14 AUGUST 1920, Page 25

The Pipes of War. By Brevet-Col. Sir Bruce Seton, Bart.,

and Pipe-Major John Grant. (Maclehose, Glasgow. 25s. net.) —This handsome volume is primarily a record of the achieve- ments of pipers of Scottish and Overseas Regiments during the recent war. It contains a brief detailed account of the work done by these gallant men, and a " roll of honour " with the names of all who lost their lives, as well as a description of the deeds which won the V.C. for men like Laidlaw of the K.O.S.B. and Richardson of the Canadian Scottish. This part of the work is written by Sir Bruce Seton from notes supplied by the Com- manding Officers of the various battalions concerned ; he also contributes a short history of the pipes and an excellent brief chapter on military pipe-bands and certain desirable reforms, amongst which the most urgent is the restoration of the old title and rank of Pipe-Major. The second half of the book contains a number of separate contributions, amongst which we may specially commend Pipe-Major John Grant's workmanlike essay on " The Tuition of Young Regimental Pipers," Major J. P. Grant's interesting historical excursus on the ancient pipe notation known as " Carmtaireachd," Sir Philip Gibbs' quite admirable sketch called " The Music of Battle," and Mr. Neil

Munro's romantic story of " The Oldest Air in the World." There are also some spirited illustrations in colour of persons and places.