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Selkirk drums up support for local soldiers heading for Helmand
WITH troops from the Borders’ own infantry unit now deploying to Helmand Province in Afghanistan for the next six months, a special CD to raise funds in aid of battalion welfare has now gone on sale in the Royal Burgh.
An emotional farewell parade was held at the end of last week for the 450 soldiers from 1 SCOTS (Royal Scots Borderers) – the 1st Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland – who were led through the streets of Edinburgh by the pipes and drums from Dreghorn Barracks to Colinton Church where a service was held.
Members of the Military Wives Choir sang for the soldiers at the service as hundreds of well-wishers lined the streets.
Timed to coincide with the soldiers’ departure is the release of the new CD, which features the pipes and drums of 1 SCOTS, together with the Fijian choir.
Entitled When Duty Calls, it features 18 tracks, including traditional regimental marches, as well as other favourites such as Amazing Grace and Highland Cathedral. There is plenty of Borders involvement in the project, with the battalion pipe major, Sergeant Michael Hogarth having grown up in Innerleithen and Corporal Kevin Turnbull, the band’s pipe sergeant, hailing from Selkirk. “With the guys deploying to Afghanistan, the CD will help raise money for battalion welfare funds and it also gives the boys something to take with them as a reminder of home.”
Asked how the tracks were selected, Corporal Turnbull says a mixture of old KOSB and Royal Scots tunes were picked, as well as some newer ones from the Royal Regiment of Scotland catalogue, to come up with some sets.
“The CD’s already selling reasonably well and people can get it from a number of shops in the Borders.”
Outlets include the shop run by Kevin’s brother, Colin, in Selkirk’s High Street – Turnbull’s Shoe Repairs.
Colin told The Wee Paper this week:” The CD is starting to sell and I also have the new wristbands for Operation Herrick 17, which people can buy to support our soldiers in Afghanistan.”
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Weather for Selkirk
Tuesday 21 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 7 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 3 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
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