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1947: The Last TattooThe Last TattooThe KILTIES hosted many tattoos. I have in our history albums only three documented but, in the records, (minutes etc.) there are more mentioned. Galt became a city on June 1, 1915, and a souvenir edition was issued by the Galt Daily Reporter on June 4, 1965. There is a picture of the KILTIES marching the school children led by W."Spurge" Sheppard also a large write up of a tattoo. The heading was "Over Seven Thousand Attend Monster Tattoo As Celebration Ends". The first paragraph states that the KILTIES for ten successive years hosted the tattoo. Seven bands participated that evening. Irving Smith, son of Cecil Smith, clarinetist with our band, wrote to me and said "I can remember very well the tattoos put on in Dickson Park about 1920, especially the march-past finale around the track, with red and green flares mounted on vertical posts and a runner ahead of the marching band lighting another flare on each circuit - the shivers go up my spine still! They built a mock battleship in the center of the track with a cannon that shot fireballs. My dad and Alf Lucas slept all night on the battleship to make sure it was not vandalized!". The last tattoo was held on Wed. June 25, 1947. Twelve bands participated that evening. The Salvation Army band under bandmaster Bert French played a medley of Scottish airs that had the grandstand and hillside ringing with applause. Because of instrument pitch they did not participate in themassed band event. Our bandmaster E. "Ted" McKnight directed the massed bands with the march "Imperial Echoes". There were six marches played by the massed bands with a different bandmaster conducting each time. The finale was "Stars And Stripes" in honor of many visitors from across the border. This was conducted by W. "Bill" McFadyen of the H.L.I. of Canada brassband. The largest band was that of St. Mary's Church of Toronto. They gave a series of intricate displays. This band had sixty-eight members. The tattoo was sponsored by a joint committee of the KILTIE band and the Highland Light Infantry of Canada brass band under the chairmanship of Mr. McFadyen and our own Ian Beacock. It was well received, as it was said the figure was a record one, greater than the children's concert or the peak figure during the horse show. It took over a hour to clearthe cars parked in the park! In closing of the tattoo, all the lights were turned off -- red flares were lit and the KILTIES played Bonnie Dundee which began the final march past. That sure was something I'll tell you. We were playing and out we came thru thesmoke -- very very impressive -- I will never forget it! For that evening, the feather bonnets were taken out of their boxes (which were loaded with moth crystals) and were worn. The one I wore made a red welt across my forehead also stung because of the crystals. To my knowledge, that was the lasttime they were worn. Fireworks lit up the sky and the massed bands played and everyone sang The King and the National Anthem. The crowds still demanded more. The bands played their way to the downtown section, amalgamated and marched up Main St. å‚é‚ç‚è‚ô‚ abreast and the pipe bands followed. I wasn't used to walking and playing with seven other players but it was super. The streets were jammed with people. That was thelargest group I have ever been with. As I said about the children's concert -- it is just a shame that tattoos are a thing of the past in our city. The "tube" has taken over.
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