The chorus of the song "The Battle’s Over" has lyrics uniquely appropriate to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1918 armistice that ended World War I:
"March no more my soldier laddie. There is peace where there once was war. Sleep in peace, my soldier laddie. Sleep in peace, now the battle’s over."
While fellow members of Southern Indiana Pipes & Drums will be performing Sunday’s 11 a.m. community Veterans Day program, Jeff Burgmeier will be playing at the Bartholomew County Memorial for Veterans before the sun is even up.
At the request of the Royal Regiment of Scotland to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, the Columbus East teacher will get up extremely early Sunday morning at his home near Seymour, travel to Columbus and play "The Battle’s Over" at 6 a.m.
The song is being played simultaneously on bagpipes all over the world on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month – as it is determined at Menin Gate to the Missing, located in Ypres, Belgium. That is 6 a.m. Columbus time.
While it may seem that Burgmeier is performing by himself in the dark, he will be playing simultaneously with other bagpipers located at 1,200 veteran and war memorials around the world.
