Mary was aw that - and then some

World War Two veteran Mary Munro, who recently died aged 96, was one of Rutherglen’s finest.

Mary’s story is to be immortalised in a book to be published later this year by South Lanarkshire Council’s community education department as part of the ‘She’s Aw That’ project run as part of International Women’s Day.

Written by me, here is the tribute in full:

This is a story of a 93-year-old woman who walked into Rutherglen Library and became a TV star.

Mary Munro, whom I was privileged to call my friend, served in an all-female ATS pipe band during the Second World War. They travelled all over the country raising morale and toured in France and further afield post-war.

Mary was in London on May 8, 1945, in Trafalgar Square, joined in the celebrations for VE Day and even heard Churchill’s speech from the balcony, although she was a lifelong Labour supporter.

Before then Mary had lived a quiet life with her parents and learned to play the bagpipes from the age of 11.

In 2015 Mary handed in a copy of a booklet she had written about her time in the forces and when I heard about it from Zen Boyd at the Heritage Centre I knew I had to meet the lady herself. Her story had to be told.

After an initial chat in the library, in which she told me “all I ever wanted to do was play the bagpipes as well as any man”, I contacted the Daily Record and Mary appeared in a double-page spread in the paper.

Her story was featured alongside my dad’s in the 70th anniversary WW2 exhibition at Rutherglen Library and at the opening event a local piper dedicated ‘Mary My Scots Bluebell’ to her.

When I heard that, despite living in the Burgh for 60 years, she had never seen a pipe band, I managed to get us both VIP seats for Landemer Day in 2015 so she could see and hear the pipe band.

Mary was given a standing ovation by the townspeople. Ever modest, she could not see what all the fuss was about and was certainly not overwhelmed by meeting all those important people.

Mary appeared in a series of TV adverts as one of Scotland’s “real people”. It was a poignant and atmospheric few minutes, filmed at Rutherglen Town Hall, and brought a tear to my eye.

Mary, a calm and serene lady, was unfazed by it all and never thought anyone would be interested in her story and surprised at all the fuss.

This is also a story about a community, about older people and lonely people and about making that first contact and the need for us all to take the time to listen, to talk and to take an interest in those who share our town young and old. They all deserve to be heard. How many more stories are out there untold?

Mary, my wee bagpipe lady, as I always think of her, was aw’ that and then some.