Donald Shaw Ramsay
| Donald Shaw Ramsay | |
|---|---|
| Born |
August 4, 1919 Muiravonside |
| Died | July 14, 1998 (aged 78) |
| Occupation(s) | Police officer |
| Instruments | Bagpipes |
Donald Shaw Ramsay BEM (4 August 1919– 14 July 1998) was a Scottish bagpiper. Qualified as a pipe major in the British Army, he led the Edinburgh City Police Pipe Band to victory at the World Championships twice and was also leader of the all-star Invergordon Distillery Pipe Band during its four years of existence.
Ramsay was born in the parish of Muiravonside, near Torphichen, on 4 August 1919, to parents Donald Ramsay and Elizabeth Eadie. He went to primary school at Drumbowie, near Avonbridge, and then went to Falkirk High School before taking an engineering apprenticeship in Bathgate.
He was taught by Sandy Forrest, pipe major of the Torphichen and Bathgate Pipe Band, and competed successfully as a soloist, coming second in the under-21 Pibroch competition at the Northern Meeting. At the age of nineteen he became pipe major of a band near Falkirk, which would provide valuable experience about the qualities required to lead a pipe band.
At the outbreak of World War II he joined the Highland Light Infantry, and became the youngest pipe major in the British Army at the age of 20 after passing the course at Edinburgh Castle under the tuition of Willie Ross. In 1947 he joined the Edinburgh City Police and in 1949 took over as pipe major of the Edinburgh City Police Pipe Band, and then led the band to victory in the World Pipe Band Championships in 1950.
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