The Black Watch of Canada-Annual Church Parade

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

Montreal Gazette,Monday,May 08,2006

"Defiant Black Watch takes traditional parade route".
Lt.Col McKay,the commanding officer had a chat with the police officer in charge.."He asked me what route we wanted to take.I said Sherbrooke Street and he said Okay".

So I called my ex side drummer buddy this morning from the air force pipe band who's now the lead side drummer with the regiment.He laughed on the phone and I quote,"when we lined up in parade formation in the armoury the RSM gave the march off command and as I was on the right rear corner of the band I saw the Drum Major with his drum mace in the right wheel signal as we marched out the main entrance.I thought to myself that the dum dum forgot the route but the pipers were following him,Boy you should have seen the smiles on the faces of the drummers.Everyone was looking and smiling at each other.The people clapped along the whole route.What a great day."