SAS’S ‘Mad Piper’ revered in Italy after Second World War heroics
Town of Albinea may build museum to honour Scot who saved lives
A bagpiping special forces soldier is being honoured in the Italian town he helped liberate during the Second World War following his death earlier this year.
David “The Mad Piper” Kirkpatrick began the war in the Highland Light Infantry but was summoned to the newly-formed SAS for a top secret mission in March 1945.
As part of Operation Tombola, he parachuted – dressed in a kilt – behind enemy lines in northern Italy and provided the stirring soundtrack to a raid on Nazi forces in the town of Albinea. His music gave the impression the attackers were a solely British force when in reality dozens of Italian freedom fighters participated.
This tactic saved hundreds lives in Albinea as Nazi policy was to kill ten local civilians for each of their own soldiers killed in a partisan attack.
Kirkpatrick died on 6 January at Girvan Community Hospital in South Ayrshire at the age of 91 and his life and times are now being celebrated in Albinea.
Fans are making pilgrimages to his grave, publishing books in his honour and writing folk songs dedicated to him.
The mayor of the town he helped liberate sent a telegram to his funeral and there are even talks of a museum being built in his honour.
Details of his fans’ exploits are being shared on social media. One image shows David’s grave, in a photograph taken by Matteo Incerti, who has also written a book on Kirkpatrick. Before his death, Italian Celtic band the Modena City Ramblers released a song dedicated to him with the line: “He’s the brave Scottish piper coming from the skies.”
Mr Kirkpatrick’s son Lee, 50, said: “He’s a local hero. With all the Germans they killed that night – I think it was 80 – they would have gone out and wiped out the whole village. They see it as they’re all alive because of my father.”