On December 1st, 1936, the Cumberland Highlanders was amalgamated with the Colchester & Hants Rifles and the Truro Company of the 6th Machine Gun Battalion to form the North Nova Scotia Highlanders (NNSH). Pipe Major Ross Stone was the first leader of the pipe band. The rotary club of Amherst raised $1000 for pipes, drums, uniforms and accessories for the band. When fully operative, the pipe band paraded through the streets of Truro and area recruiting for the battalion.

On September 1st, 1939, the unit was mobilized with some spending the winter in Amherst and others taking up coastal defense duties in Sydney and the Strait of Canso. In 1940, a second Battalion was formed as a reserve to the 1st Battalion. In June, the unit assembled in the Winter Fair Grounds in Amherst and included companies from Pictou, Cape Breton, and Prince Edward Island. The total ranks of the Maritime contingent peaked at 1000.

On May 13th, 1941, the Battalion was training in Masstown. The North Nova Scotia Highlanders A. F. 3rd Division Pipe Band in that year consisted of the following personnel: Pipe Major R. M. Stone, pipers Pte A. Cooper, Pte D. MacLeod, Pte A. Ingraham, Cpl Ralph E. Boston, Pte C. S. Archibald, Pte D. Cooper, Pte Duncan L. MacIntyre, and Pte D. Matheson, bass drummer Pte M. T. Blackmore, side drummers Pte D. Matheson, Pte F. T. Carrigan, Pte B. F. Mitton, Pte R. Walton, tenor drummer Pte K. P. Buchanan and Skipper, the mascot (a dog).

The North Nova Scotia Highlanders Pipe Band with other pipe bands of the division joined together to play the troops to the noonday meal followed by a March Past for the General Officer Commanding (GOC) in the afternoon. On the 17th, the Regiment marched in a big parade in Charlottetown with the other units of the 9th Brigade. The massed pipe bands headed the parade while Major General Price took the salute. On July 18th, the 1st Battalion left Halifax for Avonmouth, England on the SS Orion. The pipe band played on board the ship as they left. The Battalion trained and helped defend the United Kingdom for three years. On December 25th, the band went with Santa Claus to the St. Bernard’s Orphanage at Huntington, where they entertained 125 orphans.

In September 1942, the pipe band played at Wembly Stadium for the Scotland vs. England football games. On the 12th, they played for an inspection by Canada’s Minister of National Defense. On St. Andrew’s Day, the battalion and the pipe band celebrated with haggis and all the trimmings.

On Levée Day 1943, Pipe Major Stone piped in the Sergeants’ and Officers’ Messes. In April, the band and Battalion paraded to the Town Hall for Viscount R.B. Bennett. On July 4th, the massed pipe bands of the 9th Brigade performed during the inspection of Major General R.F.L. Keller. In August, the pipe band was taken to Steyning to participate in the opening of a series of entertainments given in a “stay-at-home” week. The band then went to Petworth Park where eleven Canadian Army pipe bands were massed for an engagement to take place in London.

On Levée Day 1944, Pipe Major Stone ushered in the New Year in the messes of the Regiment. On June 3rd, the NNSH, with a piper playing The Atholl Highlanders in the bow of every invading ship, left at Southampton down the English Channel and landed on June 6th at 10:46 at Berniers on the Normandy beach. The battle claimed 84 lives and another 200 were listed as casualties.

The following information was taken from Pipe Major Stone’s war diary for the month of December 1944. From November 23rd to December 7th, the NNSH Pipe Band was at the 3rd Division Headquarters. They were supposed to be there for a week, but were requested to stay three days longer. While there, the pipe band played for GOC’s conference and dinner, and also played for No.6 CCS Hospital on the same day. On the evening of December 2nd, the pipe major played for the 3rd Division Headquarters’ Sergeants’ dance and party. On December 4th, in full ceremonial dress, he played at the Officers’ Mess Ball. The GOC was very much impressed with the NNSH Pipe Band. They also played for the 3rd Division Headquarters’ Church Parade. The pipe band returned to Echelon on the evening of December 7th. The next day, they moved to Battalion. area for seven days. The pipe band played every day. Pipe Major Stone and LCpl MacIntyre played at the Sergeants’ dance and party. LCpl MacIntyre, Piper Beaton and Piper D. Cooper piped for the Men’s Mess dance. Pipe Major Stone played for the Colonel and the Officers Ball on December 16th, in full dress. Col Sparks and Pipe Major Stone attended the GOC’s conference on Sunday morning on December 17th. The band moved to Echelon on December 18th to start rehearsing for the Divisional Pipe Band Parade. On December 25th and 26th, Pipe Major Stone, in full dress, played for the Battalion Christmas dinners. On New Year’s Eve, he was requested to play in full dress at the Club in Wymegeem.

After fighting their way across Europe, and as victory was just around the corner, the pipe band began to play more often. One such performance was on March 10th, 1945 during the liberation of Holland. The Battalion and pipe band in full dress had a Church Parade. On the 19th, the pipe band became a major attraction for the citizens while the Battalion held a Church Parade in the National Reformed Church of Holland. On May 5th, at 0800, the war was over. On the 6th, another Church Parade was held in the village Lutheran Church. In the afternoon the pipe band led the Battalion in a March Past in the town of Aurich. On the 21st, a big parade was held with Prince Bernhardt taking the salute. On June 3rd, Pipe Major Stone played a lament for all the fallen during a Church Parade with the Highland Light Infantry. On June 5th, the band played in the D-Day Anniversary Parade.

The 1st North Nova Scotia Highlanders were moved back to England where they boarded the SS Duchess of Bedford for their return to Halifax. Ten pipers and two drummers marched and counter marched on the Halifax Pier while the Battalion scrambled off the ship to locate their relatives. These musicians were the members of the 3rd North Novas, and included the following personnel: Pipe Major John W. MacLeod, drummers Pte R. D. McDowell, Pte J. S. Krozonouski, Pte E. J. Dillman, Pte M. P. Leon, Pte F. H. Purchase, Pte T. A. Stark, and Pte R. V. Lafferty, pipers LCpl C. C. Sutherland, Pte J. S. MacNeil, Pte H. D. Fraser, Pte W. G. Shaw, Pte G. G. Thompson, and Pte C. A. MacDonald, and Drum Major R. Roy. 712 of the North Novas had returned home from the war.

A list of the 1st Battalion’s band members between 1949-1959 included the following names: Pipe Major Ross Stone, pipers Cecil Archibald, Roy Henderson, Donnie Carrigan (also listed as a tenor drummer), Fred Redding, Bill Cook, Jack Gauthier, Joe Taylor; drummers Shorty Remmie (bass), Frank Carrigan (junior bass and snare), Wally Williams (bass), Fred Smith (tenor), and snare drummers Percy Taylor, and Cye Steele.

In 1950, the band attended the Antigonish Highland Games under Pipe Major Stone. In 1951, the band performed in Antigonish again, under the direction of PSgt D. MacIntyre. The band also attended the Antigonish Games in 1952 and 1954. During this post-war period, the band members included veterans Pipe Major Ross Stone, pipers Cecil Archibald and Ray Henderson, bass drummers Shortie Remmie and Frank Carrigan, Jr., and side drummers Percy Taylor and Frank Carrigan. Other members were pipers Fred Redding, Bill Cook, Jack Gauthier and Joe Taylor, bass drummer Wally Williams, side drummers Cye Steele and Jack McCarthy, tenor drummers Fred Smith and Donnie Carrigan, who also played pipes. They performed at November 11th parades in Truro, the Lobster Carnival in Pictou, the Gold Cup and Saucer Parade in Charlottetown, PEI, Natal Day in Halifax, the Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition in Truro, and the Antigonish Highland Games. According to snare drummer Cye Steele, who played with the band during that time, the best and biggest parade the band attended was the Antigonish Highland Games Parade in 1952 where they took part in a massed band of 125 pipers and 50 drummers.

1st Battalion Nova Scotia Highlanders (North) in 1954
Front (l-r): PM Ross Stone, Joe Taylor, Garry MacDonald, Alex MacDonald; 2nd row: Jack MacIsaac, unknown, Bernie Gillis, unknown; rest unknown

In 1954, the Regiment became the 1st Battalion Nova Scotia Highlanders (North) as the result of the amalgamation of the Pictou Highlanders, Cumberland Highlanders, and the North Nova Scotia Highlanders. The pipe band was placed under the direction of Pipe Major Ross Stone who remained as pipe major until he suffered a brain hemorrhage in November 1955. Earlier that summer, the band participated in the official opening of the Canso Causeway.

Though he lived until 1972, Pipe Major Stone never played pipes again. He was succeeded by Pipe Major Duncan MacIntyre, CD, who carried on until 1965 at which time Jack MacIsaac became the pipe major. Jack served in this capacity until 1968 when Pipe Major Joe Taylor succeeded him.

In 1971, the band placed third in the Senior Pipe Band Competition at the Gathering of the Clans in Pugwash on July 1st. Harold MacDonnell took over the band in 1980, and served as pipe major until 1995.

Each battalion had its own pipe band from 1954 to 1995, when the two bands became one and the new band was named the Nova Scotia Highlanders Regimental Pipes and Drums. The Nova Scotia Highlanders Regimental Pipes and Drums was formed by combining the pipe bands of the 1st Battalion Nova Scotia Highlanders (North) and the 2nd Battalion Nova Scotia Highlanders (Cape Breton). The newly combined band was first placed under the leadership of Pipe Major Harold MacDonnell who served from 1995 to 1997. Pipe Major Karen MacLean, the first female pipe major, took over the band in 1997. Sgt Vanessa Wells became the band’s drum major. Warrant Officer Doug Hamilton, a transfer from the Calgary Highlanders, became pipe sergeant in 1995, and Sgt Terry Gottschall, of Antigonish, became the drum sergeant.