TRIBUTES PAID TO “DOUG” ALMOND

Wanganui Chronicle, 11 March 1947, Page 4

TRIBUTES PAID TO “DOUG” ALMOND

RESPONSIBLE FOR MUCH OF SUCCESS OF PIPE BANDS’ CONTEST Drum-Major D. A. Almond, as drum-major of the Wanganui Highland Pipe Band, Contest Committee secretary, and Wanganui Centre secretary, carried the greatest individual burden of the most successful pipe bands’ national contest ever staged. Public acknowledgment) of the New Zealand Highland Pipe Bands’ Association’s indebtedness to Mr. Almond s untiring zeal has been expressed by the Dominion president. Mr. lan Cameron, and the president of the Wanganui Centre, Mr. Andrew McSkimming. Speaking at the concert on Sunday night to mark the. conclusion of the contests, Mr. McSkimming declared: “This contest has been a wonderful success and could not have been better conducted.” He then called upon Mr. Almond to come on to the stage, saying: “Here is the man responsible for

its success. He did all the organising work, was the prime mover of the various innovations, and was responsible for seeing that everything went off smoothly, as it did.” The audience showed its appreciation by acclamation.

In addition to his work as secretary and organiser, which occupied much of his time for many weeks before the contest, Mr. Almond also had the big job of training the Wanganui Band to its final high standard. He led the band in the A grade quickstep on the Saturday afternoon, in which it was placed fourth on military points; appeared later in the afternoon for the staff-swinging contest, and was placed second; led a section of the massed bands at the conclusion of the programme; took third place in the drum-majors’ display on Sunday afternoon and led the massed parade of A and B grade bands which climaxed the contests on Sunday.