By CHRIS SAUNDERSON
PRINCE Charles was the first to congratulate Army piper Michael Gray on his MBE
award in the Queen’s birthday honours list.Warrant Officer 2 Gray was left speechless when the heir to the throne revealed his impending honour during a visit to Edinburgh last week.
A Pipe Major in the Pipes and Drums of the 1st Battalion the Highlanders, he had been playing for the Prince of Wales moments before the shock announcement on Thursday.
Members of the Pipes and Drums had performed at a dinner in the prince’s honour on the Tuesday evening.
“I was playing again on the Thursday as he was leaving, and he came over and congratulated me on the MBE,” said WO Gray.
“I couldn’t believe it. That was the first I had heard of it, and it came direct from Prince Charles. It took a couple of days to sink in.”
The 37-year-old was nominated for the honour for services to Army piping over 21 years. He joined the Army in 1982 with the Queen’s Own Highlanders with the intention of being a piper.
“A history teacher at Elgin High School, Mr James Hamilton, who is now retired, had taught me the pipes,” he said.
WO Gray, whose parents, George and Gladys, live in New Elgin, has travelled the world in his primary role as a soldier, but also with the Pipes and Drums.
The band has just recently returned from a nine-week tour of America, where they played 56 cities in 65 days.
“The Scots tradition over there is very big, and it is growing all the time. It was a good tour, and we got a great reception, but it was pretty hectic,” he added.
WO Gray has performed with the band in the Far East, Africa and all over Europe, as well as throughout the UK.
“We were very busy last year during the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and played in places like London, Portsmouth and Balmoral. At the Edinburgh Tattoo I was the solo piper in a tribute to Her Majesty.
“The last couple of years since the Highlanders have been based at Redford Barracks in Edinburgh, the Pipes and Drums have been very much in the public eye.”
While the piping has placed him in the spotlight, WO Gray has also seen active service in Northern Ireland and was involved in the first Gulf War of 1991.
The Highlanders are currently serving in Bosnia and WO Gray and his colleagues are about to depart for a five-week your of duty there where their tasks will include general peacekeeping and mine clearance.
The pipes will also be going with them, and their stay will also involve a number of musical performances for the troops out there.