiling of the Ettrick Shepherd Memorial of James Hogg, celebrated poet. Donald is named as the piper leading the procession and is mentioned again as being present at the luncheon afterward.

Many entries of the 1860's have a race horse named Donald Bain - possibly no connection but a big coincidence.

Mon 22nd June 1872 - Donald takes 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes at various piping categories in the Dundee Highland Games.

Fri 24th Nov 1893 - The visit of Lord Roberts - entitled 'An Interesting Incident'
In connection with the turnout of the veterans to act as a guard of honour to his Lordship, an interesting incident occured prior to the luncheon. Pipe-Major Donald Bain, Dundee was the only one who wore uniform and this apparently attracted Lord Roberts attention, for he entered into conversation with the old man. Bain, in reply to his Lordship, stated that he entered the army in 1836. He informed his Lordship that at the battle of Alma he was the only piper who had played all the way. After the battle he informed his Lordship of this fact. His Lordship, at the time, asked him ( Bain ) to come back and see him again, but he had been unable to do so. Lord Roberts was apparently very much interested in the veterans statement, and informed him that if he had, as requested, come back to him at the time he might have been awarded the Victoria Cross. Lord Roberts shook the veteran cordially by the hand, and Bain was greatly delighted at being recognised.

Mon 14th Jan - Donald died at home, in Dundee

So far, a facinating journey through the mans life and we haven't yet embarked on his Military records, as to be honest it seems a daunting, confusing task but we will get there.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far.

Colin