7th.9th Royal Scots. Pipe Calls.

Pipe Calls would regulate the day of the Battalion when in Barracks or Camp. As a young soldier at my first Territorial Camp at Stathpeffer in July 1939, and being the youngest and thereby 'had an invitation you couldn't refuse' to sleep in the bed space nearest to the flap door of the bell tent as it was the most uncomfortable place to lie! The bell tent had been erected to open on to a wide path that traversed the Camp site, and at 0630 hrs in the morning the whole Battalion Pipes and Drums would pass by the door of the tent as it played "Hey, Johnnie Cope are Ye Waken Yet?" I am sure the Drummer fiendishly gave the Big Drum an extra couple of whacks as he passed my bed, which may explain the reason for having to wear a couple of hearing-aids! I didn't like Camp . . . and wanted it to be over quickly . . . it rained and there was mud everywhere . . . and didn't want to wear the khaki green equipment for a very long time but that's another very long story . . . Joe Brown.