Scottish folk song about the Gordon Highlanders sung by Kenneth Mckellar. Meaning of unusual words: H.L.I.=Highland Light Infantry drappie=drop (of alcohol) forbye=also
My Granpa sang this the last time I ever saw him. Sitting up in bed. Eyesight gone and near the end. He was with the Gordons at the Somme as a company runner and made it back. Bringing the MM with him for his bravery.
My Grandmother's brother was a Gordon Highlander and I loved seeing photos of him in uniform and hearing the stories. When I was young and heard this song I thought it was the official regimental one!
Look at the size of them, my Da was 5’ 6” he was a Gordon. Could fight like fuck, although he was very mild mannered. I can’t think of this song without greeting (Scots for crying), nor Waltzing Matilda, ma Maw was Matilda, ATS, manned Ack Ack batteries in Hull and Southampton. They’d be horrified at the state of the country now. They could never have afforded to stay in a 4* hotel in their lives. Now you just tip up in a lilo in Dover. Hey presto, a Novotel. Why did they fight?
I fully sympathize with you, although I am not British but Italian. The worst part of this tragedy is that most Europeans DO NOT understand that this is a continental matter and that their future as an ethnic entity and culture is at stake. We are all in the same boat and is sinking rapidly. Those wonderful Scottish young men died for nothing. The only real winners of WW2 were the bankers.
My dad was a Gordon highlander. 1950s fought in Korea and later was involved in Cyprus- corporal Keir F Smith from Dalkeith. Would love to hear from anyone who knew him. Maj smith(ret)
My Da was a Gordon. He was from Lanarkshire, how he ended up in the Gordons is a WW2 mystery. I have his foties. He was as proud as fuck tae be a Gordon. When they took Madagascar from the Vichy French they went to Durban. The sailors were offering 5 quid to wear their kilts ashore. They were all told to fuck off. He took Burma back from the Japs. He died aged 59. He would be horrified at the state of the U.K. and would have Nicoliar tried for treason. Of that I have no doubt.
Brechin, in Angus but close to the Mearns and old Kincardineshire, was always split between pride in the Black Watch and pride in the Gordons. My Aunts in Arbroath use to sing this song when I was but 'a wee loon'... a long time ago now, but I've never forgotten it.
If I am not mistaken it looked like King( or the future) George VI and his brother Edward VIII, it seemed they weren’t too happy about inspecting the troops. 😂 Good video. 🏴
I always had a great admiration for the Scottish people and their soldiers (fairly ironic since I am Italian 😆😆😆) I remember reading in a book dedicated to the Scottish regiments in the British army (1978) that the Gordon Highlanders won more VCs than any other Scottish regiment. Is that so? I tried a search in Google and it was bloody useless. I would appreciate any information about this. Regards.
My dad being a Scot would play this on an old broken piano after he fixed all the keys himself I don’t know he did it but would of made a fortune in repairs if they had of employed him.
The regiment was named after the Clan Gordon from which the majority of its original members joined. Clan is the Scottish equivalent of a 'tribe'. Clan sounding much better.
