A Scottish piper who died far from home was remembered in Dunedin yesterday.
Outram farmer and Taieri Pipe Band member David Albert Grant was killed by a sniper 93 years ago yesterday, on April 7, 1918, in the Battle of the Somme during World War 1.
However, his nephew, retired psychiatrist Dr Peter Grant, has ensured he will not be forgotten.
Dr Grant studied medicine at the University of Otago, before practising in Toronto, Canada, and he and wife, Ruth, have established David A. Grant Memorial scholarships in Scottish piping and drumming to encourage young musicians.
The inaugural recipient was drummer Tom Hill, who received $3500 towards tuition fees for a year.
"I thought the scholarships would be the ideal way to commemorate my uncle's memory," Dr Grant said yesterday.
"As I was growing up in the North Island, I'd occasionally come down to Cray Farm in Outram. There were four brothers who went overseas to war, but David Albert was the only one who didn't come back. I knew a little bit about it, but not much, because my uncles didn't like to talk about the First World War."
Piper Liam Kernaghan received the Alexander Leith Bagpipe and Drum Scholarship, donated by Hilary Allison, of Dunedin.
The scholarship recipients play Amazing Grace and The Road to the Isles in front of the University of Otago clock tower each year on the anniversary of David Grant's death.
"I thought The Road to the Isles was fitting because David was in France and was trying to to get back to the isles," Dr Grant said.
