From Borders Chronicle 1980

From the "Wee Three" to El Alamein

One afternoon at Dreghorn Camp, just after the war, Willie was sitting in his bunk with Cpl/Piper Patsy Milligan when the news was received that Patsy's wife had given birth to triplets, and would be receiving the "Queen's Bounty". After the excitement had died down, Willie said this deserves commemorating with a special pipe tune, and then and there wrote a four parted march naming it "The Wee Three". Not long after Scottish Command circulated a competition with a £100 prize for a tune to be written to commemorate the outstanding part the Highland Division had played at the battle of El Alamein, and would be called after that Battle. Willie with the consent of Patsy, changed a couple of bars of "The Wee Three", re-named it El Alamein and sent it off. A few months later the results of the competition were published and much to the surprise of Willie and Patsy the tune had been adjudjed the winner. This is how it all came about that the Pipe Major of the KOSBs in Lowland Division wrote the tune now famous for the Highland Division.

As Corpl. Milligan, he is in the New Year's Morning 1948 photo before the Officers v Sergeants match. (Borderers' Chronicle, March 1948, p.8)