About Les Gray
My Story
Leslie, (Les) Gray began piping at the age of 15 and upon graduating from school took up his passion of music with the Australian Scots Pipe Band and continued to perform with that band until 1949. Les then joined the Brisbane Caledonian Pipe Band as Pipe Sergeant under Pipe Major Arthur Russell until 1954 when the call to family occasioned Les to leave the band.
In 1959 Dales Whyte approached Les and encouraged him to join the newly formed Queensland Police Pipe Band under Pipe Major Ian Hay resulting in Les rejoining the Pipe Band community.
My Story Cont.
In 1960 when Pipe Major Hay was injured in an accident. Les took on the role of Pipe Major for the Queensland Police Pipe band for the next 14 years. During that time Les tutored many pipers and performed at a wide range of official and community engagements.
My Story Cont.
In 1975 Les travelled with the Queensland Police Pipe Band to the Royal Tournament in London, the Colchester Tattoo and eventually culminating in the participation in the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Scotland.
Les retired from the Queensland Police Service and the Police Pipe Band in 1978 and it was quiet for Les for a while until Rab Laurie then approached Les and encouraged him to join the Ormiston Pipe Band in 1994. Soon after forming the Pipes & Drums, National Servicemen’s Memorial Band, (P&DNSMB) in 1999, Dales Whyte, who incidentally was a former colleague of Les in his Police Pipe band days again encouraged Les to also join that newly formed band. Les then made the decision to join both.
Whilst performing with the P&DNSMB Les has had occasion to perform the role of Pipe Major and even after retiring from that position continued to still play a very important role in performing with and supporting the band.
Since 1999 to the present, Les has been an important and valued member of the Piping Community assisting both the Ormiston and National Servicemen’s Memorial Bands in pipe maintenance, tutoring new members and providing support and advice when required. Les continues to attend band practice and is an important member of the band to this day.
"Since 1999 to the present, Les has been an important and valued member of the Piping Community assisting both the Ormiston and National Servicemen’s Memorial Bands in pipe maintenance, tutoring new members and providing support and advice when required. Les continues to attend band practice and is an important member of the band to this day".
Les Gray
Follow @nashoband
A living, musical memorial to those called to National Service in Australia