Over 1,000 pipers fell in the Great War alone, and no complete record exists for the countless fallen before. Sadly memories are short, today soon forgets yesteryear and the sacrifices made by many of these men have passed into forgotten history.

There have been many who have asked why our films only feature the stories of three pipers when there are so many others worthy of mention. In response I acknowledge the sacrifice made by so many. Each has a story, a life, worthy of our remembrance and so here within the pages of this blog we will pay tribute. “We will remember them.”

Their stories can be found under the category: Pipers of War

We encourage you to discover their histories and we welcome your contributions. You may submit the story of a piper for inclusion in this ‘Roll of Honour’ by sending your documents to pipesofwar@gmail.com.

Regarding the  selection of three pipers for our films, I ask that you consider the following. By focusing our attention on one piper per film we are able to provide an in depth personal account of an individuals experience in war.  The documentary standard for years has been to provide a broad overview of its subject matter with a spotlight on one or two key individuals. This format is effective for educating the audience, but rarely does it allow one to become emotionally invested in a character.  In keeping with our corporate mission statement, and personal convictions, we present a shift in this paradigm.

In the Great War the struggle of opposing forces quickly stagnated with men digging trenches and ducking for cover. For years victories were measured in feet. So it has been with the art of documentary film making; a stagnate format often repeated where innovations have come few and far between. But just as the defiant sound of that ancient instrument effected a change on the battlefield, our films are changing the documentary landscape. With budgets befitting feature films, The Pipes of War will be unlike any documentary film produced. They  are effectually a hybrid of a thoroughly researched documentary presented on the scale of an epic narrative film. Feature length films with cast and locations on par with large  Hollywood studio productions.

It is my hope that these films, and this site, can stand as a reminder of these men and those who continue to use a bagpipe as an instrument of war. Today the pipes no longer lead men across an open field, but they are still played. They have echoed in the streets of Baghdad and stirred the sands in Kuwait. They will forever be where brave men and women fight, and where they are laid to rest.

Tags: Film, In Memoriam, Remembrance, Warrior Piper

This entry was posted by Ian S. Williams on Tuesday, February 15th, 2011 at 11:50 pm and is filed under Our Thoughts, Pipers of War. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.