Nice people do nice things, don’t you think? Take last night as an example. Some months ago we were introduced by a mutual friend to a delightful lady called Valerie who came out to Claremont for a visit and followed that up with a further visit with her beautiful daughter, Jo, for some photographs. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when we received in the mail invitations to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo as guests of Major Gen David McDowall MBE, General Officer Commanding 2nd Division (Scotland and North of England) and Governor of Edinburgh Castle. Supper in the Officers Mess, followed by a walk down to the esplanade and then up to the GOC’s box then some light refreshments to round the evening of. Of course, as you may already have guessed, Valerie is David’s wife and it was a wonderful evening where we met some extremely entertaining people.
Last night was perhaps the wettest of the year but for some strange reason, as Faye pointed out, it seemed to lend a certain atmosphere to the event though that was easy for us being under cover in our box unlike the thousands of spectators suffering out in the open and the poor performers who performed with amazing professionalism under the conditions. The highlight for us was the performance of Top Secret Drum Corps
one of the world's most sensational percussion groups and if you ever get a chance to see them don’t miss it.
At the start of the Tattoo we were astonished to have a flypast, despite the very low cloud level, by a Viscount from the Royal Air force. This was in honour of King George Tupou V of Tonga who was guest of honour at the Tattoo and in the royal box next door to us.

However, and up until the day unbeknown to us, this was David’s last day in the British Army and it had long been his ambition to be being the lone piper at the end of the Tattoo
An ambition that he achieved in spectacular fashion in front of an audience of thousands and to rapturous applause. One small fact that I discovered this morning is that David is (was) the only general in the today's British Army to have started his career in the ranks rising from humble private to general.

An image taken by Faye with the iphone.