WO1 Pipe Major J. (Jock) Copland MBE Memorial

This memorial was dedicated in 1967 in memory of WO1 Pipe Major J. (Jock) Copland MBE of the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment 1st Battalion. It was erected by the Warrant Officers and Chief Petty Officers Association of Essex County.

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, he was a piper with the Seaforth Highlanders and  the Royal Engineers Territorial Force in Great Britain before coming to Galt, Ontario, in 1911. In Galt, he founded what became the Pipe Band of The Highland Light Infantry. In 1916, the 241st Canadian Scottish Borderers invited him to Windsor to form a pipe band and Copland went overseas with this unit. After the war, the band continued as the Border Cities Pipe Band. These Veteran pipers formed the core of the Essex Scottish Regiment pipe band when the Essex Fusiliers officially became a Highland Regiment in 1927.

Copland also instructed young pipers at the Walkerville High School Army Cadet Pipe Band, many followed him to Europe during the Second World War. Two of his sons, James and Robert, went with him as well. Jock was sixty when the war broke out in 1939, fifteen years too old to enlist. He had been with the Essex Scottish for over twenty years, had two sons in the band and served in the First World War. Determined to serve his regiment in this war as well, he lied about his age, claiming he was 45, so he would be accepted for service.

He became ill in Britain and was sent back to Windsor in January 1941. Jock, however, retained his ties with the Essex Scottish as Pipe Major for the reserve 2nd Battalion. After forty years of service with the Essex Scottish, he retired in December 1957. The regiment paid its final tribute to Jock with a parade on 7 March 1958. His son, Pipe Sergeant James Copland, succeeded his post, while his other son, Robert, served as the regiment's Drum Major. 

Jock died at the age of 86 on 29 April 1966. His sons, James and Robert, retired from the pipe band the following year, closing the half century the Copland family had spent as pipers for the Essex and Kent Scottish. Serving more than 60 years with the military, he was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire and held the Efficiency Medal and bars for long service.

THIS MEMORIAL DEDICATED IN
THE CENTENNIAL YEAR 1967
IN MEMORY OF
W.O.I. PIPE MAJOR
J. (JOCK) COPLAND M.B.E.
OF THE ESSEX AND KENT SCOTTISH
REGIMENT, 1ST BATTALION
BY THE
WARRANT OFFICER'S AND
CHIEF PETTY OFFICER'S ASSOCIATION
OF ESSEX COUNTY.