By Kevin McLean, Ancre Somme Association Scotland
The Ancre Somme Association Scotland Charity are planning to produce and unveil a bronze bust of Piper Daniel Logan Laidlaw VC “The Piper of Loos” in his home village of Swinton, Berwickshire on the September 25, 2025. This date will mark the 110th anniversary of him going over the top at the Battle of Loos.
The ASA Scotland charity have gained the support of the Laidlaw Family through piper Laidlaw’s great-grandson Kevin Laidlaw who is also a piper, and this has allowed the project to move forward.
The ASA Secretary, Tommy Davidson, and I met Kevin in the village of Swinton along with some of the community councillors to agree a site for it, which we collectively did.
The residents of Swinton have given their support for the project and we now have the backing of the Community Council and the local school.
Having all this backing has allowed us to apply for £20,000 of funding which will cover the cost of the bust, however we still need to raise a further 6k to complete the project. So we have set up a facebook page here, and a crowd funding site which will hopefully get some traction over the coming weeks.
We have commissioned pin badges, pens and other promotional items branded with Piper Daniel Logan Laidlaw VC, and on top of that the artist who we commissioned to do the bronze bust has started work on mini busts of what the large one will look like.
We would like to ask the piping and drumming community for support and some donations via the crowdfunding site. If you could please like and share the Facebook page also that would be great help.
I am currently looking at arranging a recital with the aim of funds raised going to the project and perhaps a new solo competition which will all come under the legacy part of the project.