A UNIQUE illumination will take place tonight at the Scottish Parliament when the names of all those who died serving on behalf of Scotland in the First World War will be projected onto the walls of the building. So many were lost that the projection will take seven hours.
The event will honour the tens of thousands of men and women listed in the Scottish National War Memorial Roll of Honour. Along with Scottish servicemen, the names of those projected will include nurses, munitions factory workers, Merchant Navy personnel, and overseas servicemen who fought on behalf of Scotland.
Set to music, the illumination will include images and designs that tell the story of the conflict. Throughout the evening there will be performances by pipers from across Scotland, and the projection will conclude at midnight with the Last Post.
Each name will appear in alphabetical order for around 10 seconds, beginning at 5pm.
Designed by artist Ross Ashton, the projection is the result of a partnership between the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish National War Memorial and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
“This illumination will be a poignant tribute to all those who died and a powerful reminder to us today of their sacrifice,” said the Parliament’s presiding officer Ken Macintosh.
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“It is the centrepiece of the Parliament’s plans to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One and I hope as many people as possible will join us on Armistice Day to view what will be a truly unique illumination.
“The fact it will take seven hours to project the names of all those who died reflects the sheer scale of the loss and the devastation the war had on communities right across Scotland.”
Remembrance services will also be held throughout Scotland today with a two minute silence at 11am.
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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, pictured below, will take part in Scotland’s national remembrance ceremony in Edinburgh when she will lay a wreath at the Stone of Remembrance, before attending the service at St Giles Cathedral. Later in the day she will attend the special service at Glasgow Cathedral marking 100 years since the Armistice.
“Remembrance Sunday is an opportunity for people in Scotland to join with others across the world to commemorate those who made the ultimate sacrifice in conflicts during the last century,” she said.
“It allows us a chance to honour the memory of those who gave their lives, while also paying tribute to our veterans and those who continue to serve today.
“This year of course has added poignancy as it marks 100 years since the signing of the Armistice that ended the First World War.
“The laying of a wreath is a small but significant tribute, and I am privileged to be able to do so on behalf of the people of Scotland.”
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The SNP’s Westminster leader, Ian Blackford MP, will attend the ceremony at the Cenotaph war memorial in London to mark the occasion on behalf of the SNP and Plaid Cymru.
He will lay a wreath with the words “Lest we forget” in English, Gaelic and Welsh. Deputy First Minister John Swinney will attend a service in Westminster Abbey.
“Today marks the centenary of the end of World War One, and we stand and remember those who sacrificed their lives and to ensure that such terrible loss and suffering is never repeated again,” said Blackford.
“I am honoured to be able to attend the ceremony today at the Cenotaph, and to lay a wreath in what is only a small gesture in gratitude for the sacrifices our service personnel made during the First World War.
“On this day, for them, we fall silent and remember.”
The commemorations begin in Edinburgh with a services parade led by veterans, with pipes and drums of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and 2 Scots, which will leave Edinburgh Castle Esplanade shortly after 10.30am and march to the ceremony at the Stone of Remembrance.
Afterwards the centenary of the Armistice will be marked by a procession to the steps of the Scottish National War Memorial where a service of commemoration will be held.
At the Cenotaph in Glasgow’s George Square, the two-minute silence begins at 11am. Lord Provost Eva Bolander, in her role as Lord-Lieutenant, will lead Sunday’s ceremony and the Moderator of Glasgow Presbytery, the Rev Roy Henderson, will lead prayers. A Guard of Honour will be provided by the 52nd Lowland, 6th Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Scotland with music from The Lowland Band of The Royal Regiment of Scotland and Glasgow Youth Choir.
A civic procession will also take place in Aberdeen, leaving the Town House at 10.30am to arrive before 11am at the War Memorial. A service will then be held at the Kirk of St Nicholas.
In Dundee a cornet played on the Western Front during the First World War will sound the Last Post. It belonged to Dundonian Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve bandsman, Able Seaman Victor Ferrar, who was killed in Gallipoli in 1915 while serving as a stretcher-bearer. The 17-year-old lost his life on a solo dash into no man’s land to help a badly wounded rating who has been trapped there for three days. His cornet will be played during the naval remembrance service aboard the HMS Unicorn, the oldest British-built warship still afloat. Commemorations begins in Dundee with a parade through the city centre, starting at 10.50am, before the cornet is played at 3pm.
In Inverness, pipers and drummers will take part in a moving dawn ceremony at Inverness Castle where they will play the lament The Battle’s O’er at 6am to coincide with the signing of the Armistice 100 years ago.
The event will herald other commemorations during the day including the main remembrance parade which is expected to be attended by hundreds of people and will set off from Huntly Street at 10.10am for the war memorial at Cavell Gardens.
An orchestral event will be performed by Ness Sinfonia in Inverness Cathedral at 5pm, closing with a sunset ceremony including RBLS standard bearers, a Salvation Army bugler and a piper from the Inverness RBLS Pipe Band.
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