Annotation:Captain Norman Orr-Ewing
X: 1 T: Captain Norman Orr Ewing C: Pipe Major W. Ross (1912) B: Scots Guards p.23#35 B: BSFC IX-6 R: march Z: John Chambers <jc:trillian.mit.edu> M: 2/4 L: 1/8 K: D |: f/e/ || "D"df "(A7)"AB/c/ | "D"d2 "(A7)"Ag | "D"f>e "Bm"df | "Em"fe "A7"ef/e/ | "D"df "(A7)"AB/c/ | "D"d2 "(A7)"Ag | "D"f2 "A7"e>f | "D"d3 :| |: f/g/ || "D"a>f df | "A7"ef Ae/f/ | "A7"g>e ce | "D"df Af/g/ | "D"a>f df | "A7"ef Ae/f/ | "A7"g>e ce | "D"d3 :|
CAPTAIN NORMAN ORR-EWING. Scottish, Pipe March (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABCCD. Composed by Pipe Major William Ross of the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards in 1912, in honor of Captain (Sir) Norman Orr-Ewing (1880-1960), 4th Bart., who had been appointed adjutant of the unit. The march was perhaps composed on the occasion of the birth of his son, Ronald, that same year--Ronald also served with the Scots Guards, who was a POW twice in World War II (captured once in Africa by the Italians, and once in Europe by the Germans. Capt. Norman Orr-Ewing began WWI was attached to the 1st Battalion of the Irish Guards in October, 1914, at the outbreak of the First World War. When the unit was attacked by four German divisions early in the war, Orr-Weing found himself the most senior officer left alive and unhurt, and assumed command of the remnants of the battalion, reduced from 800 combat effectives to 160. The line fought a disciplined retreat, suffering from shells and machine-gun fire, until they reached the fringe of the Zillebeke Wood. Near the breaking point, every man, be he officer, cook, orderly or walking wounded, took up arms and held off the enemy. For his heroic service Orr-Ewing was awarded the DSO for his gallantry under fire.
The pipe march is frequently heard and is a core melody in piping repertory.