Sons of Scotland Pipe Band celebrates 80th anniversary of VE Day in Ottawa

Piper Alan Beveridge of Etobicoke requested the 70th spot in line to celebrate his upcoming 70th birthday. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIAArticle content

Ottawa marked the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) with bagpipe players lined up from the Canadian War Museum to the War Memorial on Saturday afternoon.

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The Sons of Scotland Pipe Band, composed of 80 pipers and 20 drummers, were stationed at 80 spots along Wellington Street.

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Each piper, dressed in kilt and doublet, began playing from their designated positions along the street in one-minute intervals.

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Peter Smith took the 66th spot in the line, while standing in front of the Wellington Building Saturday afternoon. Sons of Scotland Pipe Band pipers and 20 drummers performed along Wellington Street, with some musicians playing multiple times to fill all positions. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIAArticle content

The walk ended at the National War Memorial, where a massed band performance concluded the day.

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VE Day marks the day Germany unconditionally surrendered its military forces to the Allied forces on May 8, 1945. In Paris and London there was a outpouring of joy and Canadians joined the celebrations. In Toronto, thousands danced in the streets while three Mosquito aircraft dropped tickertape from overhead.

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More than a million Canadian soldiers served in the Second World War, and 45,000 were killed. Canadians played a key role throughout the war, such as liberating and the Netherlands from German occupiers and bringing aid to the Dutch.

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Piper Gordon Wright, who held the 67th spot in line, came to Ottawa from Napanee to be part of the from Napanee to be part of the 80th anniversary of VE Day event. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIAArticle content

Alan Beveridge, one of the bagpipers, was born 10 years after VE Day. He is turning 70 on Thursday and was 70th in line. He’s a retired soldier.

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“We all owe a debt of gratitude to the men and women who served during the Second World War,” he told Postmedia on Saturday afternoon.

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“We also owe a debt of gratitude to our soldiers and sailors and airmen who continue to serve now, helping to keep Canada free.”

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Alan Beveridge of Etobicoke requested the 70th spot in line to celebrate his upcoming 70th birthday on May 8 — the exact date of VE Day’s 80th anniversary. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIAArticle content

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